Daniel Pink, the best-selling author behind Drive, A Whole New Mind and When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, is known for his provocative, compelling and accessible research on business, work and human behavior. In his latest book, When, Dan reveals the science of perfect timing drawing on his research across psychology, biology and economics.
In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Dan shares how timing influences our success, serves as a motivator and affects the quality of our decisions. He offers top timing tips for leaders and also reveals the surprising lessons that business leaders can learn from choral singers.
Episode discussion guide – The Science of Perfect Timing
Continue the conversation with others, or take the time for personal reflection, using the below episode discussion guide.
- Reflect on your typical work day. How do you spend your peak, trough and recovery periods today? What changes can you implement to get the most out of those times?
- Identify a time when the end was in sight and you were motivated to perform. What did you do? How did you feel? What results did you achieve?
- Dan expresses that our culture seems to fetishize stress and busyness. Do you experience this in your workplace? Where does it stem from? Discuss steps you can take to change this inclination in your own workplace.
- Think about your team. What level of self-direction and autonomy do you have in your jobs today? How could this be improved?
- Dan shares that synchronous groups have the power to boost our moods. What lessons from choral singers, crew teams and others can you apply to your work environment?
