Why Motivating People Doesn't Work...and What Does

The New Science of Leading, Energizing, and Engaging

By: Susan Fowler

Narrated by: Karen Saltus

Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Top leadership researcher, consultant, and coach Susan Fowler says stop trying to motivate people! It’s frustrating for everyone involved and it just doesn’t work. You can’t motivate people - they are already motivated but generally in superficial and short-term ways. In this audiobook, Fowler builds upon the latest scientific research on the nature of human motivation to lay out a tested model and course of action that will help leaders guide their people toward the kind of motivation that not only increases productivity and engagement but that gives them a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment. Fowler argues that leaders still depend on traditional carrot-and-stick techniques because they haven’t understood their alternatives and don’t know what skills are necessary to apply the new science of motivation. Her Optimal Motivation process shows leaders how to move people away from dependence on external rewards and help them discover how their jobs can meet the deeper psychological needs - for autonomy, relatedness, and competence - that science tells us result in meaningful and sustainable motivation. Optimal Motivation has been proven in organizations all over the world - Fowler’s clients include Microsoft, CVS, NASA, the Catholic Leadership Institute, H&R Block, Mattel, and dozens more. Throughout the book, she illustrates how each step of the process works using real-life examples. Susan Fowler s book is the groundbreaking answer for leaders who want to get motivation right!

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 Susan Fowler (P)2014 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

“Fowler shows how to guide employees toward seeing their jobs in a new way, as potential sources of personal fulfillment. Achieving company goals will become something they own, because now it really matters to them." (Marshall Goldsmith author of the New York Times and global best-seller What Got You Here Won’t Get You There)

Good content for an alternative mindset

The content is good and provides background and justification for an alternative perspective on motivation, however the principals were not as fully developed as I would've liked. She repeats them enough but there are associations on how to change the negative to positive that could be made more directly, the reader is left to infer instead of learn directly.

Psychology with a twist

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I do not read often and found this book to be inspirational while I'm out of school for a semester. Usually listened to it while washing dishes or driving and it made me feel more mindful of my day. I can say this was stepping stone t o what I consider a life-long journey of learning.

Great story but not clear what to do next...

Great story but it is not clear what to do next... I agree motivation is not something managers should provide but instead, they are accountable to create the environment where employees can develop themselves and therefore perform at their best...

Just what I needed!

I have noticed these truths in the past but been unable to put my finger on it. I could see that trying to motivate people was more often harming their motivation. I could see why for sure. The ideas in this book is exactly what I was missing. This will be on o c the books that changed my life. Allen Z

Enlightening

Perfect Audible Book. I learned something and applied it to my everyday life, job and relationships. Nice short read without delving to deeply whilst remaining informative.

Okay

This book was okay. The overall purpose of it was good but it could have been delivered better. The gist is to motivate people you need to care about them and the old military way of managing is ineffective. I do agree with that, but I was hoping for more information on how to motivate people… Maybe someone else got something different from the book but that’s all I really got out of it.

Interesting topic applicable to many life situations

Great practical application of motivational theory. However narrator was annoying particularly when she chose to assume the voice of a person in an example. Even used a fake "Asian" accent for an executive in a foreign firm. Pretty offensive. Still well worth the read

Great book for leaders or those who want to lead

This book has really helped me in my professional and personal life. I'm actually a professor and motivational speaker. This book has changed how I will provide services in both professional careers I have. I recommend this book.

One of a few books I'll have to read a few times

surprisingly a lot of valuable content that is very practical and will have to be studied a few times to extract most of the meaning.

Motivation is a skill

This book has taught me one of the greatest lessons I learned in life. It talks about our well-being as a fundamental state for our growth. It's state is developed from attending our fundamental psychological needs through the use of self control and practices like mindfulness, finding our purpose and fine the alignment of our values with our actions. A really graeat theory that I consider fundamental for the world today. thanks!