What do we lose as we move towards more compliance, more regulation, more perceived control? My intuitive response has long been - we lose everything. This book gives scientific rational to support that. Like Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Pink argues that Motivation 1.0 is about satisfying basic needs - food, security and sex. Motivation 2.0 is based upon reward and punishment. Motivation 3.0, where many of us currently reside, is about a human need to learn, create and better the world.
“People use rewards expecting to gain the benefit of increasing another person’s motivation and behavior, but in so doing, they often incur the unintentional and hidden cost of undermining that person’s intrinsic motivation toward the activity.”
“Management isn’t about walking around and seeing if people are in their offices,” he told me. It’s about creating conditions for people to do their best work.”
“Greatness and nearsightedness are incompatible. Meaningful achievement depends on lifting one's sights and pushing toward the horizon.”
"While complying can be an effective strategy for physical survival, it's a lousy one for personal fulfillment. Living a satisfying life requires more than simply meeting the demands of those in
control. Yet in our offices and our classrooms we have way too much compliance and way too little engagement."
“children who are praised for “being smart” often believe that every encounter is a test of whether they really are. So to avoid looking dumb, they resist new challenges and choose the easiest path. By contrast, kids who understand that effort and hard work lead to mastery and growth are more willing to take on new, difficult tasks.”
