Drive by Daniel Pink

A friend teaching innovation to eighth-grade students faced challenges in engaging his class. Traditional incentives like grade promises proved ineffective. Daniel Pink’s book “Drive” highlights that if-then rewards can hinder the joy of learning. Pink suggests three intrinsic motivators: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Illustrative examples include software company Atlassian granting employees freedom to choose projects, Green Cargo’s performance reviews targeting the “Goldilocks work zone,” and Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg reiterating company missions for purpose.