The IKEA Effect

It is not uncommon to have affection for the things we build. Maybe it is old-fashioned pride in our work. Maybe it is knowledge of the effort required. Maybe it is recognition for a complex problem solved.

Whatever the reason, we can be guilty of placing too much value on our own stuff. Juliet Funt, High Performance Expert, calls this tendency as “The IKEA Effect.” In short, we like what we built because we were involved in building it. And the corollary is also true: We like what other people built less, because we did not play a role in building it. This bias clouds our thinking.

At the 2025 Global Leadership Summit, Funt was on a mission to stop leadership gluttony – also known as, taking on too many projects or ideas. I talk to many leaders, and I’ve seen the fatigue that comes with full plates. Funt’s specialty is helping organizations trim the good projects down in favour of the great projects.

I particularly liked her two strategies to reduce organizational workload. You can take the “Tuna path" where you drop major projects from your list, or you can take the “Krill path” where you cut small elements from each project.

So, are you fishing for tuna or casting for krill?

Funt works with major global organizations that are looking for ways to control costs, so every cut helps the bottom line too. She wants leaders focused on the four Rs of mission proximity: Revenue, Reputation, Reward, and Readiness.

As someone who entertains many creative projects, I often bristle at talk of ruthless efficiency and laser focus. Not too long ago, I even talked about the benefits of having multiple projects. However, even I have to admit that sometimes it feels great to cull a project or two from the list to liberate yourself.

But make sure you give yourself some time before you fill this newly liberated space with more projects (Gulp!).

Inspiration

Juliet Funt. “Leadership Gluttony.” Global Leadership Summit 2025