1 of 3 “Work Smarter” Google Processes You May Want to Implement

Almost a year ago McKinsey Quarterly did an interview with Google CEO
Eric Schmidt and in it are three great suggestions on developing a culture
of innovation we would all be well advised to consider.

What he says, isn’t necessarily consistent, but you’ll find some
value coming up with your own integration and application.
Let’s go over them briefly, but I also suggest the full article,
it’s a good read.

1. The wisdom of the crowd is smarter than any individual,
including executives.

Actually if you read closely, Eric alludes to three conditions, and
there are more, but before you race out and make all your next
decisions based upon group (crowd) rating polls, look at these caveats:

1. It needs to be a crowd of smart people – interesting.

2. It needs to be a crowd to which a manager stands up and
enforces the crisis of deadlines, maybe even weekly.  Sounds
like a crowd under control, I don’t know if that fits with the
definition of a crowd.

3. It needs to be a crowd where dissenting views are explored,
not shouted down – that definitely doesn’t sound like a crowd.

Aside from having fun with the caveats, I think it’s a terriffic
point within the context of those conditions, and they probably
don’t represent the entire list.

Bottom Line:

Google suggests to be more innovative, to work smarter at getting things
done, you get smart people together and support a  “smart crowd”
decision making process or consensus (instead of supressed, top-down,
no conflict, consensus).

And you support such a process (dare I say make crowds smart) by
establishing and keeping in play two important processes:
1. Enforce deadlines (even weekly) and 2. Make room for, solicit,
a diversity of views (dissent).

Let me know how that works for you

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2 Responses to “1 of 3 “Work Smarter” Google Processes You May Want to Implement”

1. Communication, Collaboration, Town-hall Rants and Outcomes Says:
   August 27th, 2009 at 7:35 pm

   [...] Links: Redefining Collaboration Beyond Information Sharing Innovation and the Wisdom of Crowds [...]

2. Communication, Collaboration, Town-hall Rants and Outcomes Says:
   October 30th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

   [...] Redefining Collaboration Beyond Information Sharing Innovation and the Wisdom of Crowds Project Management + Task Mangement + Performance Management = Strategic Management Share and [...]