Kim Scott joined Google in 2004 as the director of AdSense. During that time, the company had 3,000 employees and by 2008, it had grown to 17,000. Google prided itself on its innovative and open corporate culture and actively sought employees who embodied the “Google personality.” Scott’s goal has been to maintain this entrepreneurial spirit since she arrived at the company. Initially, one manager oversaw 50 reports in Google’s management. However, as the company expanded, more managers were hired to ensure a manageable ratio of reports to managers.
Middle management at Google strives to challenge employees to reach their full potential rather than restricting them. The company values a loose leadership model that prioritizes ideas. Unlike traditional organizations, managers at Google are not assigned to micromanage or constantly monitor employees. Instead, Google encourages self-motivation and independence among its workforce.
Leadership provides projects or ideas while giving employees the freedom to execute them in their own way. Within Google’s culture, management is often viewed as fellow colleagues by employees.
According to Kim Scott, Google’s AdSense division operates as a collaborative team effort rather than being led by a single individual. As the director, Scott heavily relies on her team for online sales and operational tasks. This team works closely with the Product Management team, which collaborates with engineering on functionality. Innovation is deeply ingrained in Google’s foundation, as employees are carefully chosen based on their creativity, innovative mindset, and willingness to share ideas.
To foster innovation within the company, Google allows employees to dedicate one day per week to work on their own projects. This has resulted in the creation of some of Google’s most famous products like Google Mail. Recognizing the significance of innovation, Google has implemented a reward system that enables managers to acknowledge exceptional product ideas from their team members through recognition awards. In addition, there are “Google Founders’ Awards” that provide monetary stock grants aimed at retaining employees and rewarding successful ideas.
Google actively encourages its employees not to fear new ideas or potential failure consequences. Instead, the company cultivates a culture where employees are motivated to embrace new concepts and take risks in order to drive innovation forward.
Issues
Google is experiencing rapid growth, causing concern for Kim Scott and others. Scott desires certain aspects that make the company an excellent place to work, including avoiding bureaucracy, maintaining quick decision-making, ensuring visibility, and establishing international consistency. Google aims to steer clear of typical corporate behaviors such as engaging in politics, holding lengthy meetings, and implementing unnecessary policies. Scott has previously worked for various companies but finds the culture at Google unique compared to larger corporations. However, as Google continues its significant growth, there is a fear that it may adopt a similar corporate culture. This would contradict the company’s “Googley” philosophy, which it takes pride in. The increasing challenge lies in Google’s ability to resist bureaucracy as it continues to thrive year after year. Kim Scott hopes that Google will remain true to the company she joined in 2004.
Alternative Solutions
As Google continues to expand, it is important for the company to preserve its unique culture. Innovation holds a significant value at Google and is encouraged among its employees. It is essential to maintain an environment where employees feel empowered to be entrepreneurial and contribute great ideas. Employees themselves implemented a self-check system to ensure they embody the distinctive “Googley” culture instead of adopting the “Dilberty” culture. In order to ensure that candidates possess the desired “googley” qualities and can adapt well, they undergo a comprehensive screening during the interview process. To address concerns about potentially compromising Google’s innovation methodology due to growth, Kim Scott recruited additional managers who actively embrace innovation rather than hinder it.
Recommendation
Google is not considered a ‘top-down’ organization. Employees prefer mentorship over management. It is crucial for employees to feel free to be creative and innovative without facing criticism or micro-management. Instead of making decisions, Google successfully holds meetings to discuss ideas. Furthermore, engineers at Google are given one free day a week to work on any project they choose. This initiative has led to the creation of valuable tools like Google Mail and Google News. The company has found this one free day per week to be highly productive. As Google hires new employees, it will be essential to ensure that they embrace the same values and principles that Google prides itself on. The company should also continue to reward employees for their innovative contributions.
