B1: The Science and Art of Fostering a Need-Supportive Organizational Climate

As illustrated in the morning keynote “There is ‘Me’ in Team… The Role of Self-Determination in a Culture of Quality,” various important inter- and intrapersonal facets of an organizational culture are dependent on the degree to which its members are self-determined in their engagement. There is vast empirical evidence to suggest that such self-determination can be cultivated by fostering an environment in which people perceive a fulfillment of their three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In this workshop, attendees will learn about both the science and art of nurturing need-supportive organizational climates. Attendees will be introduced to “best practices” from various elite performance settings, such as sport and the military, and also be equipped with fundamental knowledge to develop strategies tailored toward their own organization.  

Learning Outcomes  

1. Understand the three basic psychological needs and their relevance in fostering a sense of self-determination among an organization’s members.  
2. Evaluate current practices in one’s own organization that either nurture or hinder the satisfaction of members’ basic psychological needs.  
3. Create strategies aimed at fostering a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness among one’s own organization’s members.