If-then rewards — do this, get that — still work for simple, well-defined tasks. But for creative, complex work, the same rewards narrow focus and slow people down. That work runs on intrinsic motivation instead.
The carrot still works — in a narrow band
Set a goal, hit it, get the carrot; miss it, get the stick. For a century that worked well, because most work was straightforward. As Dan Pink argues in Drive, it still works — but only in narrowly defined situations where the task is simple and the path to the answer is obvious.
The Candle Problem
Psychologist Karl Duncker’s famous “Candle Problem” makes the point. You’re given a candle, a book of matches and a box of tacks, and asked to fix the candle to the wall so it won’t drip on the table. The trick is to empty the box of tacks and use the box itself as a little shelf — a genuinely creative leap.
When Princeton’s Sam Glucksberg ran it, one group was simply timed “for norms.” The other was offered cash — a reward for the fastest times. The result surprises everyone: the group promised money took, on average, about three and a half minutes longer.
Why? External rewards act like blinders. A lot of the solutions we need sit out on the periphery — and the reward narrows our focus straight past them. Change the experiment so the tacks start outside the box, and the creative leap is no longer needed — now the reward speeds people up, exactly as you’d expect.
“We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.” — Marshall McLuhan
What this means for the 21st century
Carrot-and-stick systems fit a century of simpler problems. Today more and more of the work that matters requires taking the tacks out of the box — and that demands intrinsic motivation. Pink points to approaches like Google’s famous “20% time,” where much of the company’s new product ideas were born, and results-only work environments where people control their own time. Autonomy, mastery and purpose, not just prizes.
What it means for building your team
If you want greater results and a workplace people actually want to be in, you have to intrinsically motivate them. It takes more effort and energy up front — but done well, the dividends are enormous. That’s why our experiences are built to help people become introspective, connect to a purpose bigger than the task, and truly understand themselves and each other. It’s also why giving something back is so powerful: purpose is one of the deepest motivators there is. Start with our approach, or browse the activity library.
Frequently asked questions
Does the carrot and stick still work? +
Yes — but in a narrow band. For simple, well-defined tasks where the path to the answer is clear, if-then rewards improve performance. For creative or complex work, the same rewards can actually slow people down.
What is the Candle Problem? +
A classic experiment where people must fix a candle to a wall using only a candle, matches and a box of tacks. The insight — emptying the box and using it as a shelf — comes slower when people are offered a cash reward, because the reward narrows their focus.
How do you motivate people for creative work? +
Intrinsically. Autonomy, mastery and purpose — approaches like Google's 20% time and results-only work environments — outperform pure carrot-and-stick when the work requires creativity. It takes more effort up front, but the dividends are large.
What does this mean for team building? +
Design experiences that help people become introspective, connect to purpose and understand themselves and each other — not just chase a prize. That's what builds durable motivation and a high-performing team.
Motivate the work that actually matters.
Tell us what your team is trying to achieve. We’ll design an experience that connects people to purpose — the motivation that outlasts any prize.