Keeping Google Googley
Running head: KEEPING GOOGLE “GOOGLEY”
Keeping Google “Googley”
Kim Scott joined the Google team as the director of the Google product AdSense in 2004. Google was a company that started in 2004 with 3,000 employees and by 2008 boasted 17,000 employees. The company prided itself in hiring employees that fit the ‘Google personality’, meaning they would be part of an innovative, open corporate culture. Google didn’t want to be known for strict corporate culture, and instead present itself with an entrepreneurial reputation.
Kim Scott wants to ensure the Google Company remains the same place as when she started in 2004. Google Management consisted of 50 reports to one manager in the early years. Over time, however, they have hired more managers so the ratio of reports to managers was more manageable. The goal of middle management is to challenge employees to do more, not less. Part of the Google work philosophy is to keep the leadership model loose and focus on ideas. Unlike most organizations, managers aren’t put in place at Google to micro-manage or watch employees. Instead, Google employees are expected be self-motivating and self-guiding. Employees are given projects or ideas from leadership and then left to execute the best way they see fit. Often times, management within the organization are viewed as co-workers to the employees.
When asked who runs the AdSense division of the Google organization, Kim Scott was quoted as saying “Nobody.” This response was based on the fact no one person is responsible for the AdSense division, it’s essentially a team effort. While Scott is the director, she relies heavily on her direct team to perform online sales and operational tasks. Scott’s team works very closely with the Product Management team that works with engineering on functionality.
Innovation is the foundation Google is built on. Employees are hand-picked to be creative, innovative, and open to sharing ideas.
Keeping Google “Googley”
Kim Scott joined the Google team as the director of the Google product AdSense in 2004. Google was a company that started in 2004 with 3,000 employees and by 2008 boasted 17,000 employees. The company prided itself in hiring employees that fit the ‘Google personality’, meaning they would be part of an innovative, open corporate culture. Google didn’t want to be known for strict corporate culture, and instead present itself with an entrepreneurial reputation.
Kim Scott wants to ensure the Google Company remains the same place as when she started in 2004. Google Management consisted of 50 reports to one manager in the early years. Over time, however, they have hired more managers so the ratio of reports to managers was more manageable. The goal of middle management is to challenge employees to do more, not less. Part of the Google work philosophy is to keep the leadership model loose and focus on ideas. Unlike most organizations, managers aren’t put in place at Google to micro-manage or watch employees. Instead, Google employees are expected be self-motivating and self-guiding. Employees are given projects or ideas from leadership and then left to execute the best way they see fit. Often times, management within the organization are viewed as co-workers to the employees.
When asked who runs the AdSense division of the Google organization, Kim Scott was quoted as saying “Nobody.” This response was based on the fact no one person is responsible for the AdSense division, it’s essentially a team effort. While Scott is the director, she relies heavily on her direct team to perform online sales and operational tasks. Scott’s team works very closely with the Product Management team that works with engineering on functionality.
Innovation is the foundation Google is built on. Employees are hand-picked to be creative, innovative, and open to sharing ideas.
References: Groysberg, B. T. (2009). Keeping Google "Googley" (Abridged). Harvard Business School, 8.