Self-Determination Theory

What is Self-Determination Theory

The Self-Determination Theory framework was developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, who identified three needs that drive individuals to act, react and achieve personal development and the feeling of accomplishment. 

They identified that intrinsic motivation, doing something because you fundamentally find it interesting, satisfying and enjoyable, is different to doing something for external rewards or benefit, known as extrinsic motivation.

Self-Determination Theory emphasises that people are most motivated and fulfilled when their basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met.

These are:

• Autonomy: feeling in control of one's actions.
• Competence: feeling competent and skilled.
• Relatedness: feeling connected to others.

The environment and setting in which a person is participating, and the behaviours of the coach, can massively impact on how a person feels. As such, it’s beneficial to create a supportive environment that encourages choice and personal endeavour and enterprise over pressurising individuals to think, feel, act or behave in a specific way. 

Coaches who provide opportunities for choice and decision making with their participants, acknowledge their feelings and encourage creativity, independence and ownership help promote self-determination with the participants they coach.

The benefit to developing and promoting intrinsic motivation for individuals within a sporting environment include:

• improved motivation: encouraging intrinsic motivation where the individual participates because they find it enjoyable and satisfying, which also leads to increased passion and sustained effort.
• stickability: when an individual is motivated by intrinsic factors, they are more likely to stick at it and work through challenges and setbacks, seeing these as temporary over their longer-term development.
• well-being: feeling in control and having your psychological needs met increases overall well-being and mental health, which reduces feelings of stress and burnout.
• performance improvement: when an individual feels competent, autonomous and in control, as well as connected to their coach and other participants they are more likely to maximise their potential as these factors help individuals to achieve optimal functioning to achieve peak performance.
• positive relationships: when people feel connected and can relate to others, this creates a positive environment and team dynamic, enhancing collective contribution, cooperation between members of the group and improved communication, which all contribute to a collective success.
• personal growth: intrinsic motivation encourages the individual to focus on task mastery and goal achievement, which leads to continuous improvement and personal growth. It can also help them to develop wider skills such as self-belief, commitment, resilience and the ability to self-regulate.

Your coaching practice

A coach can support the development of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) through the promotion of the three areas of need in their coaching sessions.

1) Promoting Autonomy

1. Provide choices: Offer participants options in their practice sessions, training routines, activities they undertake, tactics and strategies. Allow your participants to have a voice in the designing and delivery of their development journey.
2. Encourage feedback: Seek and actively encourage feedback from your participants, and use this to shape and evolve their sessions, programme and environment. Involving them in decision-making processes creates a stronger sense of ownership over their practice environment and development.
3. Supportive environment: Establish an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their thoughts, views and preferences.

2) Enhancing Competence

1. Set achievable goals: Support your participants to set realistic and achievable goals to further build their feeling of competence through an increased skill repertoire and confidence.
2. Positive feedback: Provide constructive, positive and timely feedback that places the attention on an individual’s effort, improvement and progress rather than focusing on the outcome.
3. Skill development: Design activities and practices sessions that are challenging yet attainable with guidance and support, enabling participants to experience skill mastery, development and personal growth.

3) Fostering Relatedness

1. Team building: Include activities that encourage and require members of the group to communicate, aid collaboration, develop and build trust, develop a collective spirit and morale and ensure that the coaching team are involved as equals.   
2. Individual attention: Make time to connect with your participants and show genuine interest and care for each individual’s personal and sporting development. Make time for the person and the performer will flourish.
3. Inclusive environment: Promote an environment where everyone feels valued, cared for, respected, and included.