Embodiments of a drive shaft collet adapted for linking a surgical drive shaft to a surgical instrument so that the instrument may be driven by the drive shaft are disclosed. The collet includes a helically-swept cutout which forces a received shaft to be rotated into alignment during insertion. Collectively, the drive shaft collet and shaft are designed to avoid the need for multiple attempts at inserting the shaft into the collet in order to align the flats on the shaft with the flats on the collet.