Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Daniel Pink’s book, Drive, explores some misconceptions about what drives human behaviors. For example, one commonly held belief is that if you provide larger monetary incentives, people will perform better. This turns out to be true for simple, mechanical tasks, but false when applied to complex tasks that require conceptual reasoning. For the latter, better outcomes are achieved by providing autonomy, providing people with the opportunity to master the subject matter, and creating a sense of purpose.

This brilliantly animated video summarizes some of Dan’s thinking. It’s well worth 10 minutes of your time. Enjoy!