Knock 3 times
Knock 3 Times, on INNOVATION if you want it..
Another story from our friend Geoff Nicholson at 3M details new product idea rejections! Not only does 3M want their employees to use their imagination to create and innovate on company time, they also embody the “never say quit” attitude. Geoff explains just because you were turned down doesn’t mean you’ve lost. Continue to rethink, evolve and execute your idea creating better opportunity for you and your organization.
Your idea might be shot down, but remember this… The Post-it Note process started in 1968 and launched as a product in 1980, which means it took over a decade to evolve a semi-sticky adhesive into a massive BILLION DOLLAR revenue generator for 3M. Fry and Silver never gave up AND actually struck out more than 3 times on this idea.
Dear Chad,
My name is Caroline Huebner and I am a graduate student in the Educational Technology program at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
I came across your blog during my search for innovative companies for a Human Performance Technology assignment. My assignment is to write a reference article about innovation as a performance intervention. Here is a link to the index our class is building: http://education.concordia.ca/~scarliner/hptinterventions/.
I was wondering if you could help me answer a few questions regarding “INNOVATION”.
In your opinion, what is innovation and how has it changed in the 21st Century?
Why is innovation becoming increasingly important to organizations?
When is innovation used as an intervention?
What about the problem of hyping things as innovations that are not really that innovative – and dismissing true innovations because they are not understood?
What are some tips, techniques, and issues for using innovation in real world?
Your feedback would be greatly appreciated,
Caroline Huebner
One of my favorite 3M stories had to do with the employee who thought using sandpaper to eliminate hair on a woman’s legs would be a good idea. After realizing this wouldn’t work, the employee moved on to something else. But how many companies allow employees –ECOURAGE — employees to make mistakes in order to find that next PostIt note?
Anita Bruzzese
www.45things.com