| CBI Interview | Daniel H. Pink


‘The Surprising Truth About What (Really) Motivates Us’ is this best-selling author’s IHRSA ’11 take-away insight


By Jean Suffin


CBI: In reviewing your biography, we saw that, while you went to law school, you noted that, to your “lasting joy,” you never practiced law. Why did you put it that way?


DANIEL PINK: When I was an undergraduate, I just assumed that, at some point, I’d probably go to law school. It was something that was kind of a given—one of those things that you were supposed to do eventually, and so I did it, and it was really a bad decision. I didn’t do it with any sense of self-direction. I didn’t enjoy it. And I didn’t do it well. So I was one of three people who graduated unemployed.


CBI: Instead, you wound up finding your way into national politics, working first for Labor Secretary Robert Reich and, then, for Vice President Al Gore. How did that come about?


DP: I was very interested in politics and policy, so I started working in some politi- cal campaigns and did that for a few years. Then, in what was really an unplanned, accidental sort of way, I ended up becoming a speechwriter. I had some writing experience, and was good at it, but I never thought, “Man, more than anything else, I want to become a political speechwriter.” I just sort of fell into it.


CBI: And into the office of Vice President Gore, becoming his chief speechwriter.


DP: Well, the universe of speechwriters is very small. It’s sort of like the situation with baseball managers—you keep hearing the same five names over and over again. There are some Democratic speechwriters, and some Republican speechwriters, and I wound up becoming a Democratic speechwriter. I was actually keen to work for Gore because I admired him, and I was also very interested in technology.


CBI: Now, in your capacity as a business consultant, and as someone who’s been a government insider, what would you say are some of the things that government does best… and worst?


DP: Well, some, but not all, of the people working in government are easily among the smartest and most talented and capable individuals I’ve ever met. The federal government attracts a slice of the population that’s incredibly able. A lot of govern- ment offices have a strong sense of purpose, which, I think, is really important in terms of fostering motivation. Also, government provides a high level of job secu- rity, so people aren’t running around terrified all the time—I think that’s generally a good thing for performance.


CBI: And, now, what it doesn’t do particularly well….> www. ihrsa.org | JANUARY 2011 | Club Business Internat ional 37


Highlights » Federal insights » Carrot/stick mistakes » Effective motivation » Recession remedies


A native of Columbus, Ohio,


Daniel H. Pink received his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, in New Haven, Connecticut. He subsequently worked as an aide to U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, and, from 1995 to 1997, served as chief speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore. An author, speaker, and business consultant, Pink has written four books that, together, have sold more than one million copies and been translated into 23 languages. They are: Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself; The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need; A Whole New Mind: Why Right- Brainers Will Rule the Future; and his most recent, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. The latter has already spent six months on The New York Times best- seller list. Pink resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife and three children. —|


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