Daily Dental Podcast 770. The IKEA Effect and Why Your Systems Should Be Built, Not Borrowed
Jan 28, 2026
They unpack the IKEA Effect and why people value what they help create. They link that bias to leadership, building practice systems, and manuals. They argue against copying templates and for doing hard work to secure real ownership. They end with a practical action: have your team rewrite and teach a system section to build buy-in.
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Ownership Increases Perceived Value
- People place significantly more value on things they help create, a bias called the IKEA effect.
- Building something yourself increases emotional ownership even if it's imperfect.
The IKEA Furniture Example
- Building an IKEA piece feels rewarding despite flaws because you assembled it yourself.
- That imperfect ownership explains why people value self-made items more.
Have Your Team Rebuild Systems
- Don't just copy templates into your practice and expect buy-in from your team.
- Have your team rewrite systems in their own words so they understand and enforce them.