Dan Pink doesn’t think much of the traditional workplace, and he’s written several books to prove it.  In Free Agent Nation, A Whole New Mind, and now Drive, not to mention The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, Pink argues for new ways of working, ways that are creative, unstructured, and that offer non-traditional rewards.  Drive in particular argues that for all sorts of jobs – except the most mundane – autonomy, mastery, and purpose are more important motivators that the usual carrots and sticks. 

Pink was Al Gore’s speechwriter before he became a free-agent, right-brained, intrinsically motivated writer and advice dispenser.  Oddly, his speaking style is reminiscent of Gore’s – but in a good way.  You can see him giving a TED.com talk here on motivation:  http://bit.ly/nzmRH. 

He holds himself a little too stiffly and rigidly, like Gore, and some of his mannerisms are Gore’s.  But he’s got tons of energy, making big gestures and getting worked up on a regular basis throughout the talk, so you’re never in danger of nodding off.  If I were coaching him, I’d get him to think about having more of a conversation with the audience, rather than feeling like he’s a preacher holding forth on a Sunday.  Again, that attitude is a bit like Gore’s.

Pink has a real gift for explaining scientific research with clarity and verve; his books read quickly and are very good at making their cases.  (Pink trained as a lawyer.)  It’s only afterward that you ask yourself, hang on a minute, it’s not quite as clear-cut as that – but by then the talk, and the author, have moved on.

I recommend Pink highly as a very thought-provoking author and speaker.  You won’t be bored, and you will think about his topic in a new way.