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How Google Works

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Re: How Google Works

#51

Post by Htsthbjig »

codeonfire wrote: post #13

The motivation of Google is not even discussed here. Why do you want to create a certain environment for "smart creatives?" Oh yeah, almost forgot... so they'll make products that will make Google lots of money. This always leads to a logic contradiction. If they are so smart and creative, why do they need Google? Everyone knows if you create the next g-mail you still walk in on Monday and get a salary, not equity. Y…

"If they are so smart and creative, why do they need Google?"

Because not everybody wants to build a company.

I made my own company,in the end I become greatly successful, but it took a lot of work, my savings, risks, people around(friends and family), telling me I was crazy, that I should be working for the man because it was safe.

It is not for everybody. I have people working for me that are smarter and more creative than me, but they don't want to be leaders, or do public speaking, or go out of the lab, talk to the customer, or making risks.

If you make a company, or if you work for yourself, you need to do all those things and more in a competent way.

Re: How Google Works

#52

Post by Cthulhu_ »

DonPellegrino wrote: post #16
q_revert wrote: post #5

I started work at google pretty recently, and expressed an interest in working on a particular project. I made some notes about some of my ideas, and was putting some stuff together to show to one of the teams, to get some input before prototyping. I asked a senior team member to have a look at the notes I had made, and see if they were ready to show to the wider team. His advice? "Go build something, then we can hav…

I was under the impression that the work load at Google is so heavy that it is almost impossible to get "20% time" anymore. During what time did you work on your idea? Are they freeing you of all responsibilities to build your prototype or do they expect you to do it in your free time and then donate it to the company? Thanks, I'm very curious about this aspect of Google's culture.

I don't know, if the 20% time is part of Google's core principles, then claiming that 20% time will / should trump deadlines.

Re: How Google Works

#53

Post by TeMPOraL »

paganel wrote: post #41
sz4kerto wrote: post #31

This is not how Google works, this is a PR product -- it's full of fashionable and/or trivial things that we see on various blogs every single day. I don't see why is this interesting to the HN crowd, but well, who am I to judge this. :)

I think it's related to a book written by Schmidt and that Rosenberg guy, I think I just read a review about it a couple of weeks ago (here's the review: http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21620056-search... ). As for the presentation itself, maybe it's because I'm becoming more and more grumpier with age and haven't drunk my coffee yet, but there's something to be said about today's langue de bois , with e…

Nah, I think it's neither age nor coffee. As much as I love what Google is doing, I get this distinct impression that they're starting to get infected with bullshit language (which usually leads to bullshit thinking). The presentation is full of "wooden language". It's like it was made for some corporate managers or something.

And don't get me started on pictrues in the presentation. It really feels like clip-arts all over again. I just hope they don't add them to Google Docs.

Re: How Google Works

#54

Post by nekopa »

grayclhn wrote: post #35
balazsdavid987 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If they are so smart and creative, why do they need Google? Many things cannot be created individually, no matter how smart and creative you are. Think of pyramids, space ships, - or even GMail. It's about leveraging the resources of a big company. And not to forget the low risk: you build something while you are on salary vs. building something for equity that may or may not worth dollars in the end.

Just a tip: you don't want to be one of the people building a pyramid. You may want to think of a non-enslavement-and-death example when you explain why somewhere might be a good place to work. I can just imagine the recruiter's pitch now...

I thought it was generally accepted now that the pyramids weren't built by slaves.

Re: How Google Works

#55

Post by ardoi »

Interesting how on slide 15 when describing characteristics of smart creatives, out of technical knowledge, business expertise and creativity it is business expertise that is associated with needing brain power.

Re: How Google Works

#56

Post by TeMPOraL »

grayclhn wrote: post #35
balazsdavid987 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If they are so smart and creative, why do they need Google? Many things cannot be created individually, no matter how smart and creative you are. Think of pyramids, space ships, - or even GMail. It's about leveraging the resources of a big company. And not to forget the low risk: you build something while you are on salary vs. building something for equity that may or may not worth dollars in the end.

Just a tip: you don't want to be one of the people building a pyramid. You may want to think of a non-enslavement-and-death example when you explain why somewhere might be a good place to work. I can just imagine the recruiter's pitch now...

Why? That slave labour was used to build pyramids is a popular but unfounded belief. There is evidence suggesting that some pyramids were built by well-paid government contractors.

Also apparently American-type slavery was a historical abberation. A typical slave in the past was not unlike a salaried employee today. He was well-treated, earned good money for his services and was able to free himself after accumulating enough of it, which is not unlike the FU money many a startup founder wants to have.

[0] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_pyramid_construction_t...

[1] - http://slatestarcodex.com/Stuff/manumission.pdf

Re: How Google Works

#57

Post by plainOldText »

One line from the slides (33) - "Optimize for growth, not revenue."

I'm curious, why is everyone nowadays so obsessed with growth? Is growth really that much more important than revenue? What if you strike a balance between the two?

I remember reading what one of the WhatsApp's founders once said: "[..] we focused on business sustainability and revenue rather than getting big fast [..]" And it looks like they did alright.

Re: How Google Works

#58

Post by jadc »

plainOldText wrote: post #57

One line from the slides (33) - "Optimize for growth, not revenue." I'm curious, why is everyone nowadays so obsessed with growth? Is growth really that much more important than revenue? What if you strike a balance between the two? I remember reading what one of the WhatsApp's founders once said: "[..] we focused on business sustainability and revenue rather than getting big fast [..]" And it looks like they did alr…

I am not sure what the full context for your quote is, but most people would agree that Whatsapp focused on growth (in terms of number of users) and not so much revenue (i.e. they made enough to be sustainable and independent).

Re: How Google Works

#59

Post by guybrushT »

WoodenChair wrote: post #37

I found these slides rather shallow. Smart, creative people are the best employees? Who knew! The Internet led to massive disruptions in traditional businesses? Wow! Sorry for my cynicism/sarcasm, but I see the book campaign as Eric Schmidt positioning himself for his next role. He's trying to secure his personal Google legacy as he gets ready for an exit. I can't imagine it's all that enticing to go from CEO to chai…

> I found these slides rather shallow

I couldn't agree more with you. I was expecting some fact-based, data-driven insights/perspectives from Google - so, for me I'd say the "insights" seem disappointingly shallow because they are just "opinions".

I keep hearing that one of the big way in which "how google works" is different is that their "people operations" (HR) runs very differently from other companies. I would have loved to understand - how?

"What's different now?" is such a, I am sorry to say, stupid question. Depending on anyone's opinion, their world view, whether they think macro or micro - the answer can range from "nothing at all" to "everything is different". Lets take communication as an example - "what's different now?" - depending on who you talk to, they can argue that the fundamental needs are just the same (just forms have evolved) or someone can argue that things are radically different now because of X (where X could be snapchat or any new-age medium etc.). The same is true for entertainment - I have had discussions where I was convinced that the "fundamental need to be entertained" is just the same, but I also see so many new media around (so of course, its different now).

It would have been great if they had given more insights on how a successful internet age company truly works from the inside - a bit more than "its best to work in small teams, keep them crowded, and foster serendipitous connections". I thought Eric/Google could contribute a new perspective to this discussion, given their vantage point. Otherwise its just another tautological business/self-help book.

I am a bit disappointed because Google's vantage point in this world is so unique (they see so many things in the world, that others don't - given their reach & size) - that they could have really added something very positive and new to "What's different now".

The whole point about "Smart Creatives" also seems so shallow - for hundreds of years and maybe before, "Smart Creatives" as they have defined it, are having tremendous impact! Where is the "So what?" I understand that this is just a teaser to encourage people to read the book. If so, its just bereft of any fact-based, data-driven, truly unique perspectives or insights that I, personally just won't bother.

Re: How Google Works

#60

Post by plainOldText »

jadc wrote: post #58
plainOldText wrote: post #57

One line from the slides (33) - "Optimize for growth, not revenue." I'm curious, why is everyone nowadays so obsessed with growth? Is growth really that much more important than revenue? What if you strike a balance between the two? I remember reading what one of the WhatsApp's founders once said: "[..] we focused on business sustainability and revenue rather than getting big fast [..]" And it looks like they did alr…

I am not sure what the full context for your quote is, but most people would agree that Whatsapp focused on growth (in terms of number of users) and not so much revenue (i.e. they made enough to be sustainable and independent).

source for the quote: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/19/whatsapp-excl...
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