Leadership Library
Motivation

Drive

Daniel H. Pink · 2009

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About

The surprising truth about what motivates us — autonomy, mastery and purpose.

SK's perspective

It explains why carrots-and-sticks fail knowledge workers and what to do instead.

Key learnings

  • Autonomy, mastery and purpose drive real motivation.
  • If-then rewards can dull creative work.
  • Give people control over task, time, technique and team.
  • Progress is the biggest daily motivator.
  • Purpose maximises, not just profit.

Make it a ritual

Feed autonomy, mastery and purpose in small doses to keep motivation self-renewing.

Professional life

  • Give one person more autonomy over how they do the work this week.
  • Celebrate visible progress in every team meeting.

Personal life

  • Protect one block for a mastery pursuit each week.
  • Reconnect a routine task to a purpose that matters to you.

Buy the book (Amazon) · curated talks on YouTube. — © Daniel H. Pink. Summary is our own.

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