News and thoughts from CS Odessa, maker of the ConceptDraw product line: ConceptDraw PRO, ConceptDraw PROJECT and ConceptDraw MINDMAP.

Monday, January 25, 2010

I just listened to an interesting interview with Daniel Pink on CBS MoneyWatch.com. Pink wrote "A Whole New Mind" a couple of years ago. It was an interesting book--asserting that the future of work lay in what he called symphony: being able to combine many skills, many kinds of information to create something new. At one point, he discussed how mind mapping was a good tool for the "knowledge worker" of the future.

His new book, the basis of the CBS interview, is called "Drive." It's an explanation of what motivates people to do good work. He talks about how financial incentives can motivate people. But in a recession like this, he says, those incentives are hard to come by (unless you are a bank and can get lots of free money from us taxpayers... but I digress). Instead, companies need to look deeper into behavior science to see what else motivates people. Pink's thesis, based on what sounds like some pretty solid research, may surprise you. If it doesn't surprise you, it might just confirm your belief in the nobility of mankind. Turns out that what turns people on is the opportunity to do something well and to have some autonomy while doing it.

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