When Jack Truong assumed leadership of 3M’s office supplies division in 2003, the Post-it Note faced an existential threat. The rise of BlackBerry devices and early digital communication tools had begun eroding demand for traditional paper-based office products. Text messages replaced handwritten reminders. Email supplanted physical notes. The humble sticky note, once ubiquitous in workplaces, seemed destined for obsolescence.

Rather than accept decline as inevitable, Truong embarked on extensive market research to understand evolving consumer behaviors. His investigation revealed a nuanced picture while digital tools had indeed reduced demand for paper-to-paper adhesive notes, people still valued physical reminders in specific contexts.

“Every time someone sent a text, that was one less Post-it note used,” Truong told CEO Magazine. “We found people still wanted to be able to leave messages, but not always on paper … Sometimes, they wanted to stick a note to a computer screen, to a chair, or a cubicle wall.”

This insight sparked a fundamental reimagining of the product. Truong’s team developed an entirely new adhesive technology that allowed notes to adhere to non-paper surfaces computers, refrigerators, doors, and chairs. The Post-it Super Sticky line emerged with vibrant colors and varied shapes designed for maximum visibility.

“We invented a new-to-the-world adhesive that did,” Truong said. “Then we made them in very catchy colors and in different shapes and sizes so people wouldn’t miss them. We reinvented a business of paper that sticks on just paper to a business of paper that can also stick on any vertical surface, which is a much larger opportunity.”

The transformation proved remarkably successful. Rather than watching Post-it Notes fade into irrelevance, Truong’s division experienced substantial growth. Today, 3M produces 50 billion Post-it notes annually, commanding a global sticky note market projected to reach $1.2 billion by 2026.

The Science of Market-Driven Reinvention

Truong’s approach at 3M exemplifies what he describes as innovation driven by “creativity, foresight and deep consumer understanding.” Writing in Entrepreneur, he argues that “creativity alone will not create demand nor change consumer behavior. True innovation requires a combination of creativity, foresight and deep consumer understanding to deliver the right solutions for consumers’ unmet needs.”

This philosophy stems from his technical background. Holding a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Truong developed eleven patents during his first two years at 3M, including innovations that led to the Scotch-Brite microfiber cloth. His scientific training instilled a methodical approach to problem-solving that he later applied to business challenges.

“I was exposed to various divisions in my first two years at 3M, and I really had to learn and understand what the unmet needs were in those industries, and come up with inventions that deliver innovative solutions for those particular sectors,” Truong told Construction News.

The transition from engineer to executive required recalibrating this analytical mindset for commercial applications. Truong learned to view market forces through the lens of consumer behavior, competitive dynamics, and technological disruption. This perspective enabled him to identify opportunities others might overlook spaces where established companies could reinvent themselves rather than surrender market share.

Beyond Product Development Systems Thinking

Truong’s methodology extends beyond individual product innovations to encompass organizational transformation. At Electrolux, he inherited a $4.2 billion North American operation that executives viewed as mature and growth-constrained. The company competed against Samsung and LG, technology giants with superior brand recognition in consumer electronics.

“The company saw North America as a mature market and didn’t expect any growth,” Truong recalled. “In fact, when I took over, the company wasn’t growing and profit was declining.”

Truong rejected this assessment, declaring to international counterparts “There’s no such thing as a mature market, there’s only mature business managers.”

Rather than compete on technological innovation, where Electrolux held disadvantages, Truong repositioned the brand around design aesthetics and lifestyle appeal. The strategy worked Electrolux’s value more than doubled during his tenure, establishing it among the world’s top appliance manufacturers.

This transformation required what Truong calls understanding “the 80/20 rule” identifying the 20 percent of operational factors that drive 80 percent of business value. He explains in the Baltimore Post-Examiner “What I’ve seen a lot of times is that people just don’t understand what drives their business or their company, because they don’t have a good handle on the 80/20.”

The Knowledge-First Leadership Model

Truong advocates for leaders to invest their first 100 days in comprehensive market immersion rather than immediate planning. This approach contrasts with executives who assume past successes automatically transfer to new contexts.

“My approach has always been, once you’re new in the business or a company, spend the majority of your first hundred days out in the market away from the office,” he explains. “You have to go and visit your customers meaning the ones who actually buy products from you.”

This customer-centric reconnaissance serves multiple purposes. It reveals gaps between company assumptions and market realities. It uncovers emerging needs that competitors haven’t addressed. Most importantly, it provides the foundational knowledge necessary for informed decision-making.

“You want to understand the what, the why, the how,” Truong continues. “What makes them happy with your products and the way they do business with you, what makes them unhappy.”

The methodology reflects Truong’s belief that effective leadership requires deep domain expertise rather than generic management principles. He emphasizes the importance of understanding specific industry dynamics, customer segments, and competitive pressures before formulating approaches.

Communication as Infrastructure

Successful transformation requires more than analytical insights it demands organizational alignment around new directions. Truong emphasizes that getting “everyone on the same page” often determines whether innovative approaches succeed or fail.

“Siloed workplaces may be the biggest detriment to building a culture of success,” he writes on his website. “They are inefficient, deter collaboration, and prevent the company from understanding and then responding quickly to market changes and shifts in demand.”

This philosophy shaped his approach at multiple organizations. Rather than imposing top-down directives, Truong worked to build consensus around transformation goals. He found that demonstrating early wins helped establish credibility and momentum for larger changes.

“There’s nothing that’s worth more to get people on board quickly when they see that their effort and their sacrifice deliver on and make a difference to the company results,” he notes.

The communication approach extends beyond internal stakeholders to include regular engagement with customers and partners. Truong maintains that continuous market feedback enables course corrections before small problems become major obstacles.

Resilience Through Adaptability

Central to Truong’s leadership philosophy is embracing failure as a learning mechanism rather than a career impediment. His experience in research and development, where experimental failure is routine, shaped this perspective.

“If you don’t fail, you don’t really learn,” he told CEO Magazine. “When you run into an obstacle, rather than continuing to hit that wall and the obstacle, you look around to find a new path. Every setback has been a huge learning experience that has helped propel me to the next opportunity.”

This mindset proves particularly valuable during periods of rapid technological change, when established business models face disruption. Companies that adapt quickly can maintain relevance those that resist change risk obsolescence.

Truong’s career spanning over three decades illustrates how methodical market analysis, combined with willingness to fundamentally reimagine existing products and processes, can generate sustained competitive advantages. His track record suggests that even mature industries contain untapped opportunities for organizations willing to challenge conventional assumptions.

The Post-it Note revival represents more than a single product success it demonstrates how market intelligence can breathe new life into legacy assets. Understanding evolving customer needs and developing targeted solutions, established companies can compete effectively against disruptive technologies and maintain market leadership across changing economic conditions.

For executives facing similar challenges, Truong’s methodology offers a practical framework invest time understanding market dynamics, identify unmet customer needs, develop targeted solutions, and build organizational alignment around transformation goals. The approach requires patience and analytical rigor, but the results can fundamentally alter competitive positioning within established industries.