[rating:3]
(New York: Riverhead Books, 2009)
260 pgs
Daniel Pink addresses a subject that has intrigued me of late: why is it that some people seem motivated to excel and to make valuable contributions while others appear to be de-motivated and satisfied with mediocrity or worse? Pink writes this book from a secular, scientific standpoint. He cites numerous well-known behavioral studies. As with many secular studies, while it might not necessarily offer a definitive solution to humanity’s fundamentally spiritual needs, it does identify basic human needs that clearly are not being met in the ordinary work place.
Pink joins a growing trend of business writers who recognize that we are entering a post-Industrial age. The problem is that many businesses and organizations (including schools) are continuing to use industrial models to manage their people. Pink repeatedly laments that science has discovered truths about human nature that business and institutions such as schools have yet to properly adjust to.
Pink suggests that there are three fundamental levels of human motivation. The first, and most basic, is Motivation 1.0 This is our biological need for basics such as food and shelter. Unless these basic needs are met, the others will be superfluous (15). The second level of motivation involves what he describes as “carrots and sticks,” which are incentives of reward or avoiding punishment, labeled Motivation 2.0. Pink suggests that the Industrial Revolution used this motivational approach. Businesses and institutions assumed that people were unmotivated to work hard and had to be enticed through reward systems as well as monitored and supervised carefully so they did not slack off. The most common instrument of reward in the Industrialized Age was money. If you worked hard and were productive, you earned bonuses or pay raises. It was assumed that this monetary incentive was adequate to enlist desired performances.
Much of this Industrial Age thinking has been assumed as we have entered the age of the Knowledge Worker. Pink suggests we have entered the age of Motivation 3.0. Whereas Motivation 1.0 is an internal motivator (our grumbling stomach or parched, thirsty mouth), Motivation 2.0 is external in that it derives externally as someone dangles a carrot in front of us. Motivation 3.0 is internal. It appeals to our need for autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
Pink challenges conventional thinking on how to motivate people. He demonstrates through various studies that when people are offered money as a reward, their productivity can actually degenerate (8, 38). Further, in attempting to prevent negative behavior, applying punishments can actually encourage the very activity you are trying to discourage (51). Pink gives numerous examples such as citing the attempt to offer money in order to encourage more people to donate blood. What in fact occurred was that, once people were offered money for something they had been willing to give for free, they viewed their altruistic action as a job, and they were less attracted to do it. Pink also cites a study in Israel where parents were informed that they would henceforth be levied a small fine every time they were more than five minutes late to pick up their child. What in fact happened was that tardiness increased!
Pink notes that people have an innate desire for autonomy. As soon as it appears they do not possess this, motivation declines. He cites a study of artists whereby artists submitted ten paintings they had been commissioned to produce and ten they had created out of their own passion and enjoyment. An independent panel then judged the paintings without knowing anything of their background. Those paintings done autonomously were consistently rated much higher than those that had been commissioned by someone else.
Pink’s observation is that leaders must find ways to help their people work with as much autonomy as possible in order to develop mastery in their fields and to work with a sense of purpose. He notes that “profit maximization” cannot satisfy the way “purpose maximization” can (23). Pink also notes that goal setting can often produce undesired behavior (49). For example, if an auto repair company has a goal of a specific profit level, the mechanics will be tempted to overcharge or recommend unnecessary work in order to reach their goal. Schools often use the carrot and stick approach to learning, yet Pink demonstrates how this can often be demotivating and instead, merely encourage students to do what it takes to get ahead in the system.
Pink notes that performing algorithmic tasks that can be done mindlessly on an assembly line can be motivated to an extent with carrots and sticks. It takes little imagination or creativity and such tasks do not call for higher levels of creative and problem solving kinds of thought. However, Pink observes that much of today’s work calls for higher levels of thinking that finds new solutions and discovers new paradigms. To do this, one needs more than the possibility of a bonus. This heuristic thought is enhanced when people have the freedom to explore new possibilities without fear of punishment for not meeting quotas. Pink cites several extremely successful companies today such as Google that regularly allow their employees time to create new solutions and programs and to work on problems that they want to. Much of the best work being done by these companies is occurring when people are experiencing Motivation 3.0
Pink takes direct aim at modern management approaches. He notes that 33.7 million Americans presently telecommute to work at least once per week. He observes that the controlling, look-over-their-shoulder approaches to managing workers is becoming increasingly less easy or desirable to do (30).
He notes that traditional management looks for compliance and control (86). He notes that even the highly touted concept of “empowerment” is fundamentally “a slightly more civilized form of control” (90). He concludes: “In short, management isn’t the solution; it’s the problem. Perhaps it’s time to toss the very word ‘management’ onto the linguistic ash heap alongside ‘icebox’ and ‘horseless carriage.’ This era doesn’t call for better management. It calls for a renaissance of self-direction” (90).
Pink notes that money certainly is not bad. He suggests that employers pay their staff a decent wage so money is no longer an issue (33). He notes that once people are being paid a fair wage, money has more of a negative effect than positive when it comes to motivation. People will work for less money if they can have the autonomy to pursue projects that matter and that are personally fulfilling. Pink notes that rewards don’t work when they are “If-then.” That is, If you achieve these sales goals, then you will receive this bonus. Or if you do your chores, then you will be given your allowance. That is because when good behavior is purchased, we no longer do it for the intrinsic value of doing our best or contributing to a greater purpose than ourselves. Instead, our time and labor have been purchased and we are no longer masters of our own destiny, which is inherently demotivating (65).
Pink also distinguishes between Type A and B people and what he labels Type I (76). These are people who are driven by Motivation 3.0. Pink concludes: “We’re not designed to be passive and compliant. We’re designed to be active and engaged” (145). He notes that our current system in schools and business dumb people down to just following the rules and not standing out as being different. Interestingly, he also notes that at times, people who are merely driven to achieve their personal goals discover that they do not satisfy. Citing scientific research he writes: “’These findings are rather striking,’ the researchers write, ‘as they suggest the attainment of a particular set of goals [in this case profit goals] has no impact on well-being and actually contributes to ill-being’ . . the findings suggest that even when we do get what we want, it’s not always what we need” (142).
Pink’s book is divided into two parts. The first 145 pages lay out the tenets of his approach to motivation. The remaining pages are a “Toolkit” with various articles and materials for those who want to dig deeper into this subject.
I found this to be an interesting book. It surveys a number of behavioral studies and experiments I was familiar with, but he applied them specifically to the crucial field of motivation. He reminds me somewhat of Seth Godin in terms of his view of today’s workplace. He also utilizes interesting studies similarly to Malcolm Gladwell (who endorses this book).
I think every leader needs to rethink how they are motivating those they lead. This may be especially true for people who lead nonprofits. When we cannot offer money as a reward, we must be sure we are providing something of even higher value to those who volunteer their precious time. It was interesting to see how our commonly used methods of offering rewards and incentives to school children or even our staff could actually hinder the very behavior we are attempting to encourage.
Of course, being a secular book, there are times where you feel that he is observing the symptoms but cannot fully recommend the cure. He does not touch on the spiritual dimension of peoples’ lives, although this is becoming increasingly recognized as a major source of personal fulfillment today. This is not a long read as much of the page count is devoted to the toolkit. Because it is such a specialized focus, I won’t rate it as a 4 or 5. Nevertheless, it does address a subject of growing importance in leadership theory today and one that might well be worth giving some attention to in the days ahead.