Daniel H. Pink quotes

Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement. (Daniel H. Pink)
Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
The monkeys solved the puzzle simply because they found it gratifying to solve puzzles. They enjoyed it. The joy of the task was its own reward. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
In economic terms, we've always thought of work as a disutility - as something you do to get something else. Now it's increasingly a utility - something that's valuable and worthy in its own right. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
There's an idea out there that salespeople have actually been obliterated by the Internet, which is just not supported by the facts. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
What's important now are the characteristics of the brain's right hemisphere: artistry, empathy, inventiveness, big-picture thinking. These skills have become first among equals in a whole range of business fields. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Greatness and nearsightedness are incompatible. Meaningful achievement depends on lifting one's sights and pushing toward the horizon. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
I think people get satisfaction from living for a cause that's greater than themselves. They want to leave an imprint. By writing books, I'm trying to do that in a modest way. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
In large organizations there are discrete functions. I do this; you do that. I swim in my lane; you swim in your lane. That can be very effective for certain processes and in certain stable conditions. But it doesn't work in unstable conditions. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Asking "Why?" can lead to understanding. Asking "Why not?" can lead to breakthroughs. (Daniel H. Pink)
The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind - creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers and meaning makers. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
The three things that motivate creative people - autonomy, mastery, purpose! View quote
Daniel H. Pink
For artists, scientists, inventors, schoolchildren, and the rest of us, intrinsic motivation-the drive to do something because it is interesting, challenging, and absorbing-is essential for high levels of creativity. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Do what you can't and experience the beauty of the mistakes you make. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Were born to be players, not pawns. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
When the reward is the activity itself--deepening learning, delighting customers, doing one's best--there are no shortcuts. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Intrinsic motivation is conducive to creativity; controlling extrinsic motivation is detrimental to creativity. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Money can extinguish intrinsic motivation, diminish performance, crush creativity, encourage unethical behavior, foster short-term thinking, and become addictive. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
For many of us, the opposite of talking isn't listening. It's waiting. When others speak, we typically divide our attention between what they're saying now and what we're going to say next - and end up doing a mediocre job at both. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Goals may cause systematic problems for organizations due to narrowed focus, unethical behavior, increased risk taking, decreased cooperation, and decreased intrinsic motivation. Use care when applying goals in your organization. (Daniel H. Pink)
What do artists do? Artists give people something they didn't know they were missing: a dance, a piece of music, a painting, a piece of sculpture. Catering to that need is the best business strategy. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Carry a notebook and write down examples of good and poor design. After a week, you'll begin to realize that nearly everything is the product of a design decision. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
Abstract thinking leads to greater creativity... But in our businesses and our lives, we often do the opposite. We intensify our focus rather than widen our view. View quote
Daniel H. Pink
My generation's parents told their children, "Become an accountant, a lawyer, or an engineer; that will give you a solid foothold in the middle class." But these jobs are now being sent overseas. So in order to make it today, you have to do work that's hard to outsource, hard to automate. View quote
Daniel H. Pink