For most clients the ultimate answer is NOT, more money, more power and/or security, or the perfect/better mate.  Behind these initial answers, I hear words like ‘to be happy’, or ‘to be fulfilled’, ‘to be a good parent’ or ‘to be a part of something meaningful’.   Though helpful in many ways, these comments lack a framework, the legitimacy that comes from a larger understanding of motivation.  For example, it’s simply too easy to reduce it all to behaviorism:  I want more pleasure, less pain.

As the back cover of his book says, “Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does — and how that affects every aspect of life.”  (Italics mine)  What does every aspect mean?   At a minimum, it means that gaining personal happiness and fulfillment (you fill in your favorites) will be nearly impossible without a clear understanding of motivation – -particularly the fallacies of relying on extrinsic motivators.  But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Motivation is ‘foundational’  –  what we believe about human motivation drives everything from our personal ‘todo’ list…to corporate performance, from convincing our colleagues… to selling a product or service in the global market.  Unfortunately, most companies and most of us have a rather naïve beliefs about motivation.   It’s analogous to trying to harness the power of the atom with Newtonian physics – you can only get so far.

In this series of articles, I’ll explore some of the issues raised in Pink’s book Drive, with particular emphasis on the implications for coaching, leadership development and organizational effectiveness.   Stay tuned…

I welcome your comments!