The Game Changer: How to Use the Science of Motivation With the Power of Game Design to Shift Behaviour, Shape Culture and Make Clever Happen

Book description

Use the science of motivation with the power of game design to unlock motivation and drive progress in your organisation.

There are two conventional ways to approach motivation: set goals and try to change attitudes and beliefs (which takes a lot of personalised effort); or develop incentives and rewards to inspire effort (which takes a lot of money).

This book shows you how to take a third new approach - designing the work itself to be inherently motivating.

Combining the best elements of three distinct fields—motivational science, game design, and agile management—this book shows you how to positively influence behaviour through better work and project design.

This game changing book:

  • Gives you a refreshing science-based approach to the classic challenge of motivation in the workplace

  • Is ideal for any leader or manager looking to take their workplace culture in a new direction

  • Includes practical advice for creating highly productive, motivated and innovative teams

  • Is written by a motivation strategy and design expert who consults on leadership and change management to a wide range of clients - from the executives of multinational organisations, through to the directors of switched-on startups.

  • The Game Changer will show you how to unlock creative, productive and collaborative work. It is the perfect resource for forward-thinking leaders in organisations and teams focused on crafting a work culture that gets the best out of their people.

    Table of contents

    1. Cover
    2. Epigraph
    3. Title Page
    4. Copyright
    5. Game Changer
    6. About The Author
    7. Acknowledgements
    8. The Big Question: How do you Motivate People to do Great Work?
    9. How to use this book
    10. PART I: THE MOTIVATION SAVVY-UP
      1. Chapter 1: A Most Alluring MotivationaL Folklore
        1. Stuff gets warped
        2. Positive thinking and the danger of belief
        3. Overcoming the cult of success
        4. The secret to secrets (and other things you don't know)
        5. Declaring war on ‘just because’
        6. The allure of quick fixes
        7. Motivation — strategy and design
        8. The irony of expertise, and this book
        9. Chapter Summary
      2. Chapter 2: An Imperative for Change
        1. Everybody loves change, right?
        2. Change is hard
        3. A paradox for leaders
        4. The Valve example
        5. It's robots vs ninjas
        6. Chapter Summary
      3. Chapter 3: And Yet … the Big Motivation Gap
        1. Constructive Discontent
        2. Bridging the gap
        3. It all comes back to the gap
        4. Chapter Summary
    11. PART II: GETTING YOUR GAME ON
      1. Chapter 4: The Root of All Game-Changing Hacks
        1. The Progress Principle
        2. Conservation of effort
        3. A most incorrect yet utterly useful way to view motivation
        4. Visibility before accountability
        5. Chapter Summary
      2. Chapter 5: Get your Head into the Game
        1. The myths that surround games
        2. The trouble with the word ‘game’
        3. The anatomy of a game
        4. Goals, rules, feedback — the ultimate diagnostic
        5. Chapter Summary
      3. Chapter 6: A Model Game Changer
        1. A theory of fun
        2. A vision of play and possibility
        3. The game changer model
        4. Chapter Summary
    12. PART III: CHANGING THE GAME
      1. Chapter 7: Lift your Game
        1. Overcoming self-sabotage
        2. Solve motivational challenges by asking the right questions
        3. Chapter Summary
      2. Chapter 8: Change the Game
        1. Missions and quests
        2. Rituals and artefacts
        3. Contextual momentum
        4. Shaping culture
        5. Shifting dynamics
        6. Chapter Summary
      3. Chapter 9: You, the Game Changer
        1. An epic quest…
    13. Index
    14. Game over? Nay — game on!
    15. Learn More with Practical Advice from our Experts

    Product information

    • Title: The Game Changer: How to Use the Science of Motivation With the Power of Game Design to Shift Behaviour, Shape Culture and Make Clever Happen
    • Author(s): Jason Fox
    • Release date: April 2014
    • Publisher(s): Wrightbooks
    • ISBN: 9780730307648