Daniel Pink took decades of motivation research, much of it from psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, and summed it up in three words leaders remember: autonomy, mastery and purpose. People give their best when they have a say in how they work, when they can get better at something that matters to them, and when they see what their work is for.
Pink also shows when rewards help and when interest in the task itself does the work. That chapter is worth reading before designing the next incentive plan.
Talent Takeaway
It reminds us that motivation often grows from the inside. In your next one-on-one, try three questions, one for each key. Where would you like more say in how you work? What would you like to get better at? Which part of your work feels most meaningful to you?
Our Take
A lively book that gives leadership teams a shared language for motivation. Three words that are easy to remember and rewarding to live by.
Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. Riverhead Books. Find it