The Google Way: Do Whatever You Want, Just Tell Us What You Are Doing
Miki at Leadership Turn deals with innovation the Google way. It’s a great read- take a look. I’d like to focus on a couple of things that she brought up:
1. Google’s allowing people to work on their own ideas 20% of the time as long as they track what they are doing.
2. The idea of NOT “managing” innovation but listening for it.
Item one is basically saying “we value YOU” and we are willing to let you show us that value whatever way you want. Passion is borne out of such empowerment and is a brilliant way to release the innovator from within. Such a policy and culture also releases the management hierarchy from looking over their respective shoulders up the chain the command. Imagine how impactful this is not only from the individual employee’s perspective but from each level of management- that 20% is easily, geometrically, multiplied. The “tracking” part of this holds people accountable for doing SOMETHING with this “free time”.
What do you think? Is allowing employees to do “whatever” they want scary for you? You know, employees are at work, thinking about work, and probably going to do YOUR work with that 20%- RELEASE THEM!! And gain the innovation you’ve been craving for!
More on item 2 in my next post- LISTEN.
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Hi Bob, Glad you enjoyed the article and thans for the link luv. Two things that management needs to remember when implementing anything similar is that it won’t work without the right culture and that making it work starts with how and who you hire. Sadly, I find most companies don’t want to invest the time and effort in either, let alone both.
Great to hear from you Miki! It is sad that companies don’t do the right thing in this area- sad for ALL the employees. Just think of all the passionate, productive work that could be unleashed.
Bob – enjoyed the article. Having said that, i think the 20% time principle is dangerous for some small companies. If a company like Google can do it, its because very few companies can offer employees that kind of an environment, the supreme facilities, and also the kind of support to really drive innovation. If smaller companies start doing it – it becomes a little dangerous. Small companies must drive innovation no doubt but i think there are no such psychological walled gardens in small companies that will motivate the innovations to stay within. Freedom can be used as a more handy tool. Along with that innovation can be driven in different ways (as opposed to the 20% time) — maybe grouped brainstorming sessions with social recognition amongst peers etc is a better way to go. Just a thought.
Aditya- very interesting point, along with some suggested approaches. My view is that it depends on what role you are asking people to fill. For example, a machine operator could have “continual improvement” sessions with peers and supervisors. Such sessions basically give the operator an opportunity to contribute to improvement of the process. Done correctly, these type of “managed” innovation times are tremendous motivators. Lean or continual improvement programs that have successfully changed company culture are very good at this. Do you have any examples to share about the small company dilemna in this area?