In 1968, a scientist for the multi-national conglomerate 3M Company named Dr. Spencer Silver, created a reusable and pressure sensitive adhesive. He actually had been working on developing a super-strong adhesive, but inadvertently created the “low-tack” formula in the process.
For several years, Silver tried to pitch his accidental discovery within 3M, but failed to demonstrate any real applications for the new adhesive. Then, in 1974, a 3M colleague had the idea to use Silver’s adhesive to anchor a bookmark in his choir hymnal. A few years of development later, Post-It Notes were born.
Take Note
This story highlights a key characteristic of great leaders – never look at mistakes as the end of the line. Rather, think of it as a jumping-off point for something new or a chance to take a project in a different direction. Finding failure’s silver lining is an important part of leadership and an ability that will likely win the respect and dedication of those around you.
“A man’s mistakes are his portals of discovery.” – James Joyce
The Rest of the Story
Oddly enough, the iconic – and trademarked – canary yellow color of Post-It notes was somewhat unintentional as well. While developing the product, the 3M Post-It team were simply using scrap yellow paper that was available to them, and the color just stuck.
What are some “sticky situations” that have lead to great discoveries for you or your company? Let us know in the comments section below.
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