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The IKEA Effect in Leadership: Why Effort Creates Ownership

  • alisonburrows9
  • Mar 21
  • 2 min read

You know that feeling of pride after assembling a piece of IKEA furniture, even if it’s slightly wonky and took longer than you expected? That’s not just personal satisfaction; it’s a well-documented cognitive bias known as the IKEA Effect.


Coined by behavioural economists Michael Norton, Daniel Mochon, and Dan Ariely (2011), the IKEA Effect describes our tendency to overvalue things we've put effort into creating, even when the end result may not be perfect. In leadership and organisational life, this has powerful implications.


🧠 Why the IKEA Effect Matters in Leadership


As a leader, the IKEA Effect can work for you, or against you. Understanding how effort influences ownership, pride, and motivation helps you:


✅ Empower, don’t over-prescribe

When leaders hand out fully baked solutions, teams may execute—but they don’t engage. If your people aren’t part of the building process, they’re less likely to feel invested in the outcome.


Want higher engagement? Let people build something.


✅ Collaboration = Commitment

Co-creating solutions, whether it’s a new process, team values, or strategic priorities, enhances buy-in. The more individuals feel they’ve contributed, the more they’ll champion the result.


✅ Beware of Over-attachment

The IKEA Effect can also trap leaders. You might become overly attached to ideas or systems because you built them, not because they’re still effective. Good leadership requires recognising when to adapt, refine, or let go, even when there’s emotional investment.


💬 Coaching Questions for Leaders

Here are a few prompts to reflect on:

  • Where might I be too attached to a decision or process simply because I created it?

  • How can I involve my team more meaningfully in shaping strategy or solutions?

  • Am I giving people room to put their fingerprints on our work?


🔄 The IKEA Effect as a Tool for Culture

Creating a culture where people feel they’ve built something with you, not just followed instructions from above, fosters:

  • Higher retention

  • Increased motivation

  • Stronger accountability

  • Greater innovation

Because when people build something, they care more about seeing it succeed.


The IKEA Effect reminds us that effort isn’t just work, it’s emotional investment. Leaders who understand this can build more engaged, resilient, and creative teams. So next time you're rolling out a new plan, pause and ask:


“Have I left room for others to help build this?”

Because ownership doesn’t come from being handed a finished product—it comes from helping to shape it.




The IKEA Effect in Leadership: Why Effort Creates Ownership

 
 
 

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