You probably know what it’s like to have a bad boss. You could even knows what it’s like to be one. Certainly at work (and if life) Nobody likes a micromanager, but a boss who doesn’t bother to lead the team or check in with his immediate subordinates is just as bad.
Whether you’re managing people at work or just managing your relationships, you don’t have to fall into either of these two traps. You can take a few psychological notes and create an environment in which the people who seek advice and support from you can thrive with a little help from self-determination theory.
What is self-determination theory?
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) was first proposed and popularized by psychologists Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan, who studied the science of human motivation in the 1970s and 1980s. Basically, they found that people naturally tend to be interested in personal growth – whether it be achieving a goal, earning an award, or mastering a skill – and there are three motivational principles that encourage them to make it easier or inspire to achieve it.
How determined by talent acquisition GQR G, these pillars of self-determination theory include:
competence – The need to experience our behavior as effectively implemented (to feel that we did a good job).
autonomy – The need to experience behavior as voluntary and “… reflexively self-advocated” (to feel that we are in control of what we do).
Connectedness – The need to “… interact, be connected with and receive care from others” (in order to have meaningful relationships and interactions with other people).
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In other words, the theory is that our intrinsic desire for progress can be fueled by external factors. That’s how it’s done American Psychological Association defines the process:
Self-determination theory shows that intrinsic motivation (to do something because it is inherently interesting or enjoyable) and thus higher quality learning thrives in contexts that satisfy human needs for competence, autonomy and connectedness.
Lots of studies have shown the positive results of strengthening competence, autonomy and connectedness in educational and work environments. It takes some understanding and effort, but it’s something that bosses can use to get the most out of their employees – or something that anyone can use to help their friends, family, and colleagues improve.
How to use SDT to help those around you
Think of the basics of SDT like signposts. While everyone develops their own leadership or motivational style over time and experience, SDT can help you build more caring – but not hand-holding – relationships.
Business consultant Amy Drader explains for Growth partner how someone in a management position can use SDT. When you give positive feedback when it’s earned, you create an incentive for someone to do what they do – provided they do it well. Goal setting is another useful metric for building motivation, especially when celebrating goals after they’re achieved. Of course, too much focus on achieving goals can weaken motivation and dull the creative spark, but making rewards tangible and achievable can further fuel motivation.
Fostering a sense of reliability is important for a person in a managerial position (whether in a formal setting or not) – and one way to do that, Drader writes, is to complain. Don’t encourage wallowing, of course, but acknowledge that ventilation can be cathartic. She notes, “Take your time to complain. Make sure it isn’t overdone. Some complaints can be useful. ”In practice, this could look like happy hour in which you feel sorry for certain workplace problems. Or just occasionally chatting and joking with people in your professional environment will be endearing and further promote this notion of relatability.
At another level, autonomy can be cultivated in several ways – namely, when the workers are listened to (and given the opportunity to solve problems themselves). How Deci and Ryan wrote in 1987, “[t]The main focus of autonomy is on people’s need to be willing and to initiate their own actions on their own, rather than being controlled and directed by others. ”You can keep this fire going by adding a feeling to those you want to motivate of trust. At work, give someone you want to encourage a chance by putting them in charge of a bigger project than they might feel ready, and shower them with praise – in private and in front of others – when it’s done . Outside professional boundaries, this can mean assigning an important household chore to a child or family member, advising and assisting them in completing their duties, and rewarding them in creative ways after the work is done – even when it may not be perfectly done been.
Fostering trust, camaraderie, and recognition doesn’t boil down to a secret formula, but rather to a set of human qualities that should serve you well in the workplace and beyond.
