Making 20% Time Work
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Making 20% Time Work
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Re: Making 20% Time Work
#2This isn't bad, per se, and it's good to think about, but I want to throw it out there that the only reason 20% time works decently at Google is because of Google's culture. By virtue of empowering employees to find problems and solve them, and being supportive of career dev & internal transfer, and making boatloads of money, it makes it easy for the org to tolerate the slack this forces in defined teams. Almost none of the kinds of things that encourage 20% projects at Google typically exist in large enterprises, and when those companies try things like this it typically ends up being much more forced and much less organic, for better AND for worse.
I'm glad to read this post. I tried instituting 20% time in my previous job and almost no one took advantage of it. They just didn't have an adequate level of trust in exec mgmt that diverting their attention from core responsibilities wouldn't cause adverse personal reactions down the road. So sad. :(
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#3The method seems interesting from the "help people be aware of what's out there and how other people are working" perspective...However, personally, I get lost on one major point in two ways:
- Organized 20% time
First, for me, twenty percent time is that thing I work on when I'm blocked on something, have an inspiration, or just need a distraction from my major project.
Second, I can respect the organizational aspect and helping people understand how to contribute, etc, but really formalizing it in a table / chart and meeting to discuss it?
Maybe I am taking too strict of a view, but 20% time for me is that thing that is fluid and fills in the gaps or gives energy when I need a break from the day to day tasks.
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#4I've never met anyone who has this luxury, quick poll:
Do you have 20% time?
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#5I've never met anyone who has this luxury, quick poll: Do you have 20% time?
Yes
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#6I've never met anyone who has this luxury, quick poll: Do you have 20% time?
No
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#7I've never met anyone who has this luxury, quick poll: Do you have 20% time?
Yes
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#8I've never met anyone who has this luxury, quick poll: Do you have 20% time?
No
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#9I've never met anyone who has this luxury, quick poll: Do you have 20% time?
[deleted]
Re: Making 20% Time Work
#10I've never met anyone who has this luxury, quick poll: Do you have 20% time?
If we are hitting targets, yes