Google Rocks

I finished reading The Google Story in a short 2 weeks times in May. This is the only non-fiction book that I felt like reading a fictional story. And I was thrilled and excited throughout the story.

After reading the book, I really admire Google very much, especially its founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. In fact, I admire them so much I felt compelled to blog about the reasons why:

• They always strive to do goods with motto “Don’t Be Evil”.
  If you cannot imagine how much this has inspired me, you can check through my blog and see how much I quoted this motto and how much I blogged on issues of evilness. :)
  

• They have a health disregard of the impossible.
  In one of the case way back before Google was born, Larry Page started with a crazy idea that he was going to download the entire Web onto his computer in a week. After about a year or so, he only had some portion of it.

• Greatest partnership I ever seen– Larry and Sergey remained as a best partner, complementing each other with Larry focusing on technology, while Sergey focusing on product, people and procedures.

• Energy and curiosity to questions everything. That's the traits that make them give birth to Google.
  

• Making mistakes and fearless – when they launched Gmail, they received a lot of opposition from different parties. They have miscalculated the response of the public. But they still went ahead, anyway. Fearless duo!
  

• Encouraging Innovation - they allow Googlers to spend 20% of their time on projects that interest them and exploring new things. That is 1 out of 5 working days. I will be very happy to work 4 days a week! :)
  

• Have fun while working - they know how to turn their workplace into a sort of playground and great home.
  

• Find different ways to reward their employees – Googlers has the joy to enjoy great food of a great chef, Free Movie Tickets for Star Wars (in fact, Google booked the whole cinema down the street), Free Branded Ice-Cream (that was when they celebrated when Google went IPO)
  

• They play by their own rule – They even changed the culture during the IPO period, by limiting the profits gained by the middle parties which there is no reason they deserve so much gains. It was so just because of some inefficient bureaucracy.
  They really go beyond conventional!
  

• Big,compelling vision . They think very hard on long term and they focus very much on long-term benefit rather than reap the short-term gain.
  

• They are opened and crazy about arguing.
  

• They try to remain in control, even when Eric Schmidt was hired as the company CEO. In fact, it is dictated the company have to get the majority votes from the trio in making big decisions. That's mean Larry and Sergey (together) are pretty much in control.

• Best Marketing Strategy - Google become popular with only relying on WOM (Word-of-Mouth). Cheapest way too ! No big ads or marketing funds!
  

• They always reinvent themselves - with Google Map, Google Earth, Google Books and of course Google Genes? I very much anticipate their next invention.
  

• They were young and brazen when they became successful. Again, it proves this right - don't give a hell to those people who tell you are not matured enough to do or decide on something!
  

• Google Current market share is ever rising- valued at almost $490 now , $85 on 2004. Microsoft is $30 per share. And ExxonMobil, the most profitable company is at $82

• Secret and Surprise - they always keep secret on their products and , of course , their recipes to search. And they continuously surprise people with their great products! (except the bad surprise of the Gmail, but is a surprise, anyway. :) )
  
  
• Teamwork. They promote the culture where the employees discuss with each other on their little projects or new discovery.
  

• Focus on Hiring the Best.
  
  One remark in the book is funny! "It seems like Microsoft is the hiring agency of Google." That was when Google is trying to snatch (should say, attract) away the talented people from Microsoft.
  

• Equal opportunities in hiring and other stuffs.
  During their IPO, they offer equal opportunities to all investors to bid on their shares through a bidding system they developed themselves. This is most unconventional as Wall Street practice is to give priorities to premium investors.
  
  Hiring: Found the text below in their ads for hiring.
  Google is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
  
  To all recruitment agencies: Google does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Google employees or any other company location. Google is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
  
  Most of all, there is no special treatment given to a particular page to affect its rating in the search result. For e.g. since I said so much good things about Google here, one cannot expect my blog to have high ranking when you search for "Google". :)
  

• The greatest mathematician and computer science geeks - they even used some mathematics concept to decide how much shares to offer at the IPO. Though they are geeks, they are quite OK socially and also they applied Warren Buffet's teaching during their IPO.
  

• Quirky corporate culture - that makes working at Google even more special and fun. I remembered reading some responses on those people who visited Google. Some good, some bad (for those who are more conventional). Mostly good, of course.
  
  
• They are the new dictionary - they created new and popular words like Google, Googleplex, Googlers, and a lot of words.
  
  After reading the book and searching more stuffs for this post, I took a Google quiz in Fortune magazine and here is what I got:
  Yikes, you've got a lot to learn. Don't quit your current job. (OK, I won't. Thanks for letting me know. LOL)
  

I am so inspired!