Monthly Archives: September 2010

Motivation 3.0

1 Reply
Cover of "Drive: The Surprising Truth Abo...

Cover via Amazon

 I just completed listening to the audiobook version of Daniel Pink’s book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. This book follows the evolution of motivation from its biological roots in self-preservation (dubbed “Motivation 1.0”) to the carrot-and-stick incentives of seeking reward and avoiding punishment (“Motivation 2.0”), to what research is finding to be a higher motivation, labeled “Motivation 3.0”.

Earlier versions of motivation were responses to external forces. Unlike those earlier revisions of motivation, Motivation 3.0 is characterized by a human desire for a sense of autonomy, a chance to become masters of our particular craft, and to be driven by a purpose that is beyond ourselves.  The book progresses from sharing studies that have indicated that “carrot and stick” motivation only yields its desired results for a subset of repetitive, non-creative activities,  to a discussion of intrinsic and extrinsic types of motivation. For people who are intrinsically motivated, their motivation is fostered by their sense of autonomy, mastery, and purpose.Autonomy can be expressed in various aspects of our work: 
  1. The task itself
  2. The time in which we do it
  3. The technique we apply to the work
  4. The team with which we work

Different people will value autonomy over various aspects of their work more than others. I may most value autonomy over technique, and you may value autonomy  over the time in which you elect to do the work most. A couple of items in this discussion resonated with me:

  1. You can have autonomy, yet still be interdependent.
  2. Accountability still exists, even when there is autonomy.

Mastery is all about working toward a high level of execution.

  1. Mastery is a mindset: It requires a dedication to performing activities that will help us become better.
  2. Mastery is a pain: Becoming a master requires repetition over a long duration, like 10 years.
  3. Mastery is asymptotic: You can get closer and closer to mastery, but never be truly perfect.

Purpose is all about having a cause that goes beyond ourselves. The audiobook version was excellent, allowing me to cover much of the book while I was performing activities that I could not do while reading the book. For folks in St. Joseph County, Indiana, the audiobook is available for checkout on iPod at the St. Joseph County Library. You can use the library’s site to check for availability. Like some other audiobooks I have checked out, I suspect I will be purchasing a print copy of this book soon. The paper copy will serve as a convenient reference. 

There is a video that shares some of the book’s points, but in my opinion is a far cry from spending the time to experience the entire book, either in audio or print format. However, the video will take about 10 minutes to watch, the audiobook is about 6 hours long. My recommendation is that you watch the video, then go get the book. 

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc]

Technology Networking Opportunities in Michiana

Leave a reply

I realized that, for me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of being in the technology field is having the opportunity to exchange ideas with other technology professionals. A rich dialog with other professionals helps me become introduced to new ideas, new techniques, and possibilities that I may not have encountered had I simply relied on my own personal experiences. Networking is also a great recruiting tool to identify talented folks that you might want to join your company as openings are created.

I wanted to share just a few groups that I am personally aware of because I have attended.

Michiana Agile Practitioners

This group was started as, and continues to be, an informal gathering to discuss Agile. Beyond that, there is no single focus or formal agenda. The meetings are typically on the first Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. For September, the meeting will be on the 13th of September due to the Labor Day holiday, but still at 5:30.  We meet at Hacienda on Miami Street. The Michiana Agile Practitioners group resides on LinkedIn.

Michiana Area .NET User Group

This user group, obviously focused on .NET, is currently in the process of planning a “Tech Fest” to be held on September 18th. The day will be broken into two tracks, one focused on development, and the other with a focus IT. You can view the agenda for Tech Fest on the MADNUG site. Press Ganey was generous and is going to host the tech fest in their training center.

Chicago Agile Project Manager MeetUp

If you’re up for a road trip, this MeetUp is worth it. Meeting in downtown Chicago at 5:30 Central, you can get most of the regular work day in and still make it to the meeting on time. The attendees typically have a broad range of experience with Agile, from “exploring” to people that many would consider “expert.” The meetings are held on a monthly basis, and the topics are advertised at least weeks ahead of time. The number of attendees is limited to 30, so an early RSVP is required. Most months, I attend with at least one other coworker or guest. Carpooling makes the drive go by quickly, and most times we are back to South Bend and off the toll road by 10:30. If you’re interested, feel free to contact me and join the carpool.

What others are you familiar with?

I used Google to look for additional groups, and pretty much came up empty. Are there other technology user groups that you are familiar with and would recommend?