Google CEO Eric Schmidt

Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, on how to run a company.From an interview with Steven Pearlstein, Financial Columnist for The Washington Post.

Slides by Mike Arauz

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-ceo-eric-schmidt-we-dont-really-have-a-five-year-plan-clip-2009-5

Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google | Slides by Mike Arauz 2009

I believe every day that Google is run by its culture, not by me.


Everyone, including me, is extremely dispensable, because ultimately our company is bigger than the people who make it.


The strategy and the products that we build are a consequence of the culture we have around innovation and focusing on the end user.


It often feels, at Google, like people are pretty much doing what they think best, and they tolerate having us around.


We don’t really have a “Five Year Plan.” We have a list of things we think will happen in the next year.


We really focus on what’s new, what’s exciting, and how can you win quickly with your new idea.


It’s much easier to have an employee base in which everyone is doing exactly what they want, every day. They’re much easier to manage. They’re always excited; they’re always working on what they care about.


You’re much better off if you select people to work in your firm who really want to change the world.


We put up with a certain amount of chaos. We don’t necessarily know what order the products will come in.


Sometimes there are products that are invented, that we ultimately decide we don’t like. But, even in those situations, we want to reward the creativity of the people who brought a new idea to us.


The new phrase is Network Based Organizations. And we think Google is probably the best example of that.


Google is very flat, very non-hierarchical, very much informal in culture and in ideas. Ideas come from everywhere.


The problem as an executive, is that there may be a brilliant idea in your company, but you don’t know who to ask.


Part of the job of being a CEO is to have an environment where people are constantly throwing you their best ideas, as opposed to being afraid to talk to you.


We define “consensus culture” not as everyone agreeing, but as everyone agreeing to find the best idea.


Sometimes the best information only comes at the last minute, and it’s fine to change your mind. Just tell us why.


At Google no one – with the possible exception of the found-ers – really has a strong say in which products will be successful.


We say to the engineering man-agement, “It doesn’t matter what I think of your product. What matters is whether you end up with users.” This is a vote. And there will be a vote. And you will either win or lose.

Mike Arauz is a Strategist at Undercurrent, a New York based digital think tank.

Let’s connect on Twitter: @mikearauz

My blog: www.mikearauz.com

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Google CEO Eric Schmidt

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