Drive
by Daniel H. Pink
★ Top 25 book of 2009 · #17 on Best Books of 2009
Daniel Pink challenges the idea that rewards like money are the best way to motivate people. Drawing on decades of research, he argues that internal drive leads to better performance, creativity and wellbeing.
Best for: Managers and curious readers interested in what really motivates people at work and home
Drive is #17 on BookWard's Best Books of 2009, out of 42 2009 books that cleared our data bar.
What Drive is about
Daniel H. Pink asks what actually motivates us, and his answer cuts against common workplace habits. He argues that the carrot-and-stick approach, where money and other outside rewards are used to drive performance, is a mistake. The real source of high performance and satisfaction, he says, is intrinsic motivation: the desire to follow your own interests.
He backs this with thirty years of scientific data, and he shows how both people and companies can put the idea to work, noting that some already do. The examples cover the job, the home and our own habits. Pink is also the author of A Whole New Mind, and the writing here is accessible and persuasive. It will help managers rethinking how they motivate a team, as well as anyone who wants more satisfaction from their own work.
Drive on the Best Books of 2009
Drive came out in 2009. Of the 42 books first published in 2009 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #17 on our Best Books of 2009 list.
Why it made the list: 373 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (28 ratings). The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2009 list
- The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind William Kamkwamba, #15
- The 50Th Law Robert Greene, #16
- Fallen (Fallen #1) Lauren Kate, #18
- Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Grace Lin, #19
See all Best Books of 2009 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2008 Best Books of 2010.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 324 want to read it, 10 are reading it now and 39 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4 out of 5 from 28 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 64 | 55% |
| Reader love | 57 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 36 | 20% |
Questions about Drive
When was Drive published?
Drive by Daniel H. Pink was first published in 2009.
Was Drive one of the best books of 2009?
Drive is #17 on BookWard's Best Books of 2009, out of 42 2009 books that cleared our data bar. 373 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (28 ratings).
Why is Drive on the Best Books of 2009 list?
373 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (28 ratings).
More of the best books of 2009
- The Last Olympian Rick Riordan, #1
- Catching Fire Suzanne Collins, #2
- The Maze Runner James Dashner, #3
- The Help Kathryn Stockett, #4
- Dork Diaries Rachel Renée Russell, #5
- I Will Teach You to Be Rich Ramit Sethi, #6
See the full Best Books of 2009, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
Find your own best books
Add what you have read, rate it, and BookWard will recommend what to read next.
Free while in beta. No credit card needed.