“Drive” teaches us how to find motivation at work for a more fulfilling life

In many organizations, the idea of ​​rewards comes from a sense of extrinsic motivation. The author, an American author who has also worked in politics and economic policy, says a traditional carrot-and-stick approach may not always work. Be it performance management, incentive planning or goal setting, as organizations with multi-generational employees become more complex, there is a need to think deeper about motivation levels. Likewise, work motivation must be clear for employees who now have a longer life and a longer career ahead of them. And it’s not always a financial reward that motivates everyone.

In fact, the author distinguishes between externally motivated people, Type X, and more intrinsically motivated people, Type I.

So how can you find the triggers of such intrinsic motivation and take the right measures both individually and organizationally?

Individual and organizational measures

The author says that there are three key elements of intrinsic motivation. First is autonomy. For some people, autonomy is a great motivator over time and at work. This is one reason why many qualified professionals choose to work as a freelancer. Can companies do something to encourage this motivation? For example, Google has set up a system where people can spend about 20% of their time working on projects they care about. This can foster a person’s intrinsic motivation and lead to innovations that can be valuable to the company.

Second is the desire to improve one’s skills. The need to continue learning is a very powerful motivator for some. As such individuals continue to learn on their own and seek to explore new ways to express their knowledge and creativity, organizations can also play a role in facilitating training programs that meet this motivational need.

The third powerful motivator is purpose and meaning. Goal-oriented work often makes people happy. Therefore, helping people get the right education or access to healthcare, sanitation, or financial inclusion, among other things, can be extremely motivating for such people.

This is also a reason why some people choose to work with social sector organizations and why others move from a corporate role to one where they can be more clearly aligned on purpose. Finding elements of one’s role within the company structure can deepen a sense of purpose. Organizations enable this in a variety of ways – from providing these contributions to engagement initiatives to inviting interested employees to support corporate social responsibility activities.

Overall, by incorporating the book’s lessons, both individuals and companies can plan their professional actions based on their motivational triggers.