How 3M Encourages Collaboration

1. How 3M Encourages Collaboration Business Week September 2, 2009

2. Background Information • Dentists using composites had to choose between strength and polishability • Sumita Mitra, employee of the 3M ESPE (dental products line) wanted to create a product that delivered both

3. Established Internal Networking Channels • Mitra went to 3M’s database of technical reports to find nontraditional materials • Went and talked to the authors of the reports she was interested in • 3M expects collaboration between employees and units • Due to collaboration, 3M designed a better mix/apply system for putty used to repair dents in their automotive division. The lab adapted the material used to make dental impressions.

4. Collaboration’s Dividends • 3M launched Filtek Supreme Plus in 2002 and it is now the industry’s leading composite for restorative dental work. • 3M would not have made such a breakthrough if it did not use collaboration as an important part of innovation and create the systems to support it

5. What can executives learn from 3M? • Support networks • Build web-based social networks that help employees find the right people to help answer their questions • Build collaboration into employee evaluation system • Reward employees for spreading innovative products, ideas, processes not just for developing them • Encourage curiosity • 3M allows employees to spend 15% of their time working on projects of their own • Create innovation funds • Funds that employees can go to for funding of innovation projects that do not fit into existing departments • Don’t underestimate the value of proximity • 3M’s Post-it Note team wanted to accelerate product development so they put the team’s marketing and financial members into the same building as the tech people