The Game Changer: How to Use the Science of Motivation With the Power of Game Design to Shift Behaviour, Shape Culture and Make Clever Happen

by Jason Fox

Use the science of motivation with the power of game design to unlock motivation and drive progress in your organisation.

There are two conventional ways to approach motivation: set goals and try to change attitudes and beliefs (which takes a lot of personalised effort); or develop incentives and rewards to inspire effort (which takes a lot of money).

This book shows you how to take a third new approach - designing the work itself to be inherently motivating.

Combining the best elements of three distinct fields--motivational science, game design, and agile management--this book shows you how to positively influence behaviour through better work and project design.

This game changing book: Gives you a refreshing science-based approach to the classic challenge of motivation in the workplace Is ideal for any leader or manager looking to take their workplace culture in a new direction Includes practical advice for creating highly productive, motivated and innovative teams Is written by a motivation strategy and design expert who consults on leadership and change management to a wide range of clients - from the executives of multinational organisations, through to the directors of switched-on startups.

"The Game Changer "will show you how to unlock creative, productive and collaborative work. It is the perfect resource for forward-thinking leaders in organisations and teams focused on crafting a work culture that gets the best out of their people.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Self Help, Game Design, Professional Development, Leadership, Design

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Jason Fox is a television presenter, adventurer and a former UK Special Forces soldier and Royal Marine Commando.

There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Robert Furiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know, mostly I liked reading the book but I did not feel greatly educated by it. I knew many of the concepts there before (and in bigger detail), but probably someone more junior would benefit from it. However, I wouldn't say it's practical or that it delivered on its promise (it didn't for me). At least it was easy to read (in parts too easy and sometimes it felt like unrelated mini-articles patched together).

[Martin Smrek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good and far from motivational literature. It provides you with a useful perspective on designing the work and using game design in order to make it rewarding and motivating. Can't wait to implement some parts of this!

[Matthew Hodge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books by hipsters. I feel my Gen X eyes roll reflexively in my head - and that was just looking at a photo of Jason Fox's beard. The reaction was even stronger when he got onto coffee and ninjas later in the book.

Anyway, let me cut through the game references - Fox is dealing with theories of motivation and makes the rather good point that motivation is best served by *making the progress of work visibile*. In short, kanban.

Meanwhile, we should be flexible. In short, agile.

So essentially the whole book is a sort of repackage about various ideas of agile philosophy, padded out with lots of references to role-playing games and quests. (Sorry quests and RPGs are probably the same thing, aren't they? Don't mind me, I thought I did well to work out how to operate a mobile phone.)

The overall problem with this book is that it's nearly all theory with very little in the way of practicality. So you might well be convinced by Jason's insight but you’ll probably have to go read a separare book on how to put his stuff into practice.

And that will probably be a book on agile project management. In which case, why not skip Fox and go straight to an agile book. You see what I mean?

[Bob Combs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The evidence presented by the author demonstrates that traditional and familiar motivation methods are ineffective. Neither the carrot and stick approach, nor the coaching approach truly motivate and proved satisfaction or happiness. Therefore, much of the business world in the USA culture falls short at providing a healthy livelihood. One of the reasons I am finished with the corporate world.

Success doesn't bring Happiness. Happiness brings success.

The true motivator, the author argues is making steady and measurable progress towards your goal. The book builds on these axioms with examples.

Don't keep making the same mistakes!

[Anthony Aspiridis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and easy to digest. A really passionate author has created a toolbox for anyone want to be productive.

[Kurt Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, high-level synthesis of a lot of thinking in organizational behavior and organizational change and project management. Compared to the world of business/organizational self-help books and consulting fodder this one finds itself in, I think its organizing framework and thesis is more accurate and more universal. In other words, all the good insights I've pulled out of other weird business self-help books are here, in their rightful place, in a well-founded framework, where they don't seem like BS.

A pet peeve of mine is the fad popularity of Agile project management, which I think is a hyper-specific framework that would really only work in tech where iterations and feedback can be so immediate, etc. etc. In Dr. Fox's book, I think he gets at what is great, universal and applicable about Agile project management from a behavioral standpoint - approaching those practical pieces from a better higher-level foundation.

Due to some annoyances, I went back and forth on giving this four or five stars, but settled on five because I think this is a standout book comparatively, and a must-read. Plus, I think you really will be blown away by a few ideas in here that might change your perspective beyond work: some fundamental perspectives on human motivation and behavior, plus a choice Csikszentmihalyi quote about ~work sucking~ being one of the most serious and urgent moral issues facing humanity.

[Dominik Raniszewski · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a mixture of quite established approaches and theories. Decent read as a start to motivation psychology in work context but the content is explored only at a self-help level. The book seem decently researched but unfortunately it's full of quick conclusions and fixes. It doesn't expand beyond a single point of view.

Especially in the beginning, I found the language being on the arrogant side which I didn't like. Further in the book the tone was more moderate and pleasant to read. I particularly don't like when authors are establishing their credentials by mentioning things such as their consulting to large international businesses experience.

[Ceil · Rating 4 out of 5]

About 10 pages in, Fox was starting to get on my nerves -too clever and glib by half. So glad I stuck with it - it's one of the few business books that gets better, more insightful, deeper, and more useful as it goes on (versus the average 10-page-article-spun-into-a-book).

Particular strengths: discussion of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, and how best to align each; the "rules" of games, and how to manage finite and infinite game models -when to focus on ends and when to focus on means as the heart of the game. Just brilliant!

[Mykel Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first foray into motivation design and I'm so glad it was. So many practical insights that I was able to immediately apply to my own life. I've never worked in a big organisation or had to motivate corporate teams and yet there was so much I took from reading it. Thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in building new and better habits in their work and life.

[Max Zimmermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ideas that I took from this book:

- Shiny idea syndrome, you overrate ideas at first (Staubsaugerobotor, lol) => stick with old ideas
- Positive visualisation saps energy
- SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-based)
- Make progess visible
- Game = Goals + Rules + Feedback
- Motivation = Reward + Challenge + Stimulation

[Muhammad Iqbal · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book would be the first step to gamify your organization

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliant! Such a fun read. I loved connecting the dots between work and games. Highly recommended!

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the tips helpful.

[Tim Allred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Jason Fox provides a refreshing approach to unlock motivation through game design. This book is full of cleverness in easy to digest writing, which reads as if he's speaking to you in a cosy little coffee shop. Jason will have you re-thinking the 'if you believe it you can do it' rhetoric of motivation and counters it with well considered evidence-based science. The book is well presented, and will have you looking to implement the advice as you read make progress throughout. This book will not disappoint.

[Catyj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those mind-bending books that really starts to make sense when you get to the last few chapters. it is certainly innovative in its approach to the concept of change & using game design to rethink and rework the way change is implemented and managed in the work place. Making work work requires some insightful self-perception, and the occasional ninja. I'll be 're-reading this again soon.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book covering the basics and adding some more to the old getting people motivated challenge. If you are familiar with Kotter, Covey, Pink et. al. then this moves a bit beyond them. I liked the parts talking about the limits of goal setting and incentives.

[Glenn Goldspink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book is in a simple format. While reading it my mind wondered to scenarios where I either do, or could apply or see the logic it was presenting in the book. Has helped me put a better structure my goals.

[Tadhg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how Jason Fox combined motivation science & game theory to really add something new to the mix. Bonus was the illustrations & humourous style. I had the pleasure of hearing Jason speak recently at the Dare festival in Melbourne. An engaging speaker too!

[lluke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for how to objectively identify friction in common tasks, and finding simplicity where you thought there was none.

...find happiness in the process, not in the success. Happiness drives motivation, not success.

[Elee S · Rating 2 out of 5]

الترجمة رديئة ومشتتة وأحالت كثير من فقرات الكتاب إلى نصوص غير مترابطة وغير مفهومة
كعادة كتب تطوير الذات المترجمة من جرير

اما بخصوص الكتاب، فنجمتين للفصلين الاخيرين من الكتاب
والكتاب بمجمله حشو وتكرار وبالامكان اختصاره بمقال واحد

[Daniel Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book, but it didn't start to get interesting until about a third of the way in. If the first third has been more interesting, I easily would have given it five stars.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clever. Read, enjoy, learn a lot.

[Jodi Ralston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking.

[Shayno]

I ended up getting a few bits and pieces out of this book. Side concepts such as "The quantified self", "Shiny object syndrome" and "rubber ducking" were interesting. There is a main theme in this book, but surrounded by lots of fluff. In a nutshell, make progress visible, using goals, rules and feedback, just like computer games. Although he does rant about computer game designers using motivation to get people hooked on computer games, as if it's the only thing they aim for. What about graphics, gameplay or the social aspect of computer games??

This aside, the book is well written. The author's humourous style makes the content easier to swallow, but the book could probably have been half the size.