Daniel Pink's thorough analysis of what motivates us doesn't come up with brand new findings. Most of his facts are well known: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, reward, punishment, and why carrot and stick doesn't work. What makes this book a suggested read is the way Daniel Pink puts all together and the interesting analogies he is using. He talks about Type I and Type X behaviour, sees motivation as operating system in different versions, and focuses on 3 key elements: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Additionally the book contains a toolkit section with hands-on strategies to implement his new model of motivation.
Especially one convincing case study drew my attention: Around 2000 was an important timeframe for two encyclopedia projects, the already established Microsoft Encarta and the newly founded Wikipedia. Encarta was maintained and published by well paid employees, working for the biggest and most influential software company: Microsoft. Wikipedia was a free, web-based, and collaborative project, maintained by volunteers around the world. Imagine, someone asked you at this point in time, which one of the both projects will still exist in 13 years?
Now, 13 years later, Wikipedia has more than 15 million articles and is currently the largest general reference work on the Internet. And Encarta? Microsoft discontinued it 2009 with the following statement: "The category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed. People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past." Which actually means: Wikipedia killed Encarta.
What made the difference?
It's all about PASSION. Passionate people perform on exceptional levels. They aren't pushed by money and rewards, they are just driven by their interest and passion. Independent from their cultural background, these people are the pillars we rely on in our global organizations. Passionate people turnaround projects, drive innovation, and overcome resistance.
"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" will initiate you to re-think about motivation and transform it into your organization.
