What Motivate Most Workers.doc

Money, Fame, Power Don't Motivate Most Workers
Julie Taboh | Washington, DC
12 March 2010
People in more creative jobs are not as motivated by external factors like cash rewards, according to author Daniel Pink. They do their job because they like it.
What motivates us to take on life's challenges? Is it the lure of money, fame, power? Or is it something else?
In his new book, bestselling author Daniel Pink challenges traditional concepts of what drives us to act -- and shares some surprising scientific explanations for why we do what we do.
The science behind motivation
Pink says there's a big gap between what science knows and what business leaders know about how to motivate a workforce.
Pink says most businesses operate today on the carrot-and-stick system of rewards and punishments. Employees are rewarded for good performance, and penalized for performing badly.
Author Daniel Pink believe a system of rewards and punishments works well for simple, routine jobs.
According to Pink, the carrot-and-stick approach usually works well in situations where workers are performing simple, routine tasks, like checking products on an assembly line or packing boxes. But for jobs that require creativity, and deeper, plex thinking, such as writing or designing, employers need to take a different approach.
What really motivates us?
People in more creative jobs are not as motiv