Case Application 1 Building a Better Boss

Google doesnt do anything halfway. So when it decided to build a better boss, it did what it does bestlook at data.59 Using data from performance reviews, feedback surveys, and supporting papers turned in for individuals nominated for top-manager awards, Google correlated phrases, words, praise, and complaints trying to find what makes for a great boss. The project, dubbed Project Oxygen, examined some 100 variables and ultimately identified eight characteristics or habits of Googles most effective managers. Here is a summary of eight key concepts:

Have a clear vision and strategy for the team

Help individuals to reach their long-term work goals

Express interest in your team members success and well-being

Insure you have the necessary technical abilities to support employee efforts

Display effective communication skills, especially listening

Provide coaching support when needed

Focus on being productive and on end results

Avoid over-managing; let your team be responsible

At first glance, youre probably thinking these eight attributes seem pretty simplistic and obvious, and you may be wondering why Google spent all this time and effort to uncover these. Even Googles vice president for people operations, Laszlo Bock, said, My first reaction was, thats it? Another writer described it as reading like a whiteboard gag from an episode of The Office. But, as the old saying goes, there was more to this list than meets the eye.

When Bock and his team began looking closer and rank ordering the eight items by importance, Project Oxygen got interestinga lot more interesting! And to understand this, you have to understand something about Googles approach to management since its founding in 1999. Plain and simple, managers were encouraged to leave people alone. Let the engineers do their stuff. If they become stuck, theyll ask their bosses, whose deep technical expertise propelled them to management in the first place. Its not hard to see what Google wanted its managers to beoutstanding technical specialists. Mr. Bock explains, In the Google context, wed always believed that to be a manager, particularly on the engineering side, you need to be as deep or deeper a technical expert than the people who work for you. However, Project Oxygen revealed that technical expertise was ranked number eight (very last) on the list. So, heres the complete list from most important to least important, along with what each characteristic entails:

BE A GOOD COACH (provide specific feedback and have regular one-on-one meetings with employees; offer solutions tailored to each employees strengths)

EMPOWER YOUR TEAM AND DONT MICROMANAGE (give employees space to tackle problems themselves, but be available to offer advice)

BE INTERESTED IN YOUR TEAM MEMBERS SUCCESSES AND WELL-BEING(make new team members feel welcome and get to know your employees as people)

BE PRODUCTIVE AND RESULTS-ORIENTED (focus on helping the team achieve its goals by prioritizing work and getting rid of obstacles)

BE A GOOD COMMUNICATOR AND LISTEN TO YOUR TEAM (learn to listen and to share information; encourage open dialogue and pay attention to the teams concerns)

HELP YOUR EMPLOYEES WITH CAREER DEVELOPMENT (notice employees efforts so they can see how their hard work is furthering their careers; appreciate employees efforts and make that appreciation known)

HAVE A CLEAR VISION AND STRATEGY FOR THE TEAM (lead the team, but keep everyone involved in developing and working toward the teams vision)

HAVE TECHNICAL SKILLS SO YOU CAN ADVISE THE TEAM (understand the challenges facing the team and be able to help team members solve problems)

Now, managers at Google arent just encouraged to be great managersthey know what being a great manager involves. And the company is doing its part, as well. Using the list, Google started training managers as well as providing individual coaching and performance review sessions. You can say that Project Oxygen breathed new life into Googles managers. Bock says the companys efforts paid off quickly. We were able to have a statistically significant improvement in manager quality for 75 percent of our worst-performing managers.

Discussion Questions

1. Describe the findings of Project Oxygen using the functions approach, Mintzbergs roles approach, and the skills approach.

2. Are you surprised at what Google found out about building a better boss? Explain your answer.

3. Whats the difference between encouraging managers to be great managers and knowing what being a great manager involves?