Todays episode will be about books. I will do a book summary about Drive by Daniel Pink since I just completed it. In addition to this I will talk shortly about two new books that has come into my reading list and are next in line to be read. Let’s get at it!
Drive is a book about motivation. And I have had it around for a while. I actually started to read it a while back. I didn’t do it seriously, got side tracked and it got passed a side. But I thought I should give the book at fair chance and brought it back and read it for real this time.
Pinks goal with the book is to high-light the differences between how companies today motivate people and what science says is the best way of doing this. He do that through three sections where each section contains a couple of chapters.
The first section talks about this history and the different type of motivations. It is compared to an operating system of a computer and makes the different versions or the operating system. Motivation 1.0 and 2.0 are described and the new version 3.0 is presented. It sets the scene and it is explained why the old way doesn’t work.
The second section talk about what motivates us according to science in this new motivation 3.0. Three main areas describes as the important section where autonomy is the first. Autonomy over task, team, technique and time are all important to drive intrinsic motivation. The second area is mastery where the chances to work on mastery and attaining flow describes and the importance in motivation. The final area is purpose. Doing meaningful things that makes the world a better place are important components of the motivation 3.0.
The third and last section of the book gives you a toolkit to develop your own motivation and also how you can work within your company to increase the power of intrinsic motivation.
Over all I think this is an interesting read. I learned a lot of new things especially around the reason and mechanics around intrinsic motivation. I consider a lot of it as common sense. Didn’t know why – but I knew it was right. Things like purpose and higher values are important but also that the ability to control your time and how you work. But there was also things that I learned especially around the danger of using carrot and stick rewards, from motivation 2.0, for non repetitive, right brain, heuristic work, and it’s destructive impact on motivation.
How well did Pink in is mission to explain the differences? I would say he did a good job. But I don’t think companies today, especially not in the modern tech sector in Sweden, is that bad. There is a lot of focus already towards these mechanisms – the competition for highly competent knowledge workers that are not only motivated by money forces companies here to work with these things.
Can I recommend the book – if you are interested in leadership or motivation, absolutely. I have the intention to write a longer book summary on my blog – it should be out in a couple of days!
Drive by Daniel Pink has now been read and it is thus in the “out”-pile. Let’s look a little on what we now have in the in pile. A few days ago I got a new book package with two new books. These are:
This book is about reading and how to become a better reader. I have been looking at ways for this in the past – mainly on YouTube and on blogs. But I found this, quite thick, book that in details give you guidelines and directions. I have gotten this book recommended in multiple different YouTube channels such as Curtis McHale. I am looking forward to this read.
A while back I found Zettelkasten. The way to organize and process your notes so that you can gain as much value as possible from your new knowledge. This book is the book to read if you are interested in the subject. It’s the first book in English and the source to so many videos and websites out there. I think this will be a good read because I hope to be able to sharpen my skills and my system even more.
You will find links to all the books I talk about today in the show notes of todays episode. I am not affiliated with thes book stores – but if you do decide to buy any one of these. Please try to buy them from a local, small, bookstore to support their business!
That was all for today and for this week. I wish you a fantastic weekend and see you back here on Monday!
Ciao Ciao
