Background. The leader's role at the workplace is linked to many areas of responsibilities, like guiding the employees through their tasks, a huge part of this is done through the interaction between the leader and employee. In this essay the focus lies on the relationship between leader and employees based on the LMX-theory and the link to different levels of the employee’s motivation based on SDT. The purpose is rooted in the fact that previous research has not sooften examined the motivational dimensions in SDT individually linked to LMX. The question for this study is:

• What are the connections between LMX and the six motivational dimensions in SDT(Intrinsic motivation, integrated regulation, identified regulation, intojected regulation,external regulation and amotivation)?

Material and method. This essay will work with the LMX theory (leader-member exchange theory) and SDT (self-determination theory) different dimensions to find correlations between these through a quantitative research method. The instruments that the web-based survey consist of are the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS) and the Leader member exchange 7 questionnaire (LMX-7). The questionnaire was sent to all employees in three selected municipalities (approximately 3000 employees) and the number of respondents ended up at 524 individuals, the answers would later be processed and analyzed in JASP.

Results. The study showed significant correlations with all dimensions and LMX and all showed positive correlations with LMX except the dimension a motivation that correlated negative. This confirmed the hypothesis. The correlations proved to be gradually more positive the closer one got to intrinsic motivation. The correlations with LMX were as follows: amotivation (r = -40), external regulation (r = .15), intojection (r = .13), identification (r =.21), integration (r = .24) and intrinsic motivation (r = .30). Significance persisted even after testing against control variables in regression analyzes.

Conclusion. The relationship between managers and employees has a connection that becomes positively stronger the more internal the motivation is. If a certain behavior is desired from the employee, it should be possible for the employee to link this to their inner motivation for the best possible results.