Hiring and Rcruiting

• Does Schmidt's description of the Google Culture make sense to you?

In a way the Google culture is one of the best business culture atmosphere’s that I have heard of to this day. If you want to have a business which thrives on creativity than these are the types of norms which a business manager needs to put into place. I have noticed that there are many articles that talk about how America’s educational system is not as strong compared to many other countries, apparently our math and science scores are not where they need to be.

 Although this might be true I believe that there is something different which makes American Businesses so special; this quality which I speak of is the ability to spark creativity and promote it at the workplace. At Google they hire people that are able to work on their own and they give them that freedom which they need to exercise this creativity. The more we treat humans like robots and micro manage them the less creativity we will see among employees.

• Is this a reasonable way to view the work that most people are doing in your workplace?

I believe that at my job this behavior is encouraged to a certain degree, my line of work is a bit different because it is heavily regulated by rules and regulations to assure the safety of others. Although my work does follow strict guidelines I am also given the freedom to bend those rules as much as possible in a legal way to be creative and come up with the greatest solution. I believe that as Americans this is a trait which we are taught from a young age. Bending the rules and flirting right on the edge of our regulations is what makes American companies so creative and profitable.

• As a leader, does it take courage to have and to implement this point of view?

Hovering just outside of the norm does take a lot of courage, as a leader we are supposed to set the example for our subordinates. Sometimes being different does not go too well with your typical business model, leaders are judged on the way that culture at their business is carried out. Many times we have to go against the grain if we are to come up with something that is truly special. Items which people consider special are usually items which no one has ever thought of before, items which make life easier by introducing new ideas.  

• Could this approach backfire?

Allowing this much freedom requires a lot of responsibility and special employees to be able to wield this type of freedom and use it for the better. Many times employees will use this new found freedom and use it to be unproductive, as Eric Schmidt said “they look for employees which can work productively on their own”. This is an important trait because Google can only allow this type of freedom to their employees to be creative if they are responsible enough to handle it. If it becomes a situation where minimal productivity is found in the work area then this type of approach to business will definitely back fire.

• What can you take away from this exercise to immediately use in your career?

I think that I will take away the value of giving subordinates the freedom and space they need to create something amazing. This is something which is contrary to a prior leadership style which I experienced in the military that consisted of micromanaging and keeping a “tight leash” on those below your rank. I would definitely like to have a culture at my work place which lets people feel relaxed and ready to be a part of the company. For this to exist I need to hire the right people that want to create an amazing work culture with me, like minded individuals who believe in the fact that creativity is important for every organization to succeed.

Reference:

Schmidt, E. (2011). Eric Schmidt on Business Culture, Technology, and Social Issues.

            [Review of the online video, produced by McKinley and Company].