Former 3M President Steve Shafer discusses the power of his forward-facing management model and the clarity, urgency, and focus it creates in his Automotive & Aerospace Division. He avoids the reactive trap that backward facing reporting and management cause and creates the conditions for success and simplicity. (Steve is now President and Chief Operating Officer at A.O. Smith).
Stephen Shafer is a global operations leader who drove 3M's transformation and growth across multiple divisions during his 14-year tenure from 2010-2024. He scaled businesses in the U.S. and China, blending strategy, supply chain, and innovation to deliver revenue and efficiency in manufacturing-heavy sectors.
As President of the Automotive and Aerospace Solutions Division (2020-2024), he led strategy, sales, and operations for high-tech adhesives and materials. Earlier, he ran Greater China as Managing Director (2016-2019), spearheaded Business Transformation as SVP (2014-2016), and held VP roles in Industrial Adhesives, Strategic Marketing, and Safety divisions—always tying execution to bold priorities via OKRs.
Deidre Paknad has founded and led three tech startups, acquired companies and been acquired, and led a high-growth business as an executive at IBM for several years; this affords her a unique perspective on using both speed and scale to drive growth. In her role as CEO at WorkBoard, she works with senior leadership teams at some of the world’s largest companies to clarify, align, and drive strategic priorities with greater speed and agility. She is a frequent speaker on Outcome Mindset™ and tapping into ambition.
Deidre has over a dozen patents and has twice been inducted into the Smithsonian Institution for innovation. Goldman Sachs named her one of the 100 most intriguing entrepreneurs of 2019. Deidre hosts The OKR Podcast, which focuses on accelerating outcomes and fostering an outcomes culture.