In a previous post, I talked about Purpose and Meaning at the job. Although one of the most overlooked aspects by managers and, sometimes, even employees, having a meaningful job is not enough. To really test if I can help to improve a job description or my team day-to-day activities, I tend to apply what I call the “Dan Pink’s Test“:
- Can I improve the team’s autonomy by changing the way we choose what to do, how to do it, with whom to work or when we deliver?
- Can I improve the team’s sense of mastery by increasing or, sometimes, just explicitly saying and managing what people are learning and are expected to learn?
- Can I improve the team’s sense of purpose by showing, or even changing, how their work fits with the big picture and contribute to a better world?
Instead of explaining the importance of those questions and how I came to create this test, I prefer to refer to the excellent RSA Animation bellow, that I saw a couple of years ago.
References
This lively RSA Animate, adapted from Dan Pink’s talk at the RSA, illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace.
The book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us”