Learnings - 25th - Motivation, what we should know.

Another of the many TED Talks I am inspired by http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html. What learnings in just 20 mins!

Candle Problem

1.      The candle problem – In a classic experiment demonstrating functional fixedness, Duncker (1945) gave participants a candle, a box of thumbtacks, and a book of matches, and asked them to attach the candle to the wall so that it did not drip onto the table below. Duncker found that participants tried to attach the candle directly to the wall with the tacks, or to glue it to the wall by melting it. Very few of them thought of using the inside of the box as a candle-holder and tacking this to the wall. In Duncker’s terms the participants were “fixated” on the box’s normal function of holding thumbtacks and could not re-conceptualize it in a manner that allowed them to solve the problem. For instance, participants presented with an empty tack box were two times more likely to solve the problem than those presented with the tack box used as a container (Adamson 1952). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_fixedness

2.      Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used. The concept of functional fixedness originated in Gestalt Psychology, which is a movement in psychology that emphasizes holistic processing where the whole is seen as being separate from the sum of its parts. Karl Duncker defined functional fixedness as being a "mental block against using an object in a new way that is required to solve a problem." (citation please) This "block" then limits that ability of an individual to use the components given to them to make a specific item, as they can not move past the original intention of the object. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_fixedness

3.      Incentivized Performance – does the opposite, dulls thinking and blocks creativity.

4.      Mismatch between what sciences tells about the motivation and what business actually practice.

5.      Carrot and stick approach for the last century. Not for 21^st century.

6.      Simply task – narrow focus – not much creativity required – incentives and bonus work the best there. Rewards narrow focus. The left-handed side, routine based work can now be easily done by programs or outsourced.

"This leads to an interesting observation, outsourcing is usually done to the developing nations because of cheap labour. Previously the West was using raw materials of the developing countries for industrial revolution, and now the minds" - AT.

7.      “As long as the task involves mechanical skills, bonuses worked as they would be expected: the higher the pay, the better the performance.” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/opinion/20ariely.htm

8.      “In eight of the nine tasks we examined across  the three experiments, higher incentives led to worst performance”.

9.       We find that financial incentives .. can result in a negative impact on overall performance” Dr. Bernd Irlendbusuch LSE

10.  Autonomy – making our own choices, mastery – getting better at what we do and purpose – and contributing positively to something larger than life.

11. Examples at work – FEDex Day – one day for doing what you want to do nothing  related to work.

12. 20% time engage in your passions at Google. Result -  Orkut, Gmail

13. ROWE – No schedule, just get work done.

14. Encarta – Microsoft verses Wikipedia.

Further watching:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

Learnings - 23rd - Raise Kids To Be Entrepreneurs

Key points for:

http://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_herold_let_s_raise_kids_to_be_entrepreneurs.html

1.      Schools raise kids for professional life - "A traditional education, honesty and hard work are simply not enough any more – yet school curriculums are still geared towards producing good employees." http://raisingentrepreneurs.org/

2.      Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand  - This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world, and did. Was he a destroyer or the greatest of liberators? Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world’s motor, and the motive power of every man? You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reason behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the characters in this story. http://books.google.com/books/about/Atlas_shrugged.html?id=0gLzGn-LYAQC

3.      Attention Deficit Disorder and Bipolar disorder (CEO disease) - Ted Turner, all 3 founders of Netscape , Steve Jobs. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3726/is_199802/ai_n8798710/

4.      Not to do: No allowance - regular check giving conditions them for a job and harms their ability to earn and make money.

5.      Skills: 

• Negotiation, 
• Logical thinking
• Customer handling
• How to save money
• Problem solving
• Leading others
• Want to make money
• Public Speaking
• To ask questions
• Learn from mistakes
• How to sell
• Never to give up
• To be creative
• To ask for help
• To see solutions

6.      Traits:  

• Networking
• Attainment
• Leadership
• Tenacity
• Sales
• Introspection
• Handling failure
• Boot strapping 
• Customer Services
• Labeling

Further reading:

http://getfree.tv/workablefuture/?p=207

Why?

The day started off as usual but has taken a great turn with me finally overcoming procrastination to share my thoughts, the way I see the world and little things in life which just exclusively makes “me” - me!

Since I aren’t too good with words (yet!), I will start off this journey with simply putting down stuff which is thought provoking and has open my mind, giving me a better perspective and making me a better person. This could be anything – and since I have developed this habit of sharing all the good stuff, this will just be a continuation but with my learnings. Why? Purely personal reason for saving all that I learn at one place and referring back as and when I want to.