Why Motivating People Doesn't Work...and What Does: The New Science of Leading, Energizing, and Engaging

by Susan Fowler, Karen Saltus (narrator), LLC Gildan Media (publisher)

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!

Audible Audio

Published October 27, 2014

About the author

Susan Rigetti is an author, screenwriter, and the former technology op-ed editor at The New York Times. She has been named a "Person of the Year" by Time, the Financial Times, and the Webby Awards, and has appeared on Fortune's "40 Under 40" list, Vanity Fair's New Establishment list, Marie Claire's New Guard list, the Bloomberg 50, the Upstart 50, the Recode 100, and more. She is the author of a book on computer programming that has been implemented by companies across Silicon Valley, and the critically acclaimed memoir Whistleblower.