Forget everything you thought you knew about how to motivate people - at work, at school, at home. As Daniel H. Pink explains in this paradigm-shattering book, the true secret to high performance and satisfaction in today's world is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and the world.

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Product details

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd; Main edition (13 Jan. 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 184767769X
ISBN-13: 978-1847677693
Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 1.6 x 19.8 cm
Customer reviews: 1,669 customer ratings
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 115,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #245 in Assertiveness Management Skills
- #209 in Business Creativity Skills
- #126 in Occupational & Industrial Psychology

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Review

"Daniel Pink has issued a bold and persuasive call to bring our understanding of human motivation out of the realm of folklore and into the realm of science ... Drive will make you rethink everything you do to motivate yourself and those around you." (Richard Wiseman, author of 59 Seconds and Quirkology)

"What really drives high performance? In this eye-opening book, Daniel Pink draws on 40 years of science to offer some surprising answers. He shows the limits of carrots and sticks and explores the hard-headed power of autonomy, mastery, and purpose to help us work smarter and live better." (Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail and Free)

"Pink is rapidly acquiring international guru status . . . He is an engaging writer, who challenges and provokes." (Financial Times)

"As Dan Pink's new book Drive argues, financial incentives are no longer enough to give a business an edge: in an economy driven by ideas and creativity, it's more effective to give workers a sense of purpose, of mastery, of autonomy over their time and their tasks. Because the only certainty in the decade to come is that disruptive change is going to continue to catch out businesses that are unprepared." (David Rowan Daily Telegraph 2010-01-09)

"Drive drives a stake through the bedrock of classic "if-then" motivational theory. It demonstrates in an entertaining way how self-motivated rewards provide their own behavioural alchemy, exposing the mismatch between what science knows and business does." (James Borg, author of PERSUASION: THE ART OF INFLUENCING PEOPLE)

"Drive is the rare book that will get you to think and inspire you to act. Pink makes a strong, science-based case for rethinking motivation - and then provides the tools you need to transform your life." (Dr Mehmet Oz, co-author of YOU: THE OWNER'S MANUAL)

"Pink's ideas deserve a wide hearing. Corporate boards, in fact, could do well by kicking out their pay consultants for an hour and reading Pink's conclusions instead." (Forbes)

"Fascinating . . . If Pink's proselytizing helps persuade employers to make work more fulfilling, Drive will be a powerhouse." (USA Today)

"Pink's analysis-and new model-of motivation offers tremendous insight into our deepest nature." (Publishers Weekly)

"Pink makes a convincing case that organizations ignore intrinsic motivation at their peril." (Scentific American)

Book Description

An important new ideas book about motivation from an influential and bestselling author

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Sandy Morley

The only surprise is that anyone's surprised

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 September 2018

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I'm worried about this book. Rather, I'm worried about the need for this book. How is it that anyone alive is "surprised" that people do things for the sake of doing things, when damn near everyone alive has spent their whole lives doing just that?

Sadly that is the entirety of his insight, and Pink talks around it (and around and around it) without ever getting anywhere else.

17 people found this helpful

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Nick Michelioudakis

A Review - for Educators

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 July 2016

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Pink sets out to demolish long-held beliefs such as that people are only motivated by extrinsic factors and he does so with gusto. While primarily focusing on the business world, most of the things he says apply directly to education as well.
Pink starts by making a useful distinction between ‘algorithmic’ and ‘heuristic’ tasks (p. 29). The former are ones which you perform by following a series of pre-determined steps, while the latter require a more creative approach. Crucially, the latter are far more motivating! In our field this would translate into a distinction between, say, the standard transformation exercise and an activity like improvising and recording a monologue. The big Q for us is: what is the ratio between these two types of activities in our classroom?
Later on, Pink draws on Csikszentmihalyi’s insights on ‘Flow’ (p. 115). Csikszentmihalyi’s research showed that most tasks where people achieved ‘Flow’ shared three key elements: a) there were clear goals, b) there was immediate feedback and c) the task difficulty level was perfectly pitched – slightly higher than the performer’s current level. The implications for task design here are obvious...
In discussing ‘extrinsic’ vs ‘intrinsic’ motivation, Pink points out that there is often a trade-off; extrinsic factors may work best in the short-term, but in the long run intrinsic motivation is always the winner! (p. 79) Back to ELT, exam classes illustrate this perfectly: granted, both parents and students often clamour for more exam-oriented material as there is always a test round the corner, but in the long run this is disastrous (I have yet to meet students who do CPE tests for fun after getting their certificate...)
Motivation leads to ‘autonomy’ and this is where things get really exciting! On p. 86 we are introduced to the concept of ROWE (‘Results-Only Work Environment’). The idea is simple: your employer does not care how or when you do something, so long as you deliver the goods! Now imagine ROSE instead! Imagine a school where classes are not compulsory, where students are more autonomous and they have to actually generate something as evidence of learning (rather than sit endless tests). This is not a dream; the IB model has taken many steps in that direction...
Then on p. 93 we go one step further still! Atlasian is a software company where once a week employees can do anything they want!! At the end of the day, employees just show what they have come up with. Now, can you imagine a school where once a week you can work on any project you want? Imagine being paid to design your favourite activities, to incorporate novel IT-based task in the syllabus or prepare worksheets for ‘Comedy for ELT’ sketches? Sheer bliss! :-)

25 people found this helpful

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Not just for work

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2017

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I was recommended to read this book, at the time I thought, to help me work out how to grow my business. I now realise that it was to help me figure out why I’d even want to do that. Sure I’ve got some ideas about what I’ll be pushing for over the next couple of years, but I also found out something way more important. We’re missing a huge opportunity to help our kids grow up into truly useful people, teaching them to jump through hoops with grades, and exams, even spending money, and chores. There’s so much more to go at, and they have that knowledge built in. Definitely a book that has helped me to reboot what I’m doing at work and home, with a load of good positive things that anyone can put into action.

14 people found this helpful

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kat j

Great little book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 June 2018

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Great little book. Gave some really interesting insights which really challenge the traditional mindset of how to manage/lead. Has been really useful in the workplace to confront leaders as to how to develop and work with their team. Has helped change the dialogue in the organisation and has sparked conversations that would otherwise never have taken place. I think it will support our shift towards a different type of business. Some great suggestions of how to action the material meaning it has real applicability. Have recommended to many. Buy it.

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GingerWizard

I really enjoyed this book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 August 2017

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I really enjoyed this book. I am currently dong a Masters in Education Based Practise and this book help to form part of one of the lectures. We were looking at intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in the classroom. It perfectly describes how I stay motivated and it has changed the way I manage people, pupils and my own children.

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Mark Alexis

Not universally applicable

Reviewed in the United States on 10 August 2018

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One of the great feats of being a small business owner -- besides being part of the backbone of America's economy -- is that one gets to spend evenings reading books and magazines about organizational management and other business topics in a continuous effort to improve one's own skills.

Or so the theory goes. Yours truly, in fact, prefers to read about philosophy and history and would consider Plato to be the best organizational guru there ever was. Preferred self-help works include Dante's "Divine Comedy" and Boethius' "Consolation of Philosophy". But occasionally, nudged by the missus, I'll open up one of the works on her growing list of recommendations and start reading.

So it happened that I bumped into "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel Pink. In this book the author argues that how the vast majority of companies are motivating their workers "extrinsically" is completely outdated in our modern economy: "They continue to pursue practices such as short-term incentive plans and pay-for-performance schemes in the face of mounting evidence that such measures usually don’t work and often do harm." These monetary rewards, Pink writes, "can deliver a short-term boost — just as a jolt of caffeine can keep you cranking for a few more hours. But the effect wears off — and, worse, can reduce a person's longer-term motivation to continue the project." In today's world, the author argues, folks are motivated intrinsically. You leave them to their own devices, don't burden them with sticks and carrots, and the creativity will start flowing like the Mississipi River.

This book is certainly interesting. The author puts forth a straightforward argument and provides ample research to back up his thesis, some of it eye-opening. Who would guess that young children are more motivated to produce a drawing if they are not expecting a reward after the fact? In another example, "researchers at Cornell University studied 320 small businesses, half of which granted workers autonomy, the other half relying on top-down direction. The businesses that offered autonomy grew at four times the rate of the control-oriented firms and had one-third the turnover."

It all sounds solid enough, though the question arises which companies are being investigated here. Are these Cornell researchers comparing start-ups run by fresh college grads in Silicon Valley to the McDonald's in Pleasant Hill, Iowa? Or are we talking about similar industries in order to level the playing field? As mentioned above, this reviewer owns a small business himself -- though not of the glamorous kind -- and gets the sense that Pink's head exists in a bubble of Facebook, Apple, Uber and other innovative tech giants. His examples of companies motivating their employees the 'correct' way -- Atlassian (software), 3M, Netflix, Zappos.com, JetBlue, Facebook and more such companies -- suggest as much. Pink has little to say about the unmotivated piece of work fixing your sub over at the gas station, or about the housekeeper cleaning your hotel room at the La Quinta during your April Florida vacation.

The author himself would deny this, of course, and in his defense, he does briefly address the issue of non-creative repetitive labor: "Whether you’re fixing sinks, ringing up groceries, selling cars, or writing a lesson plan, you and I need autonomy just as deeply as a great painter." But, he continues, the majority of us will at first struggle when thrown into the deep waters of "undiluted autonomy", and hence "Organizations must provide ... 'scaffolding' to help every employee find his footing to make the transition." Fair enough, but what does this "scaffolding" entail in a practical sense? It doesn't become very clear from proceeding through Pink's pages.

Next follow some Rousseauian observations about human nature that the grand master of philosophical folly could himself have whipped up: "We're designed to be Type I [motivated by intrinsic desires]. But outside forces -- including the very idea that we need to be 'managed' -- have conspired to change our default setting and turn us into Type X [motivated by extrinsic desires]. If we update the environments we're in -- not only at work, but also at school and at home -- and if leaders recognize both the truth of the human condition and the science that supports it, we can return ourselves and our colleagues to our natural state." And, quoting a researcher on the topic: "The course of human history has always moved in the direction of greater freedom. And there's a reason for that -- because it's in our nature to push for it."

I'm sorry, but human history is not moving unstoppably towards greater freedom any more than I, employer, am suppressing my workers' creative nature by setting deadlines and doling out incentives. What is happening here is that we in the West have arrived at an utter anomaly in human history in which the battle for basic subsistence has been won (for now) and that we are at liberty to enjoy the unprecedented luxuries brought forth by science, technology and the arts. It is certainly true that these fields are driven forward by man's intrinsic curiosity and desire to create new things, and the fact that they have thrust our civilization -- if not humanity at large -- to great heights should instill an enormous dose of gratitude and humility in us.

But back down on Earth, real goods still need to be produced, not just dreamed up by hipster types: Oil and gas need to be pumped to the surface, corn and wheat have to be harvested, cars need to be assembled, hotel rooms need to be cleaned, restaurant meals have to be cooked, and homes need to be built. Much of the production of these goods revolves around basic, repetitive tasks and invokes a certain level of dread and boredom. From my personal experience, the majority of workers involved want to work just enough hours for their paycheck to hold them over to the next one (and who can blame them?). The successful completion of their tasks is contingent upon a supervisor setting clear expectations, checking for quality of work after the fact, and showing gratitude for good behavior by continuing the employment relationship and handing out a nice paycheck.

None of this is to say that “Drive” isn't worth your valuable time. As with many such works, one takes a few good ideas and runs with them. While I can't afford to allow my employees to spend twenty percent of their time brainstorming about new products or process improvements, there's nothing stopping me from empowering them to have a say in how things are done in my company. So how about coming together for a half-day plenary session every three months and allow the staff to blurt out any idea that might have popped up in their head? I might just give it a try.

With all this in mind, I would recommend this book to certain types of readers, such as consultants, employers or the budding and dreaming entrepreneur. Just don't expect to be blown away by every word you're reading.

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Juan Carlos Cabrera Samano

Lo que nos motiva

Reviewed in Mexico on 8 March 2017

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El texto describe gran cantidad de investigaciones científicas donde se da cuenta de lo que verdaderamente nos motiva, y poco o nada tiene que ver con lo que se nos ha dicho. Los motivadores externos como dinero, fama y reconocimiento no son los motores reales que nos mueven, sino los motivadores internos, hacer las cosas porque nos apasiona y nos sentimos realizados. Una guía para todo empresario que quiera sacar la mayor productividad de sus empleados y para todo trabajador que quiera dar el máximo. No busquen mejores sueldos sino un trabajo con sentido, en donde creas en el proyecto y te sientas bien, reconocido, valorado, considerado. A final de cuentas el capitalismo puede llegar a encontrar su rostro humano y salir de la feria demente de explotación, frivolidad y abuso en la que estamos metidos. Alguien que lea este libro y lo ponga en práctica, no pensará en suicidarse jamás.

5 people found this helpful

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Another Customer

A very nice book about what motivates (and demotivate) us at work

Reviewed in Canada on 7 June 2015

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I found this book after watching a TED talk from the author*. The talk
fascinated me and I bought the book.

The book is a more detailed extension of the above talk. It has the same
main point and many similar material. Of course the book is much more
detailed. My point here is that after spending 18 minutes watching the
talk you can understand if it worth the extra time investment (and money)
on the book.

My personal opinion is that this book is great. It is very well written. It has
excellent citation on academic research on the topic. Moreover, the book
is written in a way that you want to keep reading.

I would recommended to many kind of people. Like the ones who work,
are teachers, or have kids.

*http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation?language=en

11 people found this helpful

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Rafael Issao Miyagawa

Li e recomendo! Para todos os gestores que lidam com projetos que envolvem criatividade

Reviewed in Brazil on 12 April 2018

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Fala sobre motivação intrínseca (interna) vs motivação extrínseca (externa).
Consegue descrever com clareza, por exemplo, como o mercado de trabalho, ás vezes, tenta elevar a eficiência e produtividade das pessoas motivando de uma forma que traz consequências negativas!
Mostram exemplos de como algumas empresas funcionam para aumentar a motivação interna.

Recomendo muito para gestores ou líderes de equipe. É muito importante saber como, quando e de que maneira motivar as pessoas positivamente.

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Completo

Reviewed in Brazil on 20 January 2017

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Trata de todos os assuntos possíveis sobre o tema motivação. Dá vários exemplos e cita casos reais. Revê teorias de cientistas. Faz um resumo dos principais fatores que influenciam a motivação

6 people found this helpful

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