How Google Works by BusinessNews Publishing

Author:BusinessNews Publishing
Language: fra
Format: epub
Publisher: FichesdeLecture.com
Published: 2015-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

"Be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way."

- Basketball coach John Wooden

"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."

- General George Patton

"The right decision is the best decision, not the lowest common denominator decision upon which everyone agrees."

- Eric Schmidt & Jonathan Rosenberg

A good illustration of these elements coming into play was when Google was deciding whether or not to be in the Chinese market. In mid-2004, Google set up office in the fastest-growing major economy in the world despite the fact it would have to comply with Chinese government censorship requirements. Traffic and revenue grew steadily for a few years but then Google came under attack from hackers in December 2009. Google soon discovered the hackers were sophisticated, originated inside China and were attempting to access the personal information of human rights activists and political dissidents.

Google's senior management team – particularly Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page – met several times to discuss these Chinese hacking attacks. It was decided in January 2010 that Google's Chinese site (Google.cn) would stop complying with government censorship policies – which would mean Google's Chinese operation would quickly lose traffic and search-based revenue opportunities. That is how events played out but Google has been comfortable with the result.

Most of the time, making a decision is a team activity which happens during meetings. To make meetings at Google more effective, the company has over the years developed a series of rules for those meetings:

Every meeting should have a single decision-maker – someone who will be accountable for the results and for actions going forward. If two or more equals are involved, you'll probably end up with a compromise. Tough decisions require an owner.

Decision-makers have to have hands-on involvement – he or she should set the agenda, follow-up with everyone and see that action items are executed.

Meetings should be easy to kill – there's nothing worse than asking people to attend a meeting which has no purpose. If nothing of significance is going to be discussed or decided, don't hold a meeting.

Meetings have to be manageable – no more than eight to ten people maximum. Everyone in the room should feel comfortable giving their input.

Attendance at meetings is not a badge of importance – and therefore if it becomes obvious you aren't needed, feel free to excuse yourself. When it comes to meetings, fewer is almost always better.

Good meetings begin on time and end on time – and allow participants to have time for lunch breaks, etc. Be careful about holding meetings at times that will suit people in different time zones. Be respectful.

If you attend a meeting, attend the meeting – turn off your phone, don't use your laptop to do other stuff and be present in the meeting. Multitasking never works. Focus on what the meeting is about.

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