Daniel Pink

You ask. We deliver. Usually.

Dan Pink — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:12:14 +0000

Several book groups — at companies, schools, and elsewhere — recently have asked if we have discussion guides for Bunko and AWNM.

Now, just in time for your 4th of July barbecue, we do.We’ve put together a set of four 2-page discussion guides for both books. You can download them for free using the links below.

A Whole New Mind: Discussion Guide for Business

A Whole New Mind: Discussion Guide for Educators

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: Discussion Guide for Business

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: Discussion Guide for Students

Money can’t buy you performance

Dan Pink — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:39:53 +0000

As some of you know, I’m finishing up a book about the science of motivation. And each day, it seems, brings more evidence of how we’ve gotten this subject all wrong.

The latest example comes from the London School of Economics, where scholars looked at 51 studies on pay-for-performance schemes:

“We find that financial incentives may indeed reduce intrinsic motivation and diminish ethical or other reasons for complying with workplace social norms such as fairness. As a consequence, the provision of incentives can result in a negative impact on overall performance.”

Ooops. Will we finally do things differently in our new, post-Madoff era?

Which animal are you?

Dan Pink — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:08:26 +0000

One of the great things about a long project, like the book I’m finishing now, is not only the source of satisfaction at the end — but also what you learn about yourself and how you work along the way.

What I’m discovering, or perhaps confirming, this time around is what kind of animal I am.

To wit . . .

Tortoise or hare? I’m a tortoise. Totally.

Hedgehog or fox? I lean hedgehog.

Night owl or morning lark? I’m more larkish than owlish.

Show horse or work horse? Neither. I think I’m a mule (without the infertility problems).

Which animals are you? We might have a zoological MBTI in the making here!

Factoid of the day: The 80s are over

Dan Pink — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:13:21 +0000

The U.S. now has more DVD kiosks than video stores.

(Source: Reed Hastings, in the NY Times)

Idea of the day: Eco-friendly pizza box

Dan Pink — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:47:59 +0000

Watch this 45-second video. Then smack yourself on the forehead for not thinking of it first.

(HT: Doug Flather)

Quote of the day: Beware the planners

Dan Pink — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:32:56 +0000

“In all the briefing papers prepared for the famous Clinton Little Rock [economic] summit in late 1992, the word Internet never appeared.”
– Daniel Gross, Newsweek

(HT: Steve Case)

Dome of the day

Dan Pink — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:25:05 +0000

Here’s a 24-foot Buckminster Fuller dome in the lobby of NeoCon 09. This is the first time I’ve seen one of Bucky’s domes in person. It’s pretty cool and a bit wacky — much like the man himself.

Avoiding bad habits the Eames way

Dan Pink — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:41:01 +0000

In preparing for a visit to NeoCon 2009, I’ve been doing a fair bit of research on the utterly fascinating lives of Charles and Ray Eames.

The Eameses, as most of you know, created, well, everything. Furniture. Graphics. Sculptures. Medical equipment. Films.

In the 1930s, Charles, at the time somewhat frustrated with his architectural practice, picked up and left for Mexico. There, wandering and scraping for money, he made a decision. He vowed not to

“take any . . . job — the objective of which you don’t agree with. . . . [T]his has all kinds of advantages to it. You can bring your whole self to it; you don’t have any half experiences. It also means that you don’t take a job that you know is wrong, but you take it as a stepping stone. That’s no good. It . . . leads to all kinds of bad habits.”

Bonus: The 15 Things That Charles and Ray Teach Us

Business card of the day

Dan Pink — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:27:30 +0000

(via Adam Richardson)

Free teleconference: Thursday June 11

Dan Pink — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:21:46 +0000

Join me, Pam Slim, and John Jantsch for a conversation with Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone, about his new book … Who’s Got Your Back.

WHEN: Thursday June 11 at 3pm (EDT).