Comments on: Growing Up to Talk Like a Kid http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/growing-up-to-talk-like-a-kid/ Exploring how bold words can give life to bold ideas. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:34:13 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Britt http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/growing-up-to-talk-like-a-kid/#comment-7 Britt Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:07:02 +0000 http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/growing-up-to-talk-like-a-kid/#comment-7 I don't believe Google's approach is altruistic either. However, what I do find interesting is that Google does it at all. I suspect Google would still be able to secure talented people even without the 20% rule. To your point, I agree that they might not stay, and eventually become Google competitors. The point I was attempting to make with Google is that by implementing the 20% rule, they are thinking like kids. As a kid you don't want to spend 100% of your time doing outright work. It always helped when parents turned some of the chores into a game. That's where I think the 20% rule fits. I don’t believe Google’s approach is altruistic either. However, what I do find interesting is that Google does it at all. I suspect Google would still be able to secure talented people even without the 20% rule. To your point, I agree that they might not stay, and eventually become Google competitors.
The point I was attempting to make with Google is that by implementing the 20% rule, they are thinking like kids. As a kid you don’t want to spend 100% of your time doing outright work. It always helped when parents turned some of the chores into a game. That’s where I think the 20% rule fits.

]]> By: Georg http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/growing-up-to-talk-like-a-kid/#comment-6 Georg Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:46:11 +0000 http://boldwords.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/growing-up-to-talk-like-a-kid/#comment-6 <blockquote>Google engineers spend a very un-adult amount of time (20%) working on personal projects unrelated to their primary objectives. The adult approach frowns on personal initiatives at work.</blockquote> Well, I wouldn't exactly say that the "free day" is completely unrelated to the primary objective. Coming up with innovative new services (to possible stick ads onto later) <em>is</em> one of Google's primary objectives! Note that due to all the synergy effects, the ideas will quickly be steered in a direction that they can either be integrated with existing Google services or at least complement them. Additionally, this approach makes it less likely that one of the clever minds at Google leaves to pursue their own thing, possibly as a start-up. The people working at Google are exactly the type of people that could create great things all by themselves, too, so this might have been a real danger to Google. I'm not bashing Google here, I'm just saying that calling the 20% rule an altruistic whim is probably a bit of an over-glorification (and glorifying Google is just as inappropriate as bashing them).

Google engineers spend a very un-adult amount of time (20%) working on personal projects unrelated to their primary objectives. The adult approach frowns on personal initiatives at work.

Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that the “free day” is completely unrelated to the primary objective. Coming up with innovative new services (to possible stick ads onto later) is one of Google’s primary objectives! Note that due to all the synergy effects, the ideas will quickly be steered in a direction that they can either be integrated with existing Google services or at least complement them.

Additionally, this approach makes it less likely that one of the clever minds at Google leaves to pursue their own thing, possibly as a start-up. The people working at Google are exactly the type of people that could create great things all by themselves, too, so this might have been a real danger to Google.

I’m not bashing Google here, I’m just saying that calling the 20% rule an altruistic whim is probably a bit of an over-glorification (and glorifying Google is just as inappropriate as bashing them).

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