In Drive, Pink argues that the current business model for motivating employees, the "carrot and stick" model, is inadequate to motivate the 21st century employee. The current model is inadequate because it recognizes that people are motivated by two types of drive but fails to recognize a third type of drive documented by decades of research by behavioral scientists. The first drive that motivates people (referred to by Pink as Motivation 1.0) is about those factors which affect survival, and the second drive (Motivation 2.0) is about external incentives to performance such as rewards and punishments. Pink argues that the third type of drive, an intrinsic drive he calls Motivation 3.0, is also required to motivate the 21st century employee. Beyond baseline rewards such as salary and benefits, Pink argues that the best way to motive employees is to create an environment that activates their own internal drive.
According to Pink, the three essential elements of Motivation 3.0 are autonomy, mastery and purpose. Pink argues that even with routine tasks, people desire autonomy over what they do, how and when they do it, and with whom they do it. People also wish to be engaged and achieve mastery of what they do. Lastly, people desire a purpose for what they do– a cause greater and more enduring than themselves. Pink argues that these intrinsic rewards result in a more motivated employee, stronger performance and greater personal fulfillment.
By nature, I believe those drawn to library work are strongly motivated by intrinsic rewards. Do you agree? Can you think of ways to foster an environment to promote the intrinsic drive? Can you think of specific ways to implement this approach in a library setting?
Pink makes a compelling case for rethinking the factors that motivate us at work. I would agree that most of those drawn to library work are motivated by intrinsic rewards. However, it may be easier to create an environment that fosters intrinsic drive with employees in some positions than with employees in others.
ReplyDeleteFor example, a systems librarian might be able to work a more flexible work schedule than someone in a public services desk because of the particular demands of each position. Similarly, it is easier to let a department head decide how to organize her/his daily activities than to let a circulation clerk decide how to organize his/her daily activities. However, with some creative planning, accommodations can be made.
Additionally, it seems to me that reminding staff members in sincere and convincing ways that what they do serves a greater and noble purpose can go a long way toward inspiring the sort of drive that engenders job satisfaction and the superior performance that comes with it.