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Category: Self-Help

“Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink

[ 3 ] July 13, 2010

Reviewed by Carly M.

In 1969, a psychology graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University began an experiment designed to test the effect of rewards on motivation. Two groups of adults were asked to use puzzle blocks to form a series of structures as quickly as they could. In addition to how well the adults performed the task, the graduate student also studied how interested they were in solving the puzzles themselves. During a break in which the scientist left the room, the subjects were secretly observed to see if they would continue playing with the puzzle pieces or if they would rather browse through the popular magazines provided to them.

Nearly all of the subjects continued to play with the puzzle pieces after the scientist had left, indicating that they received some enjoyment out of solving the puzzles. When one group was rewarded with a dollar for every puzzle solved correctly, they began to spend their entire breaks working with the puzzle pieces, perhaps hoping to get a head start on the next puzzle. However these subjects actually became slower and less efficient at solving the puzzles and when the financial reward was taken away, those subjects who had previously been rewarded completely lost interest in the puzzle pieces and abandoned them as soon as the scientist left the room. In contrast, the subjects that had not ever been rewarded financially remained interested in the puzzles, became very adept at solving them, and seemed to truly enjoy the experiment.

So begins Daniel H. Pink’s book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. In the book, Pink talks about how the carrot and stick system that worked for jobs in the last century is no longer effective in the workplaces of today and could, in fact, be leading to less job satisfaction and poor employee performance. As jobs have become less repetitive and more creative, Pink argues that employees have begun to gain intrinsic satisfaction from doing their jobs well, but that satisfaction is decreased when they are offered rewards such as bonuses and higher salaries.

So is the secret to productivity to pay employees as little as possible? Daniel Pink doesn’t think so. He does, however, think that taking a more creative approach to employee rewards will allow employers to maximize their workplace potential. Pink lays out a comprehensive guide for increasing internal motivation in employees, based on scientific research and the success stories of major corporations.

I enjoyed this book, although I found the writing style to be a bit rough at times. Some of the information seemed to be buried under a mound of statistics and citations, but when I was able to get to it, it simply blew me away. I think this book is a must read for anyone responsible for motivating those under them, from employers and managers to teachers and parents. I recommend it highly.

Carly lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and their two cats. Her favorite thing to do is to curl up by a window with a library book. When she isn’t reading, she’s usually writing on her blog at www.beingcarly.com.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Riverhead Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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“Skinny is Overrated” by Danielle Milano, MD

[ 6 ] July 8, 2010

Reviewed by Poppy J.

In Skinny Is Overrated, Dr. Danielle Milano discusses the facts of weight loss, and offers real guidance for anyone struggling with a weight issue. The main premise of the book is that being skinny should never be the goal of a weight loss program. One should strive for a healthy lifestyle, not for a certain number on a scale after weeks or months spent dieting. Skinny Is Overrated encourages readers to embrace the healthy aspects of their heritage and incorporate those healthy food choices into their daily life.

The weight loss plan promoted in Skinny Is Overrated includes creating goals and sticking to them. These goals are meant to be in line with a healthier lifestyle. Dr. Milano suggests keeping a log and developing a schedule that works with the reader’s lifestyle, and stresses the importance of keeping active on a regular basis.

Dr. Milano goes over the trans fat myths and lists foods that should and should not be eaten. Different fad diets are discussed in detail. All of the misconceptions surrounding poly, mono and saturated oils and fats are explained, as well as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) warnings, fat free substitutes and other process foods. Dr. Milano also explains the concept of BMI, and advises that it’s best to forget about the BMI chart and focus instead on eating healthier foods daily.

While some of the information has been extensively covered in other resources in the past, the book was well worth reading. Skinny Is Overrated offers great advice on how to live better and take the steps necessary for creating a better life today, without relying on the excuse of taking those steps tomorrow.

After a decade of working in several NYC law departments and teaching, Poppy decided she enjoyed writing full-time. She currently works as a freelance writing consultant, and lives with her husband and sons on the East Coast.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review & Interview: "Family Constellations: A Practical Guide to Uncovering the Origins of Family Conflict" by Joy Manne

[ 4 ] May 23, 2010

Reviewed by Erin N.

Dr. Manné, Buddhist Psychologist, has written a guide detailing the method of therapy created by Bert Hellinger: Family Constellation. This method operates on the premise that all behavior patterns are the result of the families we are born into.  The constellation method claims that each family has an “energy field” and that everyone within it holds a unique position. This position determines our ability to cope with stress, feel happiness, engage in healthy relationships, etc. This energy field that holds all the family members in place is created by the family’s history, thus the actions of previous generations (even if there had been no direct contact) influence an individual’s place in this energy field.  The constellation method helps clients discover their place in the energy field, why they are placed where they are, and how to heal from any damage brought about by it.

Family Constellations provides a great deal of case studies to illustrate how this method works.  Despite the disclaimer at the end of the book stating that “no method can resolve all problems,” Dr. Manné’s book provides details on how the constellation method can be used to help a client deal with death, divorce, war, incest, adoption, as well as other incidents. The Foreword, written by Bert Hellinger, claims that this book was “long-awaited” and that “it is such easy and beautiful reading.” Hellinger goes on to say that this book provides many “hints on how to make our lives and are relationships richer and more fulfilling.” It certainly is very detailed and easy to understand, even to those whose background is not in psychotherapy.

Family Constellations provides a unique view on the causes and solutions to many of life’s problems.

 Erin fell in love with the written word as a small child and subsequently spent most of her life happily devouring literature.  She works as a freelance news, marketing, and technical writer.  Erin lives just outside of Cleveland, Ohio with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

Interview with Joy Manne

As you state throughout the book, the “constellation method” was created by Bert Hellinger, a German psychoanalyst. Since Hellinger has written a great deal of literature about this method, what is the purpose of your book?
Manne: Hellinger says in his foreword to my book that it is a long-awaited introduction. Its purpose is to be accessible and it is succeeding. The book, which first came out in French, has become the introduction of choice for French constellators. Hellinger’s books are inspiring and irreplaceable, and they are written for professionals. Many of them are transcriptions and discussions of constellations and their integration done in seminars. My book presents the rules and patterns that govern the family system, allowing readers to understand their own personal position within that system, and thus avoid doing harm to themselves and others in their family and outside it.

Delving into the controversial subjects, you state that the constellation method has revealed that homosexuality is caused by an individual identifying with a family member of the opposite sex. Does this imply that homosexuality can be “cured?
Manne: Homosexuality may be caused by an individual identifying with and trying unconsciously to replace a family member (for example, for a man, his sister or a mother or grandmother who died young and who hasn’t been mourned). Illnesses too are caused through an individual identifying with a family member of the same or of a different sex. Homosexuality is respected. Illnesses are respected.

This is a method that avoids judgments and focuses on the healing that is revealed by truth, when before there has only been pain, and no love. Healing does not mean not being homosexual. Healing does not mean not being ill. Healing comes from seeing and experiencing the underlying dynamic, integrating it and coming to peace with it.

Judgments have no place in constellations. Family Constellations is absolutely not a means of controlling and changing other people.

Your PhD is in Buddhist psychology, what exactly is that?
Manne: My PhD is in the Theravada Buddhist texts in Pali, a language related to Sanskrit, and concerns textual issues (philology) and also the psychology (case histories in particular) in these texts. It was awarded by Utrecht University in Holland and has been published as a series of articles. It has no formal title bestowed by the university, so I call it “Buddhist Psychology” to give people an idea of what I studied, what my specialist field is, and what the most important influence in my life is.

You regularly conduct the family constellations in Switzerland and Poland. Do you plan to branch out to other countries? Are there other constellation practitioners available in other countries?
Manne: I love this work, so if I’m invited by reliable organizers I will be pleased to travel to work in other countries. Yes, there are organizations in many countries now. These can easily be found through Google.

This book was provided free of any obligation by North Atlantic Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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