Lessons for change.
By Christopher Stevenson
Common sense would seem to dictate that consumers would derive more value from furniture that is delivered assembled. Really, who wants to buy a desk in pieces, pour all the parts onto the living room floor, and spend two hours trying to decipher instructions and assembling? But as William Safire said, "Never assume the obvious is true." As it turns out, multiple research projects over the past 60 years have shown that participating in the creation of something enhances a person's perceived value of the end product, whether it's IKEA furniture, cake batter, or a Build-a-Bear stuffed animal. In the words of Roberto Fernandez, Ph.D., faculty member at CUES' inaugural Strategic Innovation Institute, hosted at MIT Sloan School of Management, if you help make a product you like, "you like it that much more." The lessons of the research extend far beyond "some assembly required." When tackling organizational change, there are few better ways of creating buy-in and building advocates than involving staff from all levels in the process and labor. When it comes to change, there is a direct link between labor and love. Take advantage of it.
Christopher Stevenson is CUES' VP/professional development and innovation. Read a recent related post, "Levers of Organizational Change." CUES appreciates the support of Strategic Innovation Institute underwriting sponsors CO-OP Financial Services. CUNA Mutual Group, and MasterCard.
