The Motivation Code: Discover the Hidden Forces That Drive Your Best Work

by Todd Henry, Rod Penner, Todd W. Hall, Joshua Miller

Overview

From the author of Die Empty and The Accidental Creative, a new framework for understanding what motivates us and why.
 
What drives us to unleash our best work? And how do we tap into that drive to get superior results with our managers, coworkers, and direct reports? As Todd Henry reveals in this illuminating book, drawing on decades of research and interviews with over 100,000 people, the answer is not one size fits all: some people are energized by a race against the clock, while others put in extra effort only when they feel part of a team. For still others, nothing is as motivating as the possibility of public recognition.
 
Henry shows, in fact, that there are twenty-seven "motivational themes”, each with its own unique DNA. For instance:
 
·         Those driven to Achieve Potential strive to build an ideal future, even when others may not see as far ahead. 
·         Those needing to Overcome must conquer whatever obstacles come their way, no matter how difficult or time-consuming.
·         Those who strive to Comprehend and Express are obsessed with mastering new skills and showing off what they know--which is often a lot.
·         Those who want to Make It Right thrive when systems are running smoothly and usually know the "proper way" to do things.
 
The Motivation Code teaches us to decode our Core Motivation so that we can have conversations, make decisions, and even choose career paths that lead us to experience engagement and fulfillment. Once we know how to activate our inner drivers, we can transform the work we do into work we love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593191651
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	55,760
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. He is the author of five books, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and the longtime host of "The Accidental Creative" podcast.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part I What Drives You? 1

Chapter 1 Unique Motivation Is the Missing Key 3

Chapter 2 Discover Your Motivation Code 17

Part II The Motivational Themes 27

Chapter 3 The Visionary Family 29

Chapter 4 The Achiever Family 51

Chapter 5 The Team Player Family 83

Chapter 6 The Learner Family 113

Chapter 7 The Optimizer Family 141

Chapter 8 The Key Contributor Family 181

Part III Now What? 215

Chapter 9 Living Out Your Motivation 217

Acknowledgments 229

Appendix A Additional Resources 231

Appendix B Motivation Code's Technical Development and Validation 233

Index 245

Editorial Reviews

08/31/2020

Henry (Die Empty), host of The Accidental Creative podcast, teams with management consultant Penner, clinical psychologist Hall, and nutritionist Miller to crack the code on how one functions—both mentally and physically—in this illuminating guide. Henry became interested in the concept that “each individual has a unique blend of motivations that drive behavior and a sense of engagement” after taking a test designed by Penner, and the authors recommend readers take the 30-minute online assessment themselves. They then walk readers through understanding the skills and deficiencies described in their assessment-test, interpreting one’s “motivation codes,” and strategies for activating one’s unique set of attributes. With 27 different “motivational themes” divided into six “motivational families”—visionary, achiever, team player, learner, optimizer, and key contributor—Henry charts the pros and cons of each personality type. For instance, a visionary wants to achieve potential and ideals, but also needs to be grounded and concentrate on concrete steps. An optimizer concentrates on making things right and craves organization, but needs to concentrate on working with others and accepting nuance. In the vein of the Myers-Briggs personality tests, these clever structures will help readers more fully understand their own idiosyncrasies. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

The Motivation Code is a masterwork. If you're a peak performer—or if you want to be—the insights you'll gain from understanding yourself and the people around you are priceless.—Chris Guillebeau, author of The Money Tree and The $100 Startup
 
In many years in the productivity field, an eternal question to me has been: "Even when I'm clear about what to do, why do I want to do some of those things, and don't want to do others?" Todd and his team have cumulated deep research to clarify that answer, with an elegant model to identify our sources of inspiration and procrastination, and keys to leverage that awareness for yourself for personal and professional gain. Valuable stuff, for everyone.—David Allen, author of Getting Things Done
 
What if you knew, truly, why you did what you did? Until you understand your Motivation Code, trying to change your behaviors and habits is like chasing ghosts. This is Todd Henry's most important book.—Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit and The Advice Trap
 
An important step forward for understanding what drives us, and for leaders, what drives our teams.—L. David Marquet, author of Leadership is Language and Turn this Ship Around!
 
An incredibly powerful eye-opener. The Motivation Code helps you set aside generalized platitudes in favor of your own motivational recipe.—Jay Baer, founder of Convince & Convert and coauthor of Talk Triggers


With 27 different “motivational themes” divided into six “motivational families”—visionary, achiever, team player, learner, optimizer, and key contributor—Henry charts the pros and cons of each personality type... In the vein of the Myers-Briggs personality tests, these clever structures will help readers more fully understand their own idiosyncrasies.—Publishers Weekly
   

From the Publisher