For being innovative and competitive, you have to take the risk …

(by Lina Kummle)

Google in Chicago has around 500 people who work for this site and presented us an organizational culture from which we all can learn a lot. The kind of "looseness" in their culture and leadership is what makes them so successful and the current technical leader on the world market.

I ask myself the question if we could adopt this kind of “looseness” for our business concept or further businesses and try to analyze and compare it in the following section.

 The most important inventions have been built in the 20% part

Megan Danielson told us, that the most important inventions of Google have been built in a special 20% part, which Google is offering to his employees. The leadership allows them to use 20% of their real working time for challenges, which are usually not in the part of their responsibility. It was really impressive for me how successful Google is with the idea to give their employees the freedom to do other things they are interested in. The people mostly use this time for doing things which they have a huge passion for, try something different, new, are innovative and creative. On the one hand this could be a risk for every company in the world, but on the other hand Google shows us how successful it could be and it’s the only chance to be innovative and better than your competitor. If you don’t take a risk, you won’t see any development. BUT can we adopt the 20% plan for our business concept? The idea of it is great, but in the first stage of building a company it’s difficult to spend much time for doing things out of your area of responsibility. Every team member should have a clear focus on what’s important for the growth of the company and should do the referred assignment. In this stage I would prefer to use 20% of the time to discuss different topics with all team members and to think about innovative things in a close interaction and exchange. The chance is given to think about topics which are not directly in the own responsibility. But in a case of further businesses I would definitely try to consider the 20% plan, because I am convinced that it is something what keeps your business innovative, productive and competitive.

Additionally there are some other favorite aspects of Google:

• Leadership opportunities (coaching and integration of women as leaders)
• Rotation program (they get the chance to go 3 months abroad and make their own experiences at other sites, cultures and countries, - the job back home will be reserved for this special time)
• Intramural and team events for all employees
• Food and amazing benefits (they get free food, which is organic, healthy and local – option to meet new internal people, don’t waste time for searching food outside, ensure a healthy nutrition of the employees what is good for their health.

These favorite aspects, which Google is offering to their employed people, are great. For a small company, especially if it stands at the beginning, it is not possible to push through. We can focus on eating healthy food and convince our team members to do so, we also can have some team events, but a lot of things are step in when the time is right and the company is bigger. To think about such opportunities and keep them in mind as an entrepreneur and for further leadership and culture options as well, is nevertheless important and gives our business a substantial insight.

Another point where you can see an open minded leadership and culture of Google is the point that if an employee comes up with an idea, they take it serious and try to make it happen, - if it’s a good one and possible. In other companies you have often no chance to get yourself involved and experience just refusal by the leader. Actually we heard in our first week in a marketing lesson, that the Americans often say “let’s try it” what means – “nothing will happen”, but in this case you definitely feel that there will something happen caused by a unique team spirit. It’s important for every company to take the employees and colleagues serious and work for a good team spirit. I liked this point of view and would try to adapt it for every company I would work for in the future, because the employees have insights in different parts of the company which a leader should use.

Here you get more details. There are two very good videos included. The first one shows the New York office of Google and the second one is about the Life at Google and how employees work at Google.

Result: Google has happy and productive employees

The employees of Google feel comfortable, come to work with good grace and are productive. Google don’t have the huge risk of employees dropping out because of burnout and ensure a well-adjusted work-life-balance, where the people have time off for family, friends and other things they love to do besides working for Google.

The described employees are helping the company to grow and innovate new matters for a survival of the company. This should be a goal of every company in the world. 

The employees are responsible for the success of the company

Google is a company, which is focused on giving all employees the opportunity to grow – personally and professionally. They understood that the people who are working for the company are the reason for the success and it is one of the most important functions of the leadership and culture to ensure the best work-life-balance for them they can afford. In my point of view every leadership should implement such an understanding of employee treatment in their organizational culture. This should be the base to be successfull.

I am thankful for getting the opportunity to take ideas with me, which I want to import to our team and other further businesses. It’s important to have your own area of responsibility, but it is important as well to have the option and time to do something what is out of it, if the company is not right at the beginning. This is a fundamental impulse for more effectiveness and efficiency of team work in general to perform better and reach an excellent development and result. We’ve to take the risk and keep this option in mind!!