This InfoWorld article detailing some comments on how Google empowers its engineers to think outside the box. It is certainly a model for other tech companies to think about. But what about non-tech companies or non-tech workers at tech companies?

But what about non-engineers at Google? Do business managers at Google get 20% of their time to think outside the box? I wonder. Certainly they are not the core group responsible for innovation at Google, so perhaps their "creative thinking" is less valued at Google. I think the key lesson from Google is not that they give their engineers freedom, but that empowering your employees, any employee, to be creative leads to better results and employee satisfaction.

If you have ever worked for or with a government organization, you can see the results of too much control. Any large bureaucratic organization, governmental or otherwise, literally sucks the life force out of its employees. They turn into graveyards of "if the minimum wasn't good enough there wouldn't be a minimum" employees. Yes, there are exceptions, but they are few and far between.

What Google teaches us is that, and to quote a famous general, "You should never tell people how to do things, tell them what to do, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity" --- Patton. One of my all time favorite quotes. Unless you are hiring dullards, smart people can figure out ways to get something done. Yes, chimps need guidance, but smart, motivated people need direction.

So what kind of company do you work for? I work for a company that used to be a lot more like Google, but is still better than many other companies. Are you shackled to process or are your free to beat your own drum?