Behavior and Communication

Behavior and Communication

Name

BCOM/230

Date

Instructor

The company 3M, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co., was founded in 1902. In the past century, the company has expanded from a small company in Duluth, Minnesota to worldwide. Almost everybody has used a 3M product at one time in their life or another, either a Post-It note, Scotch tape, or a Nexcare product. 3M became a company that encourages employees to grow and to use initiative, and the culture of 3M can be credited to William L.McKnight.

The culture of 3M was created by William McKnight, who after 22 years rose from an assistant bookkeeper to the president of 3M. In 1949, he became chairman of the board, after his management rules had already been enacted. McKnight felt that it was “increasingly necessary to delegate responsibility and to encourage men and women to exercise their initiative ("Mcknight principles," 2011).” McKnight’s management rule was to encourage risks, and to not punish if mistakes are made. "Mistakes will be made. But if a person is essentially right, the mistakes he or she makes are not as serious in the long run as the mistakes management will make if it undertakes to tell those in authority exactly how they must do their jobs. Management that is destructively critical when mistakes are made kills initiative. And it's essential that we have many people with initiative if we are to continue to grow ("Mcknight principles," 2011).”

3M has had half a century to encourage the culture of the company. Employees are encouraged to use innovation and grow within the company and within themselves. Open communication is encouraged within 3M and the company recognizes that feedback from the employees is beneficial. Each facility creates a plan on when to meet with company stakeholders, so that everybody will have a chance to express their ideas and thoughts. Informal communication settings would include neighbor meetings, employee meetings, and employee surveys. 3M also uses...