A New Operating System for Our Businesses
March 2, 2010
Just over a week ago, I had an opportunity to attend a TEDx event in Austin. It was one of those rare “shatter-any-remnants-of-small-thinking” kinds of days. One speaker after another spoke to us about big ideas ranging from overcoming cancer, to new space frontiers, to the advances in human genomics. Then came an afternoon talk made by Daniel Pink from the global TED conference about the surprising science of motivation. The whole discussion was compelling, but in the second half of his speech, he outlined the pillars of a new operating system for businesses that were absolute music to my Professional Destiny ears. These three fundamental concepts are:
Autonomy—The urge to direct our own lives
Mastery—The desire to get better and better in something that matters
Purpose—The yearning to do what we do in service larger than ourselves
Pink used what he called “true facts” to make the case that these intrinsic motivators work much better than the old fashioned carrot-and-stick approach that most companies still use.
Autonomy, mastery and purpose are part of the journey to your Professional Destiny. In my book, I discuss how people use their natural gifts to become masters at their chosen field, and how fulfilling it is to excel in something that really matters to you and others. Intrinsic motivation occurs when people can fully express their talent and become part of something larger. Here is a list of indicators from the first chapter that will help you recognize at the individual level when this happens:
- You are engaged
- You feel on track
- You feel honest
- You become lighter
- You are committed
- You operate with compassion
- You make a contribution
- You are fulfilled
- You make a difference
On the corporate level, the feeling of autonomy and empowerment is essential to keeping people engaged (see earlier post on Why Most Corporations Homogenize Remarkable People, Part 3: Empowerment vs. Marginalization). When people are fully engaged and properly motivated, inventions and breakthroughs occur. There is clearly a new model for business that works better than the old. And it’s great to see a lawyer, the London School of Economics and the Federal Reserve Bank all come together to make the case!
Filed under: Business Best Practices
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6 Comments Leave a Comment
1. kelley burrus | March 2, 2010 at 4:16 pm
One of my absolute favorites. Thanks for sharing. You book is a shining example of his motivation in action.
2. Ruthann | March 2, 2010 at 5:38 pm
These three are right on target and deserve serious thought on my part.
3. Glen | March 2, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Just finished PD this weekend and clearly see your excitement in attaching Pink’s thoughts to support your instrinsic motivation theme. I must admit I’m struggling a bit to connect the notion of autonomy to a project based organization which normally thrives on the integration of individuals (and their ideas) into forming a cohesive team (project)…too much autonomous action in creating a part seems contrary to producing a successful/well-integrated whole. I’m struggling even more with the generational gaps/tendencies of some of the younger professionals who often yearn for significant independence apart from the team and the older generational team norms which see that as “lone wolf”/non-team, destructive behavior…any thoughts??
4. Valerie Hausladen | March 2, 2010 at 7:10 pm
@ Glen: Excellent questions. When I think of autonomy, I think of empowerment. Empowerment is essential to get the very best out of people. The role of an excellent leader is to balance the essential need for empowerment with the important need for creation of a team. It IS possible–not always easy–but possible to meld the two. It is my belief that the sign of a great leader is someone who can bring the two worlds together so that all thrive. In your second point, the younger and the older, when expressing their gifts AND finding ways to work together, have much to teach each other.
Thanks for reading Professional Destiny. Hope you loved it!
5. Glen | March 2, 2010 at 7:41 pm
@Valerie, I like the word choice of empowerment in creating some autonomy. Autonomy need not mean isolation…a good leader is able to ferret out selfish separation vs selfless empowered autonomy and with tact [that leader] can guide the well-grounded individual in the right direction. Yes, not very easy at times, but very possible to “meld the two” (individual and team). BTW, loved the book. Got it for my son and I both. He’s in college pondering careers, I’m wrapping up 30 + years of a variety of vocations and looking forward to provoking some small discussions if/when possible with him to help him realize he need not suffer through a lifetime of doing “what others want for you” work when he can pursue something so much more meaningful and contribute so much more. I think you are spot on and salute your courage to move on your passion and publish your thoughts. Thanks for your inspiring work.
6. Professional Destiny &raq&hellip | March 31, 2010 at 3:35 pm
[...] talk. It was about how to play big—authentically. As with Daniel Pink’s discussion about the Surprising Science of Motivation, the insightful concepts of how to play big were, again, absolute music to my Professional Destiny [...]
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