Abstract
This chapter presents Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a practical conceptual framework for social management degree programs and leadership development in general. Furthermore, it is suggested to apply Miller and Rollnick’s ‘Motivational Interviewing’ (MI) as an essential tool, if not the ‘missing link’ between the benign postulate of participant-centered teaching and its practical as well as sustainably effective implementation. The appreciative, dialogical interaction between teachers and students is pinpointed as the crucial element of successful teaching as well a of good leadership behaviour. The core of the chapter constitutes the discussion of methodological-didactic consicerations of Self-Determination Theorie, Motivatonal Interviewing, and their connection. The crucial idea is that the way, teachers, and instructors behave and how they are experienced by there students and employees, is one, if not the utter most important pedagogical intervention for intrinsic learning motivation and sustainable learning success. The proposed framework provides a large number of concrete approaches, interventions and trouble shouting ideas. Finally, exemplary experiences in concrete implementation and ideas for further theory-practice transfer are outlined and possibilities of application for (later) professional activities are explained.
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Notes
- 1.
For example, the better the relatedness (as quality of the social relationship), the more open people are to receiving ‘negative feedback’ and thinking about it constructively, and more likely they are to act on it (e.g., Fong et al., 2019; Mabbe et al., 2018; Soenens & Vansteenkiste, 2020). Dealing with critical feedback openly and constructively is an important learning and developmental factor. Here, close social relatedness can be a (co)decisive impact factor.
- 2.
It depends on whom you ask: leaders, leaders´ superiors, employees, stakeholders, leadership trainers, management coaches, etc.
- 3.
Another term is ‘the bright side of leadership’ in contrast to the ‘dark side of leadership’ (Rosenstiel & Nerdinger, 2020, pp. 47ff.).
- 4.
A survey of 4000 employees in Germany, France, Spain, and the UK by Boston Consulting Group in October 2020 found that employees want more ‘heart skills’ (i.e., listening, empathy, connection, and fostering team spirit) from their leaders, but those still rely too much on ‘brain and hand skills’ (intellect and clear thinking, drive and decisiveness). Respondents want a wise mix of all three components, with empathic qualities predominating (Hemerling et al., 2020). The importance of empathy should never be underestimated. In the context of counseling, for example, it has been found that explicitly empathic counselor behaviour noticeably increases the likelihood that clients will accept external stimuli (regardless of specific counseling/therapy style; Hohman, 2021, pp. 47ff.). From our experience, this is likewise applicable to the learning context and the cooperation between teachers and learners.
- 5.
Pressure also rarely leads to success: people who are forced to do something learn less effectively. In contrast, motivation, cognitive control, and the opportunity to decide for oneself are keys to efficient learning (Estefan et al., 2021).
- 6.
It is not without reason that the teachers’ own practical experiences, recounted by them in the classroom, have the effect of stimulating curiosity and motivation.
- 7.
- 8.
For the area of the teaching-learning context, we refer to section “Learning, motivation, and emotion: psychological basics”. Moreover, the remarks in this chapter are readily transferable to the pedagogical field.
- 9.
Providing a clear framework does not contradict the autonomy approach. One study of successful empowerment emphasizes that autonomy works well “when organizations give autonomy to their employees through centralized structures while formulating clear rules…” (Welpe et al., 2018, p. 134; for SDT, e.g., Gilbert & Kelloway, 2015, p. 183).
- 10.
At this point, the approach of psychological safety by Amy Edmondson (2018) should be mentioned briefly. Here, the following points, among others, can help to grasp the current situation in a team, also in terms of the feeling of competence such as relatedness: If I make a mistake in the team, I am not blamed for it. Team members can openly address problems and difficult conflicts. People in this team never reject others because they are different in some way. It is safe to take a risk on this team. It is easy to ask other team members for help. No one on this team would deliberately undermine my performance or efforts. When I work with this team, I realize that my unique skills and talents are needed and valued (see also Frazier et al., 2017).
- 11.
Wilcox et al. (2017, pp. 10ff.) emphasize that MI and the transformational leadership approach are a good fit.
- 12.
For other fields of application, Miller and Rollnick (2015, p. 398) state, among other things, that “Successful practice of teaching, coaching, and healing professions relies on drawing people out of the closet with learning experiences in ways that often have surprising proximity to MI”. At this point we also refer to the book by Melinda Hohman (2021), Motivational Interviewing in Social Work Practice.
- 13.
In some publications one can read the statement “dancing, not wrestling” as a metaphor for conveying the essence of MI.
- 14.
This is an overview-type presentation.
- 15.
In the leadership context, this is an important component of the humane goal of leadership activity (Unger et al., 2022).
- 16.
In some current discussions, the term “evocation” is replaced by the term “empowerment” (e.g., Presentation by W. Miller at MINT Virtual Forum 2021: ‘What Makes Helpers Helpful?’).
- 17.
For more in-depth information, see, e.g., Miller & Rollnick, 2015.
- 18.
We often hear from leaders (as well as from teachers) that it is not appropriate to ask for permission, because it is everyone’s personal task to pass on information (knowledge, etc.). Here, we would like to respond to it (without being able to go into it further at this point) that asking for consent at the same time strengthens attention (central to learning processes) and significantly increases the likelihood that the information will actually be ‘productively implemented’. At the same time, we are aware that this cannot (and should not) happen ‘all the time’. However, if one would like to actually set sustainable impulses with your Input, it might be worthwhile.
- 19.
Here, we primarily focus on the area of leadership. Recommendations for teaching and learning follow in the next section.
- 20.
- 21.
On the topic of ‘good university teaching’, see Ulrich (2020, pp. 19ff.).
- 22.
“A sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish someone for speaking up” (Edmondson, 1999, p. 354).
- 23.
In a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), the strengths and weaknesses of an organization that have been worked out, for example, in the course of an organizational analysis, are first compared in a certain systematic way (internal perspective; current situation). In a second step, the environment of the organization is examined. In particular, future opportunities and risks (e.g., socio-cultural aspects, political-legal influences, technological developments, economic changes) are to be identified. Overall, this results in a starting point [in setting/establishing a starting point] for the organization and the creation of development opportunities, products, strategies, HRM decisions etc. (e.g., Lippold, 2020, pp. 52ff.).
- 24.
The positive effects of goals and feedback have, of course, been known for a very long time (for an overview in a leadership context see Unger et al. 2022).
- 25.
4Ps stand for Product, Price, Place, Promotion (Lippold, 2020, p. 96).
- 26.
4Cs stand for Customer needs, Cost to the costumer, Convenience, and Communication.
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Unger, F., Sann, U. (2023). Promoting Self-Determination and Motivation as Leadership Skills: A Didactics to Strengthen Autonomy Support and the Importance of Role Models in Social Work Management Education. In: Arnold, M. (eds) Handbook of Applied Teaching and Learning in Social Work Management Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18038-5_16
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