We're thrilled to be hosting critically-acclaimed and inspiring author Daniel Pink as the next guest in opensource.com’s Open Your World webcast series this Wednesday, June 22 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

 

Pink is known for his insightful take on what truly inspires and encourages us all. In his latest book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Pink illustrates that the standard reward-and-punishment systems (or carrot-and-stick motivators) don’t meet the needs of their recipients and often cause more harm than good. Many organizations still use this outdated approach and have allowed it to become deeply ingrained in their culture.

 

Pink believes that when it comes to motivation, there’s a gap between what science knows and what businesses are doing. He says we need an upgrade and we should look to science to show us the way. The new approach Pink describes has three essential elements:

 

  • Autonomy—the desire to direct our own lives

  • Mastery—the urge to get better and better at something that matters

  • Purpose—the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves

These tenets that Pink describes as a “new approach” highlight some of the principle values of the open source community. Contribution for the greater good and the concept of service for a greater purpose are vital to the open source way. The elements of mastery and autonomy also resonate as important factors of open source and are byproducts of the process.

 

Pink will share how classic carrot-and-stick motivators can often diminish performance, crush creativity, erode teams and foster short-term thinking. What if your work was more focused on the aspects of your job that really motivate you? Imagine starting a project with full autonomy. Picture yourself having the opportunity to develop your skills to a level of mastery and personal best. What if you could work on something every day that you felt could have a larger impact and serve a greater purpose beyond your quarterly bonus? Just think of what you could accomplish.

 

Pink will share more about the powerful intrinsic motivators that guide and inspire us all in our daily lives. Join us this Wednesday, June 22 by registering here.

 

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