You are spot on, Harley, when you say we must look at things with new eyes. Sometimes, as with Post-Its, the new eyes belong to someone else. I worked at 3M when Post-It Notes were invented. There was a trial use of the adhesive before Post-Its. The company made some cork-looking sheets to emulate a cork pin-up board. You could attach notes to it and easily remove them and replace them with other notes. They were only "sold" internally and weren't very popular. The adhesive got fouled with dust and lint. Art Fry's idea of applying the adhesive to the notes was pure genius and fit perfectly with 3M technology and expertise (Scotch Tape, etc.) I was privileged to hear Spence Silver and Art Fry talk about their invention and its development into a commercially viable product.
I was a young engineer working in another division. One of the unique things that contributed to the development of Post-It Notes was that 3M, at that time, allowed technical employees to devote 15% of their time to the pursuit of projects that interested them rather than just projects assigned to them. This helped immensely in nourishing creative talent. Also, technical success was rewarded with Technical Excellence Awards each year. The highest award, The Carlton Society Award, went to the person whose discovery or invention had the greatest impact on company profits and growth.
Sadly, 3M has fallen on hard times and is no longer the company it was back in the 70s and 80s when I worked there. Recently, it lost a multi-billion-dollar suit for contaminating groundwater in surrounding communities. Many doubt it can survive.
Thanks, Bob, for adding your insight to the story of Post-It Notes. I have told that story as part of my leadership speech for years. But I keep learning new things about it. I was not aware of Spence Silver's part until recently. I had read that 3M nurtured creativity and had heard about the 15%. I am sorry to hear that 3M is in trouble. The company where I worked for thirty years was destroyed two years ago. They sold off the various nursing homes to different companies.
I have also told a story about Colonel Saunders and the founding of Kentucky Fried Chicken. After one of my speeches, a nurse came up to me and said she had worked on the hospital floor where Saunders died. She said he was working on creating his next business before he died.
Companies rise and fall like civilizations and people. Nothing lasts forever. Keep the faith, Bob.
Sorry to hear about your company being destroyed. I'm sure it leaves a hole. I did not leave 3M on good terms. I felt I was pushed out after my boss retired, and the jockeying for his position began. However, my wife and I had 3M for a client for 30 years after that, and I still have a warm spot in my heart for it. I drove through the campus last fall, and there were very few cars in the parking lots. It felt like a ghost town. So many memories. Thanks for inspiring this trip down memory lane, Harley. Hope you had a nice Easter.
You are spot on, Harley, when you say we must look at things with new eyes. Sometimes, as with Post-Its, the new eyes belong to someone else. I worked at 3M when Post-It Notes were invented. There was a trial use of the adhesive before Post-Its. The company made some cork-looking sheets to emulate a cork pin-up board. You could attach notes to it and easily remove them and replace them with other notes. They were only "sold" internally and weren't very popular. The adhesive got fouled with dust and lint. Art Fry's idea of applying the adhesive to the notes was pure genius and fit perfectly with 3M technology and expertise (Scotch Tape, etc.) I was privileged to hear Spence Silver and Art Fry talk about their invention and its development into a commercially viable product.
I was a young engineer working in another division. One of the unique things that contributed to the development of Post-It Notes was that 3M, at that time, allowed technical employees to devote 15% of their time to the pursuit of projects that interested them rather than just projects assigned to them. This helped immensely in nourishing creative talent. Also, technical success was rewarded with Technical Excellence Awards each year. The highest award, The Carlton Society Award, went to the person whose discovery or invention had the greatest impact on company profits and growth.
Sadly, 3M has fallen on hard times and is no longer the company it was back in the 70s and 80s when I worked there. Recently, it lost a multi-billion-dollar suit for contaminating groundwater in surrounding communities. Many doubt it can survive.
Thanks, Bob, for adding your insight to the story of Post-It Notes. I have told that story as part of my leadership speech for years. But I keep learning new things about it. I was not aware of Spence Silver's part until recently. I had read that 3M nurtured creativity and had heard about the 15%. I am sorry to hear that 3M is in trouble. The company where I worked for thirty years was destroyed two years ago. They sold off the various nursing homes to different companies.
I have also told a story about Colonel Saunders and the founding of Kentucky Fried Chicken. After one of my speeches, a nurse came up to me and said she had worked on the hospital floor where Saunders died. She said he was working on creating his next business before he died.
Companies rise and fall like civilizations and people. Nothing lasts forever. Keep the faith, Bob.
Sorry to hear about your company being destroyed. I'm sure it leaves a hole. I did not leave 3M on good terms. I felt I was pushed out after my boss retired, and the jockeying for his position began. However, my wife and I had 3M for a client for 30 years after that, and I still have a warm spot in my heart for it. I drove through the campus last fall, and there were very few cars in the parking lots. It felt like a ghost town. So many memories. Thanks for inspiring this trip down memory lane, Harley. Hope you had a nice Easter.