Viral IKEA Strategy That Every Manager Must Learn Today
In many workplaces, leaders struggle with one common issue employees follow instructions but don’t take ownership. This often leads to low accountability, poor ...
Avinash Chate - Corporate Coach at annual leadership conference The Viral IKEA Strategy Every Manager Must Learn to Build Ownership In many organizations, I see the same pattern again and again. Leaders complain that employees follow instructions, but they do not take ownership. Tasks get completed, but without energy. Targets are accepted, but without commitment. Meetings happen, but execution remains average. The real issue is often not competence. It is lack of involvement. As Avinash Chate, I have seen this across teams, functions, and industries. When people are only told what to do, they may comply. But when they are involved in shaping the process, they begin to care more deeply about the outcome. That is where the IKEA Effect becomes a powerful management lesson. Watch on YouTube → The IKEA Effect is a simple but profound idea. People place higher value on what they help create. In the workplace, this means employees feel more connected to goals, systems, and solutions when they participate in building them. That emotional connection creates ownership. Ownership creates accountability. Accountability improves execution. Over 15+ years of working with leaders and teams, I have found that this principle is not just interesting psychology. It is practical leadership. As a TEDx speaker and author of The Winning Edge, I believe every manager must understand this if they want stronger teams, better culture, and consistent results. Why Employees Follow Instructions but Still Avoid Ownership Many managers assume that if they have communicated clearly, their job is done. But clarity alone does not guarantee commitment. A team member may understand the task perfectly and still feel disconnected from it. Why does this happen? Because ownership does not come from being informed. It comes from being involved. When decisions are made at the top and pushed downward without discussion, employees often feel like implementers, not contributors. They do what is required, but they do not bring their best thinking, initiative, or emotional investment. This is why some teams look disciplined on the surface but weak in execution underneath. They are compliant, not committed. I have worked with organizations where leaders believed the problem was attitude. In reality, the process itself was reducing ownership. People had no voice in planning, no role in designing solutions, and no opportunity to influence outcomes. In such an environment, accountability naturally becomes low. Avinash Chate often says in training sessions that people support what they help create. This is not a motivational slogan. It is a leadership principle. What the IKEA Effect Teaches Managers The IKEA Effect comes from a simple observation. When people assemble something themselves, they value it more than if it were handed to them ready-made. The effort creates attachment. In management, this means that when employees contribute ideas, define milestones, identify risks, or co-create proces…
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By Avinash Chate — Maharashtra's #1 Corporate Trainer & Motivational Speaker. Published 2026-03-19.