For those who haven’t been keeping up on recent business and management books, Daniel Pink came out with an absolutely great book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. I mentioned it briefly in a blog post last Fall before it came out. Then, in February, I wrote a book review of it.
Now, here’s a recent interview Dan had with Workforce.com that lays out some of the key points from his full tome.
Dan has assembled some truths about the human being and his/her endeavors that managers need to understand. Here are a couple that strike me as key:
- The carrot & stick strategy of trying to get people to work harder is, in the end, manipulative and will foster compliance or doing the minimum needed to get the “carrot” or avoid the “stick.”
- If you want creative ideas and/or fully engaged employees, find a way for them to satisfy their intrinsic need for any–or all–of mastery, autonomy and purpose.
- Money, at best, is only a short term motivator.
In the interview, Pink refers to the high level of disgruntlement out there among the currently employed. Far too many are not getting their needs met but are holding on and towing the line because the alternative (unemployment or a long job search) is so unappealing.
These unhappy campers will start a massive shuffle to new employers once the economy turns. This group may well include some of your best staff, the ones you are counting on to build the future of your enterprise.
