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Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

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Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#91
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing false about it. If I'm in a management role, and things go hatstand, well the buck stop with me, that's why managers get paid the big bucks. I may have to take measures later with the individual in question if it was negligence on their part, but ensuring the success of the team and the project is what the manager is for . If I have given someone more responsibility than they are ready for, that's on me. If I…

If I'm in a software development role, and the software doesn't work, well the buck stops with me. I may need to shut down a box and spin up a larger one, but ensuring that hardware is adequate is what the developer is for . If I have given an EC2 instance more load than it is ready for, that's on me. With this mental model, of course it's false praise, just like it would be false praise for me to give credit to my h…

And this is why a lot of engineers fail in management, thinking people are like computers

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#92
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing false about it. If I'm in a management role, and things go hatstand, well the buck stop with me, that's why managers get paid the big bucks. I may have to take measures later with the individual in question if it was negligence on their part, but ensuring the success of the team and the project is what the manager is for . If I have given someone more responsibility than they are ready for, that's on me. If I…

If I'm in a software development role, and the software doesn't work, well the buck stops with me. I may need to shut down a box and spin up a larger one, but ensuring that hardware is adequate is what the developer is for . If I have given an EC2 instance more load than it is ready for, that's on me. With this mental model, of course it's false praise, just like it would be false praise for me to give credit to my h…

I've never seen a management role as something related to individual performance. I think it's rather clear that a one person team won't work better with additional manager. On average though you won't get uniform team nor a team that gets along well. And even if you do, it has its own dangers. Manager is there to make sure things happen even when people disagree on them, and to make sure the best option wins any argument, not just the loudest. It's really often like juggling with dogs and cats. That are on fire.

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#93
post #65
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, one of the most annoying things you can encounter is a conversation at dinner with multiple Google employees. They will constantly mention that Google is working on something and then after confirmation with each other that it is still private, refuse to tell anymore details. It seems like it's encouraged in Google culture to brag but in a secretive manner to remind outsiders of what they are missing.

... or maybe they're really excited about whatever it is and want to talk about it, but also don't want to get fired for leaking something?

Right, and it's extremely rude. It's the equivalent of the old grade school "I know a juicy secret but I'm not going to tell you" routine.

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#94
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't conflate lack of ego with lack of drive or ambition or an averseness to risk. Especially for someone who went from a lower middle class family in one of the poorest states in India to becoming the CEO of Google. When a group of very smart people get together, there is a tendency for them to try to show themselves as being the smartest. This can lead to less-desirable situations where people don't share or…

"Especially for someone who went from a lower middle class family in one of the poorest states in India to becoming the CEO of Google." Not to take anything away from Sundar Pichai's accomplishments, but Tamil Nadu, from where he hails, is decidedly not "one of the poorest states in India." It has the second largest gross state domestic product in the country. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Tamil_Na…

GDP is not necessarily strongly related to poverty. But you are right. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_states_and_territories_... Tamil Nadu is above the midddle when you rank by poverty. I stand corrected.

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#95
post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Especially for someone who went from a lower middle class family in one of the poorest states in India to becoming the CEO of Google." Not to take anything away from Sundar Pichai's accomplishments, but Tamil Nadu, from where he hails, is decidedly not "one of the poorest states in India." It has the second largest gross state domestic product in the country. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Tamil_Na…

And his father is an engineer in India. Definitely not a bad life.

Perhaps. Although lot of articles seem to claim that he was from a lower-middle class family, and i was basing my statement on those. His upbringing probably wasn't uncomfortable but still it was modest.

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#96
post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please note that the quoted statement does not give any specifics about how the feedback was given.

> "He could come off as very harsh,” said one person who has had many encounters with Page over the years. “Until you realize it was more that he was completely lacking in EQ. I mean, zero.” I think it's pretty clear that the feedback could have been given in a more constructive manner.

Sure, just to play the devil's advocate here (I support for giving feedback in constructive manner when possible), sometimes giving a feedback in a constructive manner is simply inefficient and some manager may not have time to do it every time they think something isn't perfect.

Hello X, while I think you have done these three features A, B, C well....blah blah, you could do E in a better way by doing 1,2,3. This superfluity can add up, making some people get straight to the point.

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#97
Being Egotistical shouldn't be conflated with being an Egotistical Asshole. Ego if used in the right way can be a powerful force for the better. America's moonshot was a collective ego of an entire nation that led them to achieve it.

I watched an interview by Charlie Rose of Google's operation guy called Lazlo, I thought it was a great interview. He said having intellectual humility is important (does not mean less ego), which is the curiosity to learn or accept if you were wrong. Ego I am not convinced is such a harmful thing, and lets not say it is harmful just because many software engineers being introverts have a confirmation bias against it.

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#98
post #3

Ego is essential to breaking through those tough barriers and new opportunities. Disregard for risk. Is this really what is needed when Google is being criticized for falling behind its competitors in innovation.

Vic Gundotra's ego resulted in G+. If G+ is innovation, I don't want innovation.

I want to down vote this comment, looks like I can't. Sometimes success of a product also depends on being in the right place at right time. It is not binary

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#99
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might not like G+ but it IS innovation. Everything one does in slighly different way is innovation, if you don't want that, you would have to abandon pretty much everything except wheel and fire. I also don't think that creator's ego is a factor in product's success. There are many egotistical entrepreneurs with successful products. People might not like creators, but they like the product. So isn't the best stra…

> Everything one does in slighly different way is innovation No, it is not. If I decide to change the design of a bicycle to have square shaped wheels I have not innovated. I have instead made it objectively worse. I think to innovate is generally accepted as meaning to improve upon something in some way. I don't think G+ improved anything, as its abject failure in the real world demonstrates.

I disagree. Was Yahoo search innovative? Google search came later and just did the search in a better way, but people still called Google search innovative!

Yahoo search did make money with banner advertisements, and when that was doing well people called Yahoo search innovative. Innovation is used like a buzz word. Truly anything new, even if it is poorer than the previous product is innovation, it may not sell, but it is innovation!

Re: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Brings in Less Egotistical Leadership

#100
post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "He could come off as very harsh,” said one person who has had many encounters with Page over the years. “Until you realize it was more that he was completely lacking in EQ. I mean, zero.” I think it's pretty clear that the feedback could have been given in a more constructive manner.

Sure, just to play the devil's advocate here (I support for giving feedback in constructive manner when possible ), sometimes giving a feedback in a constructive manner is simply inefficient and some manager may not have time to do it every time they think something isn't perfect. Hello X, while I think you have done these three features A, B, C well....blah blah, you could do E in a better way by doing 1,2,3. This s…

There is almost always a way to make feedback constructive, and it doesn't necessarily involve pandering or 'shit sandwiches.'
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