Eckloff, T., & van Quaquebeke, N. (2007). Respectful leadership: How satisfying subordinates’ needs for self-determination will lead to identification, respect and satisfaction. Poster presented at the 13th European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology, Stockholm, SWE, May 9th – 12th.

Empirical research in the field of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has shown that increasing people’s Self-Determination will lead to positive outcomes, such as well-being and performance enhancements. In the present work, we adapted the SDT approach to the workplace, in particular by using the notion of basic psychological needs as a means to explain facets of leader-subordinate relationships. Following the reasoning of SDT, we assumed that the satisfaction of employees’ basic psychological

needs (for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) by their leaders will not only predict subordinates’ general level of job satisfaction but also, more specifically, the identification with and respect for their leaders. We tested this hypothesis among two samples of employees (N = 602 and N = 613). Path analyses confirmed that the satisfaction of subordinates’ basic psychological needs by their leaders evokes positive reactions in subordinates towards their job and their leaders. A further regression analysis of the three separate basic needs revealed that the satisfaction of subordinates’ need for autonomy is the strongest predictor for their general level of job satisfaction. Subordinates’ respect for their leaders was predicted strongest by the fulfilment of their needs for autonomy and relatedness. Subordinates’ identification with their leaders, on the other hand,

was only predicted by the satisfaction of relatedness. Consequences for organizational practices are discussed.

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