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Management & Leadership vocabulary · Motivation and Feedback

Self-determination theory

Meaning in management & leadership, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In management & leadership, self-determination theory means: A theory of motivation that examines autonomy, competence and relatedness and distinguishes more autonomous from more controlled motivation.

In Turkish: öz belirleme kuramı

How it is used

Use to discuss the quality of motivation and conditions supporting it, not just the size of a reward.

Example sentences

  1. Self-determination theory informed our decision to let teams choose how to organise routine work.

    Choice over working methods is considered through the need for autonomy.

  2. The coach used self-determination theory to discuss why isolated experts could still feel unmotivated.

    Competence alone does not address the separate need for connection with others.

Common collocations

  • self-determination theory
  • apply self-determination theory
  • motivationThe reasons and energy that make a person want to do something and keep doing it, such as interest in the work, recognition, money or a sense of purpose.
  • empowerTo give people the authority, confidence and resources to make decisions and act on their own, instead of waiting for approval at every step.

More terms: Motivation and Feedback

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