Tag: video

I’ve forgotten who linked this, now, bad form, I know, but it’s certainly worth watching: Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation

I’ve heard about the sort of research on incentives that he quotes before, and so wasn’t surprised as such, but he has a greater level of detail on which scenarios play out which way which was new to me.

I’ve “always” known that financial motivators don’t work for me, but I kind of thought it was “just me”, or at least “it works for some people”. This research should be slapped (yes, literally if you like) in the face of every CEO who justifies the ridiculous salaries and bonuses, especially in financial corporations, with “it motivates people to do a good job”.

Uh uh. It doesn’t.

A note – spoilerish, so watch the video first: The candle problem… When he’d shown the first picture and started talking about the task I honestly thought “well, what’s so difficult about it? Just use the bl***y box.” Smugness ensues.