This presentation deals with what motivates people and it turns out that it is much more than a stick and a carrot because people are not easy to decipher. Their psyche is complicated and their behavior cannot always be predicted. People are not so easy to be manipulated which is why this presentation is challenging the usual beliefs. The story is about being rewarded and being punished which foster particular behavior while discouraging the other. There was a study at MIT which involved eminent economists who discovered that students perform well when they can do menial jobs, but it becomes difficult once they are facing complex problems that encourage creativity. People did not even care about the amount of money because their motivation would drop when they were asked to compete for the top prize. It is not true that the amount of money is related to good performance because people need different kind of motivation which is not always materialistic. Top performers need to have a purpose for doing something, as well as autonomy and the space for improvement in order to become the best versions of themselves.
The principal techniques of persuasion are involved in the performance of the speaker as well as the animator. They worked as a team and they produced a great video that keeps attention. It is scientific and it also includes examples from the speaker’s personal experience.
As far as Dan Pink is concerned, he uses ethos, pathos and logos to establish a persuasive atmosphere. Ethos is used because he uses credible sources and scientists and intellectuals who have integrity. He uses logos when he presents the results if the research logically and he uses many examples. There is also the use of pathos when he describes the working force as horses because the employers often treat them as animals instead of giving them privileges that every human being should have. Moreover, the company that recognized the importance of treating employees as human beings and gave them importance, made great success and had many innovations. That is what makes this presentation credible as well as the fact that Dan also uses his personal experience from when he attended university. He actually predicted that top professionals would work pro bono for the benefit of the humanity.
It is interesting to see that during the experiment in which the students were supposed to do simple and complex tasks, “the higher incentives led to worst performance. What’s interesting about this is that is actually isn’t all that anomalous” (Pink). People need different kinds of encouragement in order to do their best and just being offered money is not enough. This experiment was conducted in various parts of the world, richer and poorer and the results were the same.
Intellectuals need to be stimulated to do their best and to create the atmosphere that they need in order to accomplish success. Once they master their jobs and become better at their work than before, it is time for innovations to come which is beneficial for the company. The best performers are those who are encouraged to work on their own and to create the teams of their choice. There is a logical fallacy here related to the appeal to authority because Dan Pink uses influential people and their names to prove his point and there is no reason not to trust him.
The animator also uses ethos, logos and pathos because he follows what the speaker is talking about. The illustrations and the animations are done at the perfect time and both the employers and the employees can learn much from such a presentation because it is easy to understand. The point the two of them make is really surprising and it makes the argument even more persuasive because of the use of the red color. It is normal to use black, but red emphasizes important explanations and it is the color of pathos. Ethos is also used by writing the sentences that matter most and logos is used because the animator follows the speaker in real time which creates the effect of the speaker talking and drawing at the same time. This animation is very successful because it is both scientific and easy to understand. Both the animator and the speaker use the same tactics because as the speaker raises his voice, the animator begins drawing faster.
It was interesting to find out so much about human nature in so little time, but it is logical that people of integrity want to have the autonomy and to be able to become better at doing their jobs all the time. Having purpose in life is nothing new and all the people strive to find meaning in life. This is what having purpose in business means as well. Great minds need to be encouraged and challenged in order to create something really great which is why this lecture is not so surprising. Carrot and stick method works only with superficial people who do not engage themselves in creative work.
There is much to be questioned about human mind, but it is certain that people are not simple beings and that they need to be stimulated in life in order to create what is best for them, for the company and for the humanity as a whole. Selfishness in life never brings anything good and people who are innovators are those who have love for the whole mankind and who want to leave a legacy behind them.
Works Cited
Pink, Dan. "RSA ANIMATE: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us ." N.p., 1 Apr. 2010. Web. 2 Apr. 2016. <https://www.thersa.org/discover/videos/rsa-animate/2010/04/rsa-animate---drive/>.
