Daniel H. Pink is the author of several provocative, bestselling books about the changing world of work. A free agent himself, Dan held his last real job in the White House, where he served from 1995 to 1997 as chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore. He also worked as an aide to U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich and in other positions in politics and government. Everyone knows that incentives increase motivation and lead to better results. Employees who are working towards accelerating incentives even work faster and achieve better results. The trouble is: this only applies if the task is a stupid job that does not requires creativity. At a TED-Global conference Dan Pink explains in how far this system of incentives might backfire for tasks that require just a spark of creativity and outlined a possible solution to this dilemma. It is an informative presentation which does not only teach about motivation. Dan Pink attaches great importance in making his argument clear. He prepares very carefully, as he describes the candle problem in detail. This is an old science experiment to prove his thesis. Mostly he talks about this experiment. He pays attention in sharing elements of surprise and to play with the expectations of the audience. Surprises increase the attention and the memorability. Not until the audience has completely internalized the theory Pink gives further scientific studies as evidence and explained the basis of three concrete examples, in how far autonomy and responsibility may increase the performance of employees significantly. On and off Pink mentions his training as an unsuccessful lawyer with a wink to credible his statements. In general, he often uses one organ of speech: Humor, which he supports with mimics and gestures. Dan Pink has the opinion that many companies are not able to create the right incentives for their employees. The right way of motivation is not to use money as an incentive but autonomy, respect, living out one’s capabilities and improve personal skills.
Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation Summary
Dan Pink is an American trainer of motivation and a qualified lawyer.
He talks about the surprising science of motivation and explains the strange system of rewards in the business world.
First, He says that there is a disparity between what scientists know and the business world. What scientists know is: the rewards from the 20th century works only in few situations.
Secondly, the reward system often destroys creativity. Good performances do not work with rewards or punishments but by the invisible power.
Do things because you want it, because these things are of significance. The science actually confirms what we already know.
We need to get rid of this ideology and motivation of the 21st century bear. Only then we can starch our company and maybe we can change the world, he said. He begins to talk of a psychological experiment, called the candle problem.
The test subjects have to try to attach the candle without dripping wax. Another experiment showed that people were able to quickly solve a problem than people which received a reward.
He said: “In eight of the nine tasks we examined across the three experiments, higher incentives led to worse performance.”
Next he said: “We find that financial incentives can result in a negative impact on overall performance.” We have 3 important words for our business live: autonomy, mastery and purpose.
Autonomy: we live on our own direct
Mastery: to become better or to be better
Purpose: our determination
He gives some examples, company pursuing a different system than the other. Companies like Atlassin, an Australian computer and software company. One day in a year they can do what they want and there are many positive results out of it.
Microsoft for example, in the nineties they paid experts to draw up the encyclopaedia Encarta. Today we have wikipedia, where everything is done voluntarily and without pay. And wikipedia is very successful. Before ten years, nobody would believe it.
What he wants to tell us is: Do something because you like to do it!
Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation
ReplyDeleteDaniel H. Pink is the author of several provocative, bestselling books about the changing world of work. A free agent himself, Dan held his last real job in the White House, where he served from 1995 to 1997 as chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore. He also worked as an aide to U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich and in other positions in politics and government.
Everyone knows that incentives increase motivation and lead to better results. Employees who are working towards accelerating incentives even work faster and achieve better results. The trouble is: this only applies if the task is a stupid job that does not requires creativity. At a TED-Global conference Dan Pink explains in how far this system of incentives might backfire for tasks that require just a spark of creativity and outlined a possible solution to this dilemma.
It is an informative presentation which does not only teach about motivation.
Dan Pink attaches great importance in making his argument clear. He prepares very carefully, as he describes the candle problem in detail. This is an old science experiment to prove his thesis. Mostly he talks about this experiment. He pays attention in sharing elements of surprise and to play with the expectations of the audience.
Surprises increase the attention and the memorability.
Not until the audience has completely internalized the theory Pink gives further scientific studies as evidence and explained the basis of three concrete examples, in how far autonomy and responsibility may increase the performance of employees significantly.
On and off Pink mentions his training as an unsuccessful lawyer with a wink to credible his statements. In general, he often uses one organ of speech: Humor, which he supports with mimics and gestures. Dan Pink has the opinion that many companies are not able to create the right incentives for their employees. The right way of motivation is not to use money as an incentive but autonomy, respect, living out one’s capabilities and improve personal skills.
Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation
ReplyDeleteSummary
Dan Pink is an American trainer of motivation and a qualified lawyer.
He talks about the surprising science of motivation and explains the strange system of rewards in the business world.
First, He says that there is a disparity between what scientists know and the business world. What scientists know is: the rewards from the 20th century works only in few situations.
Secondly, the reward system often destroys creativity.
Good performances do not work with rewards or punishments but by the invisible power.
Do things because you want it, because these things are of significance.
The science actually confirms what we already know.
We need to get rid of this ideology and motivation of the 21st century bear.
Only then we can starch our company and maybe we can change the world, he said.
He begins to talk of a psychological experiment, called the candle problem.
The test subjects have to try to attach the candle without dripping wax.
Another experiment showed that people were able to quickly solve a problem than people which received a reward.
He said: “In eight of the nine tasks we examined across the three experiments, higher incentives led to worse performance.”
Next he said: “We find that financial incentives can result in a negative impact on overall performance.”
We have 3 important words for our business live: autonomy, mastery and purpose.
Autonomy: we live on our own direct
Mastery: to become better or to be better
Purpose: our determination
He gives some examples, company pursuing a different system than the other.
Companies like Atlassin, an Australian computer and software company.
One day in a year they can do what they want and there are many positive results out of it.
Microsoft for example, in the nineties they paid experts to draw up the encyclopaedia Encarta. Today we have wikipedia, where everything is done voluntarily and without pay.
And wikipedia is very successful. Before ten years, nobody would believe it.
What he wants to tell us is: Do something because you like to do it!