Daniel Pink's TED Talk

The right brained way is the way to go, says Daniel Pink in his TED Talk. It's not that the left brained way is bad- it's just that the right brained way should be used more. Daniel Pink's basic message was that the left brain is more narrow minded- it focuses on one solution, while it may not be the only solution or the best solution. However, the right brain is open minded. It analyzes all the solutions. It is more creative, less quick to judge. It is ideal for situations when people are under pressure. It works better in places that are less structured.

This is another part of Daniel Pink's talk. The right brain works better, and having free time, to do what they want, people unknowingly activate that part of the brain. In an unstructured work space, productivity often goes up. Another thing- if there is a reward for a person, for accomplishing a task, then (as weird as it may seem), it often takes them longer to finish the task. This is because in some way, the idea of a reward is connecting with the person's left brain.

1. Of the TED Talks I have watched so far, I liked this one the best. It may be the topic. This whole topic, about motivation, made me think. It's important to make the audience think, even if they aren't thinking good things. What stuck with me the most was his example of the candle problem- where the people have to take a candle and a box of thumb tacks and attach the candle to the wall so it doesn't drip on the table. It made me wonder what I would have done if I had been given the task- once he revealed the solution, it seemed so obvious, but it hadn't actually occurred yet. I also liked his talk about how productive an unstructured workspace could be. His wikipedia references stuck with me also.

2. Daniel Pink was very effective in having the audience connect with him- he talked about something so rudimentary, that applies to everyone. Motivation. Everyone has some, even if it's only motivation to get a reward. He put it in a way that people had to think about. He also referenced stuff that almost everyone has experience with- by that I mean wikipedia. He mentioned how successful it was, and it was easy to understand what he was saying because I could relate. When I want to see how many times Elizabeth Taylor has been married, I look it up on wikipedia, not encarta. (Oh, and she was married 8 times to 7 different guys, if you were wondering).

3. Daniel Pink's presentation style was hard thinking, broken up by humor. It also involves the audience- it makes them think, but about themselves. It makes them compare themselves with what he is saying. And then he breaks up the thinking with humor. However, he kept the humor intellectual, in my opinion, which fit with the rest of his presentation very well.

4. I think the things Daniel Pink talked about in his TED Talk are things everyone should think about. What motivates them? Should they try to change it? Also, how are they trying to motivate others? I think that the world (or at least some people) would be much happier if people followed a structure where people were required to motivate themselves. I can connect with it because, although I do not have a technical job yet, and I cannot change the structure of school, it makes me think about whether or not I would want an unstructured job when I get older.