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In Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, published by Riverhead Books (2009), Dan Pink offers some excellent advice as to how to promote “goldilocks” for teams, “the kind [of tasks] that are neither too easy nor too hard, that deliver a delicious sense of flow. But sometimes it’s difficult to replicate that experience when you’re working in a team. People often end up doing the jobs they always do because they’ve proven they can do them well, and an unfortunate few get saddled with the flow-free [i.e. unsatisfying, unfulfilling, unpleasant] tasks nobody else wants. Here are a few ways to bring a little Goldilocks to your group”:
1. Begin with a diverse team. Members are cross-functional and from different departments or areas.
2. Make your group a “no competition” zone. Strongly encourage and generously support communication, cooperation, and especially collaboration.
3. Try a little task-shifting. For example, “if someone is bored with his current assignment, see if he can train someone else in the skills he’s already mastered. Then see if he can take on some aspect of a more experienced team member’s work.”
4. Animate with purpose, don’t motivate with rewards. “Nothing binds a team like a shared mission. The more people share a common cause [e.g. creating something that Steve Jobs characterizes as ‘insanely great’], the more your group will do deeply satisfying and outstanding work.”
C-level executives would also be well-advised to keep in mind what William L. McKnight observed in 1924 when he was chairman and CEO of 3M: “If you put fences around people, you get sheep. Give people the room they need.” Also sufficient resources, constant encouragement, and — when necessary — full protection.
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