Daniel Pink

Another great deep dive into topics that can help us do better in our lives. Daniel uses lots of research to support “when” to do things. He talks about when our energy is best (it’s a little different for all of use) and most people have a drop in energy in the afternoons. *(Guess what? If you interview late in the afternoon your

chances are diminished in getting the job because the interviewers are not at their best)

He gives tips on how to counter this.

Also, ending a decade is motivational. 49 years old, 59 years old are all times when people will be looking to “end well”. Interestingly this week I am typing up my notes I had a friend who climbed Mt. Katahdin because he never had and wanted to do it before he turned 60.

Daniel Pink says we are all “selling” but not necessarily in the traditional way. We are persuading people to do things, try something, convincing them to join us, whatever it is we are doing it is “selling”.  What he calls “non-sales selling”.   The average U.S. worker reports spending 40% of their time in non-sales selling.

In years past, sales people had most of the information and the buyer had best beware.  Now with information readily available at our fingertips, the seller had best beware because the formula has changed away from hard sell to something different that requires different skills and techniques.

Pink explains that people need these three ABC’s:

This book had been recommended for a few years now and I do not know why I waited so long to read it. It is a quick read because it is delivered through a ‘comic book’ like format that allows Daniel Pink to drive home 6 major points that people need to keep in mind as they search for that great job.
Because I love “happenstance” so much, i love #1 There is no plan. Through simple dialogue and pictures, he shows that we have to be open to new opportunities.
#4 Persistence trumps talent is a great message to people who feel they “do not have all the skills to apply to that job”.
#5 Make excellent mistakes, is simply great advice for people to try things that may be outside their comfort zone because you never know where it will lead to.

I loved this book. Daniel Pink’s ability to show how things have changed in our society over the years and where they are going is wonderful.

The idea that “right brain” people skills will be required in this new economy is spot on. We have built our nation on many “left brain” people skills and now that technology and the global economy have stepped into the picture, we will need people who can solve problems by connecting the dots, be creative, recognize patterns, and find new ways to do old work.

I need MORE of Pink!

Read all my Pink books I’ve reviewed here https://peak-careers.com/tag/daniel-pink/

The author does a nice job describing what really motivates people and how we have progressed from a “I don’t want to be eaten by that tiger” to the “carrot and the stick” mentality of motivation.  But this “carrot and the stick” mentality simply does not work anymore.

He describes Motivation 3.0 which has to do with giving people autonomy to do their job, the ability to be creative, and to nurture their drive to ‘master’ a subject.

A great read that I highly recommend to people working in the career field, those who supervise others, and anyone who wants to try and understand motivation better.