Understanding Motivation and Business Practices

The speaker shares a personal story about attending law school and introduces the candle problem, a psychological experiment demonstrating functional fixedness. The talk explores how traditional incentives can hinder problem-solving and creativity, highlighting a mismatch between scientific findings and business practices. The speaker advocates for a new business model based on intrinsic motivation, emphasizing autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Examples from companies like Atlassian and Google illustrate the benefits of autonomy in boosting productivity and innovation. The talk concludes by urging a shift from extrinsic to intrinsic motivators in business.

What is the main challenge in solving the 'candle problem' as described by the speaker?

• Complex instructions

• Time constraints

• Functional fixedness

• Lack of resources

In Sam Glucksberg's experiment, what was the effect of offering monetary rewards on problem-solving?

• It worsened performance

• It had no effect on performance

• It improved performance significantly

• It led to faster problem-solving

According to the speaker, what is a major issue with the current business operating system?

• It relies too heavily on intrinsic motivators

• It focuses too much on creativity

• It is outdated and based on folklore

• It is too flexible and lacks structure

What are the three elements the speaker suggests for a new business operating system?

• Autonomy, mastery, and purpose

• Compliance, efficiency, and control

• Innovation, creativity, and flexibility

• Leadership, management, and strategy

How does the company Atlassian encourage innovation among its engineers?

• By offering large bonuses

• By allowing them to work on anything they want for 24 hours

• By providing strict guidelines

• By organizing weekly meetings

What is the Results Only Work Environment (ROWE) approach?

• A reward-based system for high performance

• A traditional management style focusing on compliance

• A method of increasing productivity through strict supervision

• A system where employees have no schedules and focus on results

Which company model does the speaker use to illustrate the success of intrinsic motivation?

• Google

• Atlassian

• Microsoft Encarta

• Wikipedia

What was the outcome of the 'titanic battle' between intrinsic and extrinsic motivators?

• Neither had a significant impact

• Both were equally effective

• Intrinsic motivators won

• Extrinsic motivators won

What does the speaker suggest is the secret to high performance?

• Strict management

• Intrinsic drive

• Rewards and punishments

• Financial incentives

What does the speaker believe is necessary to change the world and solve 'candle problems'?

• More financial incentives

• Stricter business protocols

• A new approach to motivation

• Increased compliance