The book spans 286 pages and covers eight chapters. Each chapter is filled with stories and examples of how they run the company from the lowest level to the very top. Interestingly enough is that Google was created by two academics who preferred an academic approach over typical corporate management. They surrounded themselves with the brightest people they could find and got out of the way.
In addition to an introduction and conclusion, Schmidt and Rosenberg wrote about the culture, planning process, talent management, decision making, communications, and innovation. Based on what I have read previously on Google operations, this book seemed to be a very frank behind-the-scenes look.
There are many things that stood out about their operations. Here are some of the highlights:
Simplicity – They seemed to keep the structure as simple as possible thus reducing the number of decision points. They had a simple vision of what needed to be done and everyone worked towards that vision. Simplicity was also exhibited as they maintained a list of their projects and priorities on a basic spreadsheet. They also had simple values such as “focus on the user” and “do no evil.”
Speed – Google recognized the importance of iterative improvement. They rapidly brought ideas to the public for testing and continually improve upon the idea until success or recognized failure. All of their products seemed to remain in beta. It seems that higher education likes to explore an idea to death rather than pilot an idea.
Not afraid to fail – It was remarkable to see the number of failed products in Google’s history. However, they like to see these failures as lessons learned. I think higher education is too cautious. We don’t like to exhibit that we do not know something or cannot do something.
Culture – Repeatedly, Schmidt and Rosenberg stressed the importance of culture. If people do not like and believe in the place they work, they will leave. Hiring the right people is critical… quickly, fire the ones that are holding the company back. Additionally, the work conditions must also be right. In Google’s case, they provided employees with powerful tools and took care of basic needs. Collaboration and interaction were key. Collaboration and cooperation are not going to happen in offices with closed doors.
“You want to invest in the people who are going to do what they think is right, whether or not you give them permission. You’ll find that those people will usually be your best smart creatives” (Schmidt & Rosenberg, 2014, p. 47).
Data – According to the authors, data drives decisions, not the HiPPOs. HiPPO – An interesting term that has a lot of impact and weight in most organizations; unfortunately, it is also what keeps organizations from being innovative.
Transparency – It seems that all documents to include financial are readily accessible within the Google organization for everyone to view. They believe that information available to all personnel yields better decisions. Transparency has not been a word I would use in most organizations I have worked.
Open – In line with transparency is the idea of open. We should be striving for open systems where new ideas can develop. The authors have provided countless examples where open systems have surpassed closed proprietary systems. Perhaps higher education needs to open a bit more.
Continuous learning – Google strives to hire people who are forever curious. The most important thing you can do in life is to continuously learn.
Don’t follow the competition – The authors also emphasized that Google does not follow their competition, they are aware of them, but they do not follow them. Make your own path. When I look at higher ed, many attend higher ed conferences and meetings. As a result, the same ideas are being passed around. I recommend attending conferences outside of the industry as a means of bringing in new ideas.
This book also provided other ideas that I will be incorporating as a manager. These ideas include:
- Hiring strategies
- Meeting management
- OKRs – Objectives and Key Results
- Email management
This book gave a different perspective on how to run an organization. I personally have gleaned a number of great ideas that I want to try in the years ahead. Higher education has some challenges ahead of it, perhaps it is time to start thinking differently before someone else does.
“Users are more empowered than ever, and won’t tolerate crummy products” (Schmidt & Rosenberg, 2014, p. 216). “Consumers have a voice” (Schmidt & Rosenberg, 2014, p. 245).
Additional Reading
References
Schmidt, E., & Rosenberg, J. (2014). How Google Works (First edition.). New York: Business Plus.
- In the spirit of full disclosure, this is an affiliate link, which means that if you purchase this item through my link I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. I only recommend products & systems that I use and love myself, so I know you’ll be in good hands.
Plus, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. 🙂 Thank you, in advance for your support!