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The Book ' Drive Is A Non Fiction Book By Daniel Pink

Decent Essays

Drive is a 2009 non-fiction book by Daniel Pink. Pink, a law student and former speech writer for Vice President Al Gore, explores widely accepted social science research, but he also claims it is widely ignored. Throughout the book, Pink compares the evolution of people’s motivation over time to the evolution of computer operating systems. He asserts that people have progressed from Motivation 2.0 (carrots and sticks) to a new operating system, Motivation 3.0, of whose main elements are autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Pink also explores the dangers not upgrading from Motivation 2.0 as well as some how-to’s on developing, honing, and harnessing Motivation 3.0.
Pink provides a well laid out case highlighting the gap between what science knows and what organizations do. Showcasing the mid-century work of Harry Harlow and Edward Deci , Pink explains how human motivation seems to run counter to what most scientists and citizens believe. For decades, we have believed that we know what motivates people: rewards. Rewards are supposed to intensify interest and enhance performance. But Harlow and Deci found different results. Deci wrote, “When money is used as an external reward for some activity, the subjects lose intrinsic interest for the activity.” Like a shot of espresso, rewards can give you a jolt of energy, but the boost wears out, moreover, it can erode a person’s longer-term motivation to engage in the task. As we continue to incentivize our staff and students,

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