Don't rely on bonuses, benefits or empty gimmicks anymore. Learn how to create an environment where engagement is a biological reflex rather than a management requirement.
Many management books are aimed at people who want to maintain the status quo. This book is aimed at people who want to change it.
The modern manager
You are tired of constantly supervising your team. You want to create a culture where personal responsibility is the norm and not something you have to beg for.
The Product Architect
They know that mere "gimmicks" are usually nonsense. They want the profound psychological mechanisms that actually promote user loyalty and habit formation.
The HR visionary
You see that engagement surveys are declining, and you know that another "wellness week" is not the solution. You need a systemic solution.
Who this book is NOT suitable for
If you are looking for a short list of "10 tricks to motivate anyone" or want to learn how to get people to work harder for less money, you should not buy this book. The Drive method requires integrity and a willingness to treat people as actors rather than resources.
Many companies are trying to solve the cognitive problems of the 21st century with the assembly line tools of the 20th century.
Systems designed for compliance cannot deliver peak performance.
Misalignment
Our ranking system only motivates the top 10%. Everyone else gives up as soon as they realise they cannot win.
The Strategic Shift
Move from zero-sum competition to championship curves and motivate the middle 80% with personal bests.
Misalignment
"They watch the videos for the badge, but their behaviour doesn't change. The retention rate is almost zero."
The Strategic Shift
Design for "almost achieved" progress and meaningful friction to acquire deep skills.
Misalignment
New employees fill out the checklist, but they don't feel the company culture. It's about compliance, not connection.
The Strategic Shift
Turn onboarding into a narrative journey of discovery (the IKEA effect) rather than a flood of data.
Misalignment
"We pay for innovation, but our KPIs penalise the necessary risk-taking required to achieve it."
The Strategic Shift
Create systemic coherence so that you no longer pay for one behaviour while signalling another.
Dopamine is not about having, but about 'chasing'. Human motivation follows evolutionary rules, not company guidelines. If you combat these rules with simple 'carrot and stick' methods, you will lose talent. If you align your strategies with them, performance is guaranteed.
Inside, you won't find vague platitudes about how to "find your why." You'll find a forensic analysis of human behaviour and a plan for how to use it to your advantage.
"We love the bookshelf we built backwards."
Engaginglab GmbH
