The ‘IKEA effect’ or how to build a strategy your team will support

At Wripple, we are firm believers that if people are involved in what they help create, they are more likely to support it.

When a team is involved in shaping ideas, making decisions, and coming up with strategies, they feel a sense of ownership. They suddenly move from being observers to being active participants who are motivated to see the plan through. But why is that?

The IKEA effect

The IKEA effect was identified by Michael Norton, Daniel Mochon and Dan Ariely, shows that people place more value on products or ideas they have helped build. That’s because human nature craves belonging, autonomy, and influence. 

When the whole team is involved in creating a strategy, they are more likely to understand  the ‘why’ behind certain decisions or ideas. If a team understands the reasoning behind a strategy, they won’t just follow it because it’s imposed by their manager, but they will back it because they feel responsible for its success.

So how do you involve your team in the strategy? 

One powerful way to involve your team in shaping your strategy is through a strategy workshop. These workshops bring together key team members and stakeholders to collaborate on important business decisions. 

Bringing people together in a strategy workshop allows your team to tap into a variety of viewpoints. This diversity of thought leads to richer discussions and better results. In their article for the Harvard Business Review, David Rock and Heidi Grant state that: “working with people who are different from you may challenge your brain to overcome its stale ways of thinking and sharpen its performance.”

If facilitated well, the workshop should create a safe space for everyone to contribute. Quieter members of your team will feel safer to voice their ideas and opinions. And with everyone contributing comes more varied perspectives, more creative solutions, and stronger strategies.

During a workshop, you and your team will co-create the strategy. The workshop should make every member of your team feel like they have played a role in developing the strategy. This will automatically create shared ownership, everyone will be on the same page and motivated to implement the strategy because they helped shape it. If your team is invested in the process, they will care about the outcome.

Why strategy collaboration matters more than ever

Teamwork has always been necessary but with more businesses and teams shifting to remote or hybrid-working, organisations need to adapt and learn how to work differently. Collaboration is now more important than ever.

Holding a yearly strategy workshop is an effective way to ensure that your team contributes to, supports and implements the strategy. In doing so, your team will not only craft better strategies but also create a culture of shared success.

If you need your team to align on your strategy for the year, book a free 30 min call to explore how our workshops can help.