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Showing reviews 1-5 of 128
 A 1000 word book that fills 225 pages July 25, 2010
DCDG
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was really looking forward to this book after watching Dan's TED talk. But as some other reviewers have pointed out, he adds little substance in the book beyond that speech.
The book is layers and layers of fluff over one interesting observation about intrinsic motivation. Dan builds this mountain of nonsense by comparing motivational strategies to computer operating systems, and labeling them 1.0, 2.0, 3.0. I found this silly, and it also made me feel like I was reading a Fortune Magazine article from 1996, where some editor had just discovered the Internet and was in awe of the social implications. The ideas about "results oriented work environments" and "20% time" were also well-known in the 90s, and presenting them in a 2009 book made it feel even more dated.
I was also surprised at how little data is presented in the book. Dan references the same behavioral psych experiments over and over again. This book was so repetitive, I was ready to throw it out the window if he said "carrots and sticks" one more time.
Somewhere around page 135, Dan must have realized that he was not fulfilling his contract to write a 200+ page book, and he starts doing quick summaries of ideas from better books, like Carol Dweck's "Mindset", Mikhaly's "Flow", and Colvin's "Talent is Overrated". He then ends the book with a 65 page "toolkit" that summarizes the work of many other books, and takes the most obvious, trite recommendations out of those books.
I've read a lot of books on motivation and business, but have never seen an author try to stretch out a topic like this. If you're interested in intrinsic motivation, read "Flow" or "Mindset", or watch Dan's speech at blog.ted.com. I also think the bigger lesson from this book isn't about intrinsic motivation, but that in an age where there's free content all over the web, non-fiction authors should really give their readers something in the book they can't get on the web. Malcolm Gladwell and the Freakonomics guys do a pretty good job of this. Dan doesn't.
 Drive: A dead-end read July 16, 2010
Laermaja
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
As has been expressed by other reviewers, the author fails to create a substantive basis for his book. The examples in part one are weak; there is nothing new here whatsoever, except some of Mr. Pink's invented words. Indeed, he is a terribly informal writer; one actually feels dumber after reading this book. Have something on hand to cleanse your intellectual and literary palate. The liberal overtones throughout are an additional turnoff, and the author's very apparent lack of knowledge when it comes to management is an insult to the audience.
 Moving from Compliance to Engagement July 12, 2010
K Buck (CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Daniel Pink identifies distinctions between Motivation 2.0 and Motivation 3.0 by highlighting - Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. The fundamental shift that Drive addresses is whether you believe folks should be controlled/managed in the workplace or liberated/coached to tap into their own and each other's intrinsic motivations. I share Pink's belief that when we engage folks with appreciative and participative processes that honor the best of who they are - we receive exceptional results that are collaborative and sustainable. Drive invites us to think about motivation differently by thinking about people differently. I welcome the shift!
A must-read for those who wish to contemplate the way the business world is evolving July 12, 2010
Thomas A. Catalini (Boston, MA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Dan Pink presents great insight into the gap between what science knows and what business does about motivation. Using a variety of metaphors to clearly state his arguments, Pink makes a compelling case for recognizing that management approaches based on compliance are not going to serve organizations well in the new world of work that is evolving with our changing business and economic environment.
The central thesis is laid out neatly - humans need three things to motivate themselves: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. These are the drivers of intrinsic motivation, which Pink argues is critical for any non-algorithmic work (not just creative work, but anything that is non-repetitive or that involves problem solving).
After the preliminary groundwork is presented, a chapter is dedicated to each element (autonomy, mastery, purpose). Scientific studies - often with counter-intuitive results - are peppered throughout the book and support Pink's arguments quite nicely. Of course, this works well because there are no counter-arguments presented to this case. Instead, there are a series of recaps and exercises designed to help reinforce Pink's thesis.
The book is very well-written, compelling, and thought-provoking. I consider it a must-read for those who wish to contemplate the way the business world is evolving. Profound change is in the air.
If you enjoy the book (or if you need more to explore before purchasing), be sure to watch his TED Talk on this topic, and Google the RSA animation video as well.
Old Findings - Repackaged with Witty Sound Bites! July 11, 2010
MPR (San Jose, CA)
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book was disappointing for me as I had high hopes before reading it. While there are a few interesting ideas presented here about motivation (that carrot/stick rewards can actually reduce intrinsic motivation), Daniel Pink has taken old findings, repackaged them into sound bites and supported them with selective evidence. The logical inconsistencies in the book made it harder for me to focus on the useful content (e.g. - his main argument is that we are currently participating in "Motivation 2.0" which is broken and needs to change - yet all the examples of "Motivation 3.0" are from current, or even not so current, workplaces or experiences that supposedly shouldn't already know about it). Pages 147-215 are a "toolkit" which reads to me like a co-marketing arrangement or Mr. Pink's outline of the book before he wrote it. The book could be slimmed down to 25 meaningful pages without difficulty.
Take the good ideas from this book and run with them, but don't expect much intellectual rigor or real new ideas from this book.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 128
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