Daniel Pink’s Drive – Book Review
Website design By BotEap.comMost people don’t understand what motivates me at work. I spend up to hours writing articles or my newsletter. Or I’ll be tweeting, connecting with potential clients, business partners, and just interesting tweeple. And then there’s a continual round of in-person meetings and networking events. “You never sleep?” is a common comment I hear. Why am I so motivated? Because I’m having a great time!
Website design By BotEap.comApparently my work situation is not unique as we learn in Daniel H. Pink’s book Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us.
Website design By BotEap.comAs Pink explains, the human first impulse, like all other animals, is survival. Our second drive, what he calls Motivation 2.0, which is determined by both rewards and punishments, is also shared by the animal kingdom. But only humans have been able to harness that motivation to build buildings, organizations, and much more. Motivation 2.0 has been around for a long time, so long, that it’s only part of who we are. But that system is breaking down.
Website design By BotEap.comExtrinsic and classic rewards and punishments, like money, benefits and fear of losing your job, don’t work like they used to. People are clamoring to participate, without pay, in open source projects like the Wikipedia online encyclopedia and the Linux operating system. Some states now offer entrepreneurs the ability to set up an L3C (Low Profit Limited Liability Company) organization that operates as a for-profit business, but with modest profits, whose primary purpose is to provide social benefits. Of course, Wikipedia and Linux contributors can add to these projects to build their reputation or public relations efforts. L3C organizations may be trying to do the same thing. But at the heart of it all is his desire to add something to the world or to do something for the sheer joy of doing it, or “flow”. Welcome to the world of Motivation 3.0, the world where intrinsic rewards govern what we do and what we get from what we do. We have become what Pink calls Theory I, because intrinsically motivated, workers.
Website design By BotEap.comAs a theory worker myself, I definitely appreciate this new paradigm. However, many of my clients and friends are in trades and industries for which Motivation 3.0 is a distant future. How do you find an intrinsically motivated plumber, garbage collector, or cafeteria worker? Even more complicated is how you serve your customers who are waiting for someone to fix their leaky toilet, pick up trash, or collect lunch payment if your workers are doing only what allows them to experience the flow.
Website design By BotEap.comTo answer some of these questions, Pink suggests that for some mundane tasks, classic carrot-and-stick rewards may be necessary if the work can’t be outsourced or automated. This is going to be key for some industries. More and more tasks can be automated, even complex mechanics. I see this as how many blue-collar and blue-collar jobs can transition to a Motivation 3.0 future, freeing up time for these workers to perform tasks that bring them creativity, freedom, challenge, purpose, and novelty.
Website design By BotEap.comCiting Richard Ryan, Pink also suggests providing “scaffolding” for these transitioning employees to help them find their place in the future Motivation 3.0, which combines autonomy with responsibility. This is a massive mindset shift and, in my opinion, it will take years, maybe decades, to realize. The reason it will is because training to be a Theory I worker starts in school, and as Pink points out, our schools are woefully bad at engaging and motivating our next generations, rather than focusing on scores. of tests and rote learning without relevance. Additionally, schools continue to cut programs like art, music, and gymnastics that can give students the opportunity to expand their horizons and find activities that provide more intrinsic rewards.
Website design By BotEap.comWhile Pink’s prospect of moving towards Motivation 3.0 seems optimistic, though not without challenges, I think the reality of moving towards this ideal will seem almost impossible for industries where creativity is not valued. My fear is that just like empowerment initiatives that can become a shift in responsibility and blame employees who don’t really have the power or ability to affect outcomes, Motivation 3.0 initiatives could become the next concept. highly maligned commercial.
Website design By BotEap.comBut everything has to start somewhere. Asking questions about yourself and your company is where it starts. Ride offers readers a great list of questions to help both individuals and employers start thinking about a Motivation 3.0 future. I thought it was funny that one of Pink’s questions was if you think her point of view is too optimistic and utopian. But it’s a fair question to really ask yourself regarding how this concept fits into her organization.
Website design By BotEap.comImplementing Motivation 3.0 principles will be challenging in many organizations, particularly those with organized workers. Any intrinsically rewarding tasks and development activities will need to become part of the employment contract. But then, does that defeat the purpose of these tasks and just add more problems to arbitrate?
Website design By BotEap.comRide It is sure to become a significant addition to illustrated employment literature and is recommended reading for anyone in leadership roles or those who want to enjoy their life and work more.