Drive

October 19, 2009
According to Pink (A Whole New Mind
), everything we think we know about what motivates us is wrong. He pits the latest scientific discoveries about the mind against the outmoded wisdom that claims people can only be motivated by the hope of gain and the fear of loss. Pink cites a dizzying number of studies revealing that “carrot and stick” can actually significantly reduce the ability of workers to produce creative solutions to problems. What motivates us once our basic survival needs are met is the ability to grow and develop, to realize our fullest potential. Case studies of Google's “20 percent time” (in which employees work on projects of their choosing one full day each week) and Best Buy's “Results Only Work Environment” (in which employees can work whenever and however they choose—as long as they meet specific goals) demonstrate growing endorsement for this approach. A series of appendixes include further reading and tips on applying this method to businesses, fitness and child-rearing. Drawing on research in psychology, economics and sociology, Pink's analysis—and new model—of motivation offers tremendous insight into our deepest nature.

November 1, 2009
Pop-psychology/business guide debunks the increasingly antiquated concept of financial remuneration as a motivational tool—and offers a better idea.

It's easy to sell the notion that work could be considerably more fulfilling, but Wired contributing editor Pink (A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, 2005, etc.) makes a compelling argument that actually sounds plausible and implementable. Through a series of clinical studies, anecdotes and expert testimony, the author builds the case against extrinsic motivation, arguing that monetary rewards (or"carrots and sticks"), while effective for repetitive tasks, are actually detrimental in situations that call for more creative thinking or cognitive reasoning. Given that ingenuity and innovation underpin the 21st-century economy, Pink contends that the key to success—and subsequent happiness and fulfillment in the workplace—is nurturing intrinsic motivation, which involves three key components: autonomy (having control over task, time, team and technique), mastery (being fully engaged in a task with a desire for constant improvement) and purpose (contributing to something larger than one's self). After convincingly demonstrating the importance of restructuring the workplace to emphasize these components, Pink provides a toolkit for managers, parents, teachers and individuals on how to tap into sources of intrinsic motivation. Though the latter section occasionally devolves into an overly enthusiastic new-age self-help tome, the book's main premise is significant. The author presents an integral addition to a growing body of literature that argues for a radical shift in how businesses operate in a world dominated by technology, and soon to be led by a generation that doesn't necessarily equate money with happiness.

Important reading for frustrated but open-minded business leaders struggling to connect with stressed-out workers.

(COPYRIGHT (2009) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 15, 2009
Management guru Pink, who first made a name for himself with the "New York Times" best seller "A Whole New Mind", elaborates on some decades-old motivational studies indicating that subjects will work more persistently to master an interesting task rather than to gain a reward. On the basis of these well-known research results, he builds a theory of the ideal organization, one based on autonomy, mastery, and purpose, to which end he offers a "tool kit" of self-tests, suggestions, further readings, discussion questions, aphorisms, and various summaries of the book itself (including a Tweetable version). Readers also get accounts of businesses that are taking findings on motivation to heart. VERDICT If you're the sort of person who's jazzed by management seminars and team-building exercises that include a lot of bullet points, you'll love this bookit's Staff Development Day in a box. There are a lot of you out there, so plan accordingly.Mary Ann Hughes, formerly with Neill P.L., Pullman, WA

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.