Venture Club Stories: Phil Hague, Innovation Design Director - 3M

Skunk Works, C-suite support, and finding the right balance 

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Q: Can you describe a significant problem-solving experience in your career that shaped your approach to innovation?

Phil Hague: I had the privilege of leading the consulting design launch team for the original Swiffer back in the late '90s. P&G was highly tuned into their corporate immune system even back then and they saw floor care as an essential opportunity space for innovation.

They ran the Swiffer project as a Skunk Works initiative, known only to a select few within the company and with direct reporting lines to the C-suite. They brought us on as external consultants to move swiftly without the burden of internal bureaucracy, which could complicate things unnecessarily. Being part of an effort with so much clarity of mission and focus was energising. It continues to this day as my mental model for setting up an effective program to deliver big ideas.

Although I was deeply involved in the venture, travelling to China six times in one year, I have to clarify that I did not invent the Swiffer—despite what my mom might tell people! 

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Q: How important is C-suite support in driving innovation projects?

Phil Hague: Leadership engagement is a double-edged sword, right? It provides direction and focus, which are crucial, but there's a risk of being too directive, which can stifle the creative processes essential for true innovation. The challenge lies in securing support without constraining the flexibility needed to explore and iterate on bold new ideas.

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Q: What’s your view on the balance between inclusivity and exclusivity in innovation teams?
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Phil Hague: Balancing inclusivity and exclusivity is critical. For instance, during the Swiffer project, we had a very tight-knit team with excellent dynamics and only a few people in the know. However, I've also seen the value of inclusivity and inviting a diverse range of perspectives into the process. Great ideas can originate from anywhere. Striking the right balance between broad thinking and focused effort is a constant challenge.

Education and innovation

Q: A study found that founders from schools like the University of Cincinnati are likelier to hit unicorn status than those from Ivy League schools. How did your educational background influence your approach to innovation?
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Phil Hague: Cincinnati was an early innovator in co-op education, meaning the students alternate between a term of study and a term of work in the industry. 

I was able to get experience on world-class product development teams both in consulting and corporate. The co-op education drilled into my head the need for business viability at an early age. Academic concepts can be beautiful but are useless if they can’t be tested in real-world conditions.

My MBA at Notre Dame was deeply rooted in the science of ethical decision-making, drawing from the realities of humans as imperfect beings. It’s critical to success in any organisation and the stuff that a typical business textbook would miss.

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Q: Innovation is a field that's constantly evolving. Do you think that educational institutions are keeping up with the pace of change in the real world?
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Phil Hague: My first field was Industrial Design and it’s still my passion. The landscape has transformed and there are opportunities for ID education to adapt. Many industrial design programs I've seen are still heavily centred around traditional craftsmanship, which is great—I love that aspect. But mastering this craft is just the starting point. It's equally important to learn how to quickly iterate and understand what each failure teaches us. 

I believe design education is at a crucial turning point, where integrating these dynamics could really enhance how we prepare students for the rapidly evolving design challenges they'll face.

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Q: How can education systems keep pace with the rapid changes in the industry?
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Phil Hague: Education systems need to evolve by integrating faster learning cycles and embracing AI technologies, which are transforming industries at an unprecedented rate. This involves a shift from traditional learning models to more dynamic, continuous learning frameworks that reflect the current pace of technological and market changes.
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Identifying new opportunities

Q: If you were to step into a completely new field tomorrow, what would it be, and where would you look to drive innovation?
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Phil Hague: The amazing thing about my work at 3M is that this isn't a hypothetical question. Our company is structured around 49 distinct science and technology platforms, ranging from ceramics to polymer processing to advanced robotics—and everything in between. Our business model involves leveraging these platforms to venture into diverse categories wherever we can deliver high value solutions.

If you look back over 3M's history, this approach has been a constant. We've ventured into nearly every imaginable category, always on the lookout for new opportunities. 

Our innovation process is inspired by global trends. For example, climate change and the ageing population - both of which present substantial challenges but also opportunities to really improve lives. These issues require thoughtful consideration of how we can deliver value and adapt to related shifts.

That's one of the most rewarding aspects of what we get to do as innovation leaders —sitting at the table on these discusssions to help shape our strategy and impact.
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Driving innovation in large organisations

Q: How do you balance adaptability and established processes within a company with a rich history like 3M?
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Phil Hague: It's a challenge for any established organization. For me, it starts with empathy -- recognising that a majority of people in the company are working on our core businesses. This is crucial because it's their hard work that funds our innovation endeavors.

We are striving for a more ambidextrous organisation, which involves maintaining separate ecosystems for core processes and new growth initiatives with distinct incentives, metrics, and talents.

The critical question is how these two ecosystems interact. We've seen examples in companies where the ecosystems are too isolated, leading to misunderstandings and challenges in proving the value of new initiatives. On the other hand, if they're not distinct enough, the core business can overshadow the innovative efforts, stifling potential growth and vision.

Finding the balance is tricky and varies from one company to another. Getting it right is always a priority of our innovation efforts.

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Q: How do you inspire exceptional performance across diverse teams, and do you have any go-to leadership strategies to foster innovation?
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Phil Hague: I'm a believer in one-on-one meetings to connect with people personally and begin building trust. Especially these days, when many people are working remotely, it's harder than ever for a leader to intuitively sense what people are thinking. Any strategy for exceptional performance will fail without a plan to first establish trust.

It's also crucial to have a well-informed understanding of what exceptional performance truly means. Too many people claim excellence without doing the necessary analysis to understand best-in-class organisations or to really gauge where we stand relative to other companies that are achieving success. 

Great talent really wants to be part of a team that's serious about being the best. Make that commitment, and your people will reward you for it.
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Consumer-centric innovation

Q: You’ve emphasised the importance of understanding consumer behaviour to create groundbreaking experiences. How do you use consumer insights to drive innovation, and how do you build bridges between creative and technical teams to bring these ideas to life?
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Phil Hague: I advocate for development teams to personally get in the field and meet with users. While we have access to secondary desk research, reports, and quantitative data from surveys and market research - all important data points - the projects that have truly broken barriers are those where the team goes out and talks to people directly. This is where you really get clarity of mission -- moving the needle towards success and alignment on what we're trying to achieve within the program.

It all comes back to the concepts of empathy and trust with your users and gaining that deeper understanding. A team working to solve a human problem for a real 'John' or 'Jane' has so much more innate motivation than a team working to sell to an abstract demographic segment. It's hard to quantify the value of personal learning, but I've seen how it just lights a fire under people to solve a need for those individuals. This human connection can be the difference between a good project and a truly transformative one.
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Inspiring next-generation innovators

Q: You’ve worked with 3M to teach young students about the power of innovation and design. What key lessons do you emphasise when inspiring the next generation of innovators? 
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Phil Hague: I’ve dabbled in some teaching, including working with elementary school students on design thinking. The insights from Sir Ken Robinson about how traditional education can stifle creativity got my attention. I’ve focused on helping kids understand that their viewpoints matter and that advocating for a future better than our current reality takes courage. 

For university students, I advise them to reflect on their personal backgrounds and the unique values their experiences bring. Understanding one’s own story is crucial before you can truly understand others and contribute meaningfully to design and innovation.

As an employer, that's what I want to hear about in an interview - what makes you tick and how your unique experiences shape your approach.

Lessons learned

Q: How do you approach pitching innovative concepts, and has your perspective on this changed over time?
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Phil Hague: Earlier in my career as a consultant, I was always pitching big, visionary ideas, trying to excite clients about how these concepts could change the world. I was naive then about the implications of these big ideas - the more ambitious the concept, the more work and personal risk we were asking people to take on.

Now, with experience in both consulting and corporate environments, I have a much deeper appreciation for the challenges of launching anything in a complex global business. There are so many pieces involved.

These days, I focus more on connecting innovations to real user needs and fostering personal passion within the team. This approach is crucial because, ultimately, successful innovation requires people to go out on a limb and use their own personal capital to make it happen.

I've also learned to present a range of concepts, from incremental improvements to more radical ideas. In the past, we'd pitch multiple concepts and be frustrated when clients chose the more conservative options. Now I understand why - I get it. It's about finding the right balance between ambition and feasibility, always keeping in mind the real-world constraints and risks involved in bringing innovative ideas to life.

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Q: What's a failure you remember that became the catalyst for success?
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Phil Hague: It's hard for me to look back and identify failures because everything I do is an experiment to some degree. The design process is about offering a range of hypothetical solutions for any problem -- most of those will fail. Failure is an acceptable outcome for learning and growth. 

That doesn't mean I haven't had soul-crushing moments in my career. Most of those have been about me coming up against my own limitations and learning what I need for personal happiness. For example, I had an operational role leading a business unit that nearly broke me. That was my lesson that I need to have a foot planted firmly in innovation for my own sanity.

Recharging, inspiration and resource recommendations

Q: When you’re not focused on projects, where do you go to recharge and find new ideas?

Phil Hague: Living in Minnesota, I have a Summer answer and a Winter Answer. On summer weekends, you’ll find me in our garden. We have a thriving pollinator habitat in our backyard. It’s teeming with all kinds of life on a typical July day and really helps me reset. In the winter, I like working with wood – mostly wood turning projects with material I find during hikes. 

The act of taking a chunk of wood from nature and turning it into a functional object is really rewarding. And I love the sensory experience.

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Q: What are your top 5 resources to spark inspiration and motivation as a corporate entrepreneur?
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I have two must-read books: New to Big by David Kidder and Christina Wallace and

Corporate Explorers by Andrew Binns (check out our interview with Andrew)

I've also learned a lot from the Bundl Venture Club. Sharing insights and experiences with allies in my field has helped remind me others are facing similar challenges. Corporate innovators seem to often feel isolated when introducing new ways of working. 

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Q: If you could redesign or re-imagine one everyday object, what would it be, and how would you innovate it?
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Food takeaway containers are generally abysmal. They became such a big part of our lives during the pandemic. The experience of everything from the transport to how the food is presented can be improved. And, of course, the waste. Why not shift to a refill model with a deposit paid? Delivery drivers could pick up used containers when they deliver a fresh meal. 

Perhaps a delivery company like DoorDash can build a business out of that.

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Closing thoughts

A big thanks to Phil for taking the time to share his insights with us and the venture club!

For more Bundl Venture Club insights, be sure to sign up for our next roundtable. Hope to see you there!