Author Daniel Pink recently wrote the book Drive to explain what motivates people. Pink uncovered some groundbreaking information about what motivates people to excel in the workplace. His findings are useful to anyone in a position of leadership.
Workers given simple, straight forward mechanical tasks respond to if/then incentives. If you offer them a small, medium, or large reward, they will usually rise to the occasion. However, when tasks become increasingly complicated, requiring some conceptual, creative thinking, those kinds of motivators don’t work. Goals aren’t met, and people do not feel motivated to step up their work.
Why?
Beyond money, there are three factors that motivate people to hit goals, be innovative, and excel in their work:
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Autonomy: desire to be self-directed
Management is great if you want compliance. If you want engagement, self-direction is better. Give people a little room to be creative and they will wow you. -
Mastery: the innate urge to get better at stuff
Why do you think people play musical instruments on weekends? It’s fun, and it’s rewarding to get better at something. Case in point: Wikipedia. People devote hours of time to work that they don’t get paid to do! It’s satisfying, challenging, and they’re making a contribution. -
Purpose: people want to do meaningful work
More and more organizations are aiming to have a transcendent purpose. When the profit motive comes unhitched from the purpose motive, people don’t do great things.
How can you incorporate these principles to move the leaders in your church in the direction you feel God leading you? What role will technology play in sustaining that effort?
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