Reviewed and Recommended: TED - Daniel Pink, The Puzzle of Motivation

Daniel Pink is a NYT bestselling author and writes about business and human behavior. In 2009, just after the 2008 crash, he gave a TED talk discussing the disconnect between scientific facts about what truly motivates people and the way business is typically conducted.  

His sense of urgency to help businesses transcend the financial crisis is timely given the situation in 2020.  He wants executives to realize these three elements could change everything for an employee and that it’s all based in science. If you’ve ever been in an unhappy work environment, it’s likely these critical elements weren’t being met in your work life.   

The three primary areas that motivate people in the workplace:

1. Autonomy – The urge to direct your own life
2. Mastery – Desire to get better and better
3. Purpose – Work on something important, something that matters