In this special episode, Matt is joined by the co-developer of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Richard M. Ryan. Think of this episode as a primer on SDT. We hit the basics…

• What is motivation? What is SDT?‎
• ‎What are the origins of SDT?‎
• ‎The different types of motivation.‎
• ‎Rewards and their impact on one’s motivation.‎
• ‎Of course, the famous three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness).‎
• ‎We discuss strategies one may take to either create environments to meet others’ needs or to do it for oneself.‎
• ‎What is well-being? How is well-being related to motivation?‎
• ‎Is SDT universal? Is it culturally descriptive in all cases?‎
• ‎And more!

During our discussion on mindfulness, Rich refers to a recently published meta-analysis.

The reference is:

Donald, James N., Helena Nguyen, James H. Conigrave, Anya Johnson, Inmaculada Adarves-Yorno, Ryan Cheng, Anya Bedi, Kevin B. Lowe, Jessica L. Lyons, Emma K. Devine, Georg B. Tamm and Richard M. Ryan (2025). ‘ Does Leaders’ Mindfulness Benefit Followers? A Meta-analytic Review and Research Agenda.’ British Journal of Management, 11111. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.70009

Matt refers to a 1999 meta-analysis on the impact of rewards. That reference is:

Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 125(6), 627–668. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627

Three references about the cultural generalizability of SDT are:

Chirkov, V., Ryan, R. M., Kim, Y., & Kaplan, U. (2003). Differentiating autonomy from individualism and independence: A self-determination theory perspective on internalization of cultural orientations and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(1), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.1.97

Chirkov, V. I. (2009). A cross-cultural analysis of autonomy in education: A self-determination theory perspective. Theory and Research in Education, 7, 253-262. https://doi.org/

Chirkov, V. I. (2017). Culture and autonomy. The Praeger handbook of personality across cultures, 2, 91-119. https://doi.org/

Rich is a clinical psychologist and is currently a Professorial Fellow at the Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Positive Psychology & Education in North Sydney; he’s also Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Rochester, where he helped spark one of the most enduring frameworks of human motivation in the last half-century.

In this episode, we are joined by Jacques Forest, an expert in applying SDT in the work environment. He is the co-author of THE ABC OF WORK MOTIVATION with Anja Van den Broeck, Hermina Van Coillie, and Marcus B. Muller. You can buy the book wherever books are sold. You can also find it here: https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789048562732/the-abc-of-work-motivation. The book is also available in French.

LDA is hosting a free MEET-THE-AUTHOR event on June 25, 2025 with Jacques, Anja, Hermina, and Marcus. It is open to the public and will be recorded for those who cannot make it. Learn more and register here:

https://members.ldaccelerator.com/c/upcoming-free-programs/meet-the-authors-of-the-abcs-of-work-motivation-6565600f-9d96-4dde-b42f-7d57a1182315

We discuss rewards and pay implications, the ROI of using SDT to foster a well-being-focused culture, and several practical tips. We deviate to talk about how fairness regarding money plays a role in how we perceive money motivationally.

Jacques mentions Maarten Vansteenkiste and Bart Soenens from UGent and their work on how needs satisfaction is universal, but not uniform. An example of their work is here:

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HTM618TXZ27FFZ8W3NY97KE7.

Jacques references our friend, Marylene Gagne, whom we interviewed in an early episode of this podcast.

Jacques references a meta-analysis co-authored by Anya Van den Broeck about well-being. That article can be found here:

Van den Broeck, A., Howard, J. L., Van Vaerenbergh, Y., Leroy, H., & Gagné, M. (2021). Beyond intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: A meta-analysis on self-determination theory’s multidimensional conceptualization of work motivation. Organizational Psychology Review, 11(3), 240-273. https://doi.org/10.1177/20413866211006173 (Original work published 2021)

Anya also co-authored an excellent and related article with Maarten Vansteenkiste and others. You can find that here:

Van den Broeck, Anja & Vansteenkiste, Maarten & De Witte, Hans & Lens, Willy. (2008). Explaining the relationships between job characteristics, burnout, and engagement: The role of basic psychological need satisfaction. Work & Stress. 22. 277-294. 10.1080/02678370802393672.

Jacques is an Organizational Psychologist and Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP, Distinction Fellow) Full professor in the Department of Organization and Human Resources at UQAM Business School, Jacques Forest is a master in the art of building bridges between science and practice. His research focuses on self-determination theory (SDT) and the motivational factors needed to reconcile performance and well-being in a sustainable way.

You can find Jacques at UQAM (https://professeurs.uqam.ca/professeur/forest.jacques/) or linkedin: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquesforest/)

Throughout the year, SDT's Richard Ryan joins us for a short, targeted conversation about a specific topic within the realm of SDT.

In this episode, Rich explores the topic of healthcare. He explains some of the nuance associated with why we may or may not take care of ourselves (we know exercise is good for us, but don't do it), or why doctors and healthcare providers don't always succeed in supporting their patients adhering to given advice. He suggests we advocate for ourselves by developing better relationships with our providers. He also urges those same providers to take more time listening and connecting with us.

Rich Ryan is a professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University and a research professor at the University of Rochester. He lectures frequently in the United States and abroad on Self-Determination Theory and the factors that promote motivation and healthy psychological and behavioral functioning. He is also a co-founder of Immersyve, Inc., a motivational consulting company in Orlando, FL.

In this episode, I have the opportunity to talk with Dr. Anne Brafford who is an expert in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Of course, we take the self-determination theory lens as the filter for our discussion. We take the time to define our terms… exactly what is diversity, equity, and inclusion. Check out Anne’s orchestra metaphor for DEI!

We get into a deep conversation about identity and specifically, cultural identity… like what it means to be a lawyer, a mother, or something else. We explore how one’s self identity affects well-being and other parts of who I am. Anne shares the model she developed in her doctoral thesis: Identify Harmony Model of Inclusion, where she introduces the concept of multiple identities.

We also delve into the nuances about practical applications and how SDT provides an effective filter for these applications. And so much more!

Dr. Anne Brafford, JD, MAPP, PhD, is the owner of Aspire, an education and consulting firm for the legal profession. Previously a partner at Morgan Lewis, Anne now focuses on individual and workplace thriving, especially the intersection of inclusion, engagement, and well-being. Her aim is to help the legal profession build engaging workplaces where people and businesses can grow and succeed together. Her book, Positive Professionals, provides science-based guidance for increasing engagement in law firms. Anne has earned a PhD in positive organizational psychology and a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP). She is a co-founder of the Institute for Well-Being in Law and its Chief Strategy Advisor. Anne can be reached at abrafford@aspire.legal.

Brafford, A. M. (2018). Engaging and retaining women lawyers: Examining the role of high-quality leader-member exchange and gender differences in need-satisfaction [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Claremont Graduate University. Downloaded from ResearchGate.net. https://doi.org/kzj8

Brafford, A. M. (2019). How male-dominated work cultures curtail women’s leadership aspirations: A review based on the expectancy-value model of motivation. [Unpublished manuscript]. Downloaded from ResearchGate.net.

Brafford, A. M. (2023). Identity harmony: An identity- and self-determination theory-based conceptualization of the experience of workplace inclusion (Doctoral dissertation, Claremont Graduate University).

Jansen, W. S., Otten, S., van der Zee, K. I., & Jans, L. (2014). Inclusion: Conceptualization and measurement. European Journal of Social Psychology, 44(4), 370–385. https://doi.org/gfb549

Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Holcombe Ehrhart, K., & Singh, G.(2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A review and model for future research. Journal of Management, 37(4), 1262–1289. https://doi.org/bbwtv4

Today’s guest is Dr. Maarten Vansteenkiste, professor in the development and motivation psychology at Ghent University.

We discuss the concept of needs crafting and agency. Maarten shares what is meant by these ideas (the act of one affecting one’s own environment directly… to steer one’s own life’s circumstances). He distinguishes between being autonomous and being independent.

We also discuss the CIRCUMPLEX, or COMPASS, a unique way to conceptualize how needs get supported or undermined.

We take a late detour to talk about how SDT can actually support techniques like explicit/ direct instruction.

During the episode, we reference many other researchers.

Maarten mentions the work of Johnmarshall Reeve and the concept of agentic engagement. A good reference for this is the article Reeve wrote with Stephanie Shin called How Teachers Can Support Students’ Agentic Engagement. (Reference: Reeve, J., & Shin, S. H. (2020). How teachers can support students’ agentic engagement. Theory Into Practice, 59(2), 150–161. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2019.1702451).

Maarten references the LifeCraft Program. You can learn more about it here (the write-up is in Dutch). https://motivationbarometer.com/en/lifecraft/

He also alludes to Albert Bandura, and his work on agency.

Along with the aforementioned work by Johnmarshall Reeve, he also refers to Erika Patall and her research… highlighted here, among other places: Patall, Erika. (2024). Agentic Engagement: Transcending Passive Motivation. Motivation Science. 10. 10.1037/mot0000332.

Maarten Vansteenkiste is, since 2014, a full professor in the Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology at Ghent University. Since his research internship at the University of Rochester, collaborating with Prof. Dr. Ryan and Prof. Deci, the founding fathers of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), he has substantially contributed to the extension, refinement, application and dissemination of this framework, both in collaboration with these founding fathers (Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013; Vansteenkiste, Ryan, & Soenens, 2020), but also largely independently from them, thereby establishing his own line of scientific work. His work addresses novel topics in the motivational literature, such as the study of motivational profiles, individuals' multiple reasons for lacking motivation, the notion of need crafting, the interface between psychological and physiological needs, and the development of a more fine-grained and holistic understanding of how different (de)motivating practices of socializing agents (e.g., teachers, parents) relate to each other. Further, his work is not limited to the development of SDT as such but extends to the motivation literature more broadly as he has written theoretical reviews and book chapters that plea for a cross-fertilization between SDT and motivational interviewing, achievement goal theory, and expectancy-value theory.

In terms of its societal impact, his work has had a strong influence on the domains of education, sports, and parenting. Particularly impactful was the publication of a Dutch handbook entitled ‘Vitamins for growth’ (Vansteenkiste & Soenens, 2015), followed by the publication of a practice-friendly book ‘Motivating coaching in the sport’ (Aelterman et al., 2017). He played a critical role during the COVID-19 crisis as a member of the key scientific advisory committee (GEMS) to aid policy makers in developing an evidence-based policy. To this end, he led a consortium of scholars who tracked diverse aspects of individuals’ psychological functioning (motivation, well-being, vaccination) across 2,5 years during the pandemic. The Motivation Barometer Project (www.motivationbarometer.com) provided an unique insight in the psychological impact of the crisis and received substantial attention in the media, with more than 40 reports being published on a regular basis.

Each month, SDT's Richard Ryan joins us for a short, targeted conversation about a specific topic within the realm of SDT. In this episode, Rich talks about the application of SDT to the context of business.

Rich starts with the impact of pay-for-performance… especially in the realm of sales environments. Controlling pay-for-performance systems undermine intrinsic motivation. He talks about how incentive systems may affect the spirit- the morale- of the employee. One needs to consider the motivational aspects and consequences when designing reward systems. Ultimately, sales environments should take into account more than just the numbers. Relationships and other factors should matter as much, if not more.

We navigate to other areas of work and explore how one can create meaning and value for all levels of jobs. Everyone has an important task and contribution to the organization. That principle needs to be lived and communicated.

Finally, we end with Rich sharing some tactics managers should employ to support the psychological needs of team members. Rich shares one resource managers can leverage to become more effective from his own consulting company, Immersive, found here: https://immersyve.com.

Ultimately every worker needs to feel valued and important.

Next month, we discuss SDT in the context of healthcare.

Rich Ryan is a professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University and a research professor at the University of Rochester. He lectures frequently in the United States and abroad on Self-Determination Theory and the factors that promote motivation and healthy psychological and behavioral functioning. He is also a co-founder of Immersyve, Inc., a motivational consulting company in Orlando, FL.

In this episode of You Oughta Know: The Motivation Series, Matt is joined by Richard Koestner, professor of psychology from McGill University.

Today, we talk all things goals. Goal setting, goal achievement, tactics for successful goal attainment, how goals can get undermined, and more.

Richard mentions the work of Ken Sheldon, Andy Eliot, and Tim Kasser and their respective studies from the 90s and early 2000s.

Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1998). Not all personal goals are “personal”: Comparing autonomous and controlling goals on effort and attainment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 24, 546- 557.

Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 546-557.

Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (2000). Personal goals in social roles: Divergences and convergences across roles and levels of analysis. Journal of Personality, 68, 51-84.

Sheldon, K. M., & Kasser, T. (1998). Pursuing personal goals: Skills enable progress but not all progress is beneficial. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 24, 1319-1331.

He mentions Ed Deci’s popular book, WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

He also mentions goal and self-regulation failure from the work of Roy Baumeister, and others.

Matt references Cognitive Load Theory by John Sweller.

Richard mentions Bob Vallerand’s work on Harmonious Passion versus Obsessive Passion. Vallerand, R.J. The role of passion in sustainable psychological well-being. Psych Well-Being 2, 1 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/2211-1522-2-1.

Richard talks about the Big Five Personality Traits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits.

Richard is a professor of Psychology at McGill University where he has conducted research on personality and human motivation for over 30 years. Richard did his PhD research at the University of Rochester with Edward Deci and Richard Ryan and subsequently completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard University with David McClelland. Richard has published over 250 scientific articles, and his recent work focuses on how to effectively set and pursue personal goals.

You can learn more about, or contact Richard here: https://www.mcgill.ca/psychology/richard-koestner