Assurance of success

We are a team. We have agreed and we have agreed upon how we will proceed in our future endeavors, as well as the expectations of success that lie ahead for us as a company. As far as I am concerned, this means one thing; every effort put into ensuring that we create positive change within our organization, to ensure that it is one of the best organizations in which to work.

I have been fortunate enough to be part of various growth stages and now, at my current position as Vice President of Operations for Google, with over 11 years of experience leading large-scale global teams and overseeing operations across all facets of digital transformation. The skills, expertise, and accomplishments I have achieved are not only impressive but also offer me confidence in moving forward as part of our overall strategy for the next few years and beyond. As such, I will aim to share my thoughts on managing people, leadership, culture, and our internal processes and procedures from my perspective as a leader.

Human Behavior & Culture

I believe human behavior is dynamic. It has been said by many great minds, including some who have passed me on the phone. Our culture is constantly evolving and shifting and our leaders are increasingly accepting the concept of change for everything from their transformation, to business decisions, to organizational outcomes. How can they be comfortable when we’re working through these changes and what kind of guidance should we give them to help navigate this uncharted territory, given our changing landscape? My focus will be on four aspects: 1) creating healthy cultures, 2) aligning our employees based on shared values, 3) communicating with stakeholders on how to accomplish goals, and 4) empowering our teammates to take initiative and drive results within their areas of opportunity.

Creating Healthy Cultures

Creating your organization's culture starts at the top. When I start my career at Google, I always begin by asking myself who is driving my direction as soon as possible. Who is making important decisions around my time and focus? What is influencing the decisions I make? Who is contributing to my success? Once I stop asking these questions and begin looking inward at the things I can control, I allow myself to take responsibility for my beliefs and actions. I am building a strong culture, I am learning, growing, challenging, and pushing myself every day. This requires patience and commitment.

Applying my theory of transformational change to my interactions with others is taking the time to talk about what I need, why I want things to be a certain way, and how things are affecting me. For example, it's hard to say "why". That seems like something a lot of managers would struggle with unless they were able to step back and think more clearly about what they are thinking. In addition, understanding someone’s feelings, needs, and motivations are key. By asking questions like, Is there any reason to doubt my decision/opinion or is there anything else I could be thinking? I am often surprised to find out it is those two simple questions that allow me to speak up when needed or asked, or that are helping me maintain trust in the group.

Aligning Employees with Shared Values

I work with three types of teams- Agile, Scrum, and Lean. I began by building the Scrum Master training program for Google but quickly realized the potential it offered us was larger than anticipated. Now, I am developing classes around both scopes. Within teams, I strive to create a common set of core principles and ways we can leverage those to solve problems, develop products, or run successful projects. To get us started, I try to teach each member of a scrum master team what his role is and what he can expect from his contribution to overall success. After completing the project, I am excited to see the new tools, ideas, knowledge, and connections that can happen due to the collaboration between individuals. All of this is important if you are a small team with the right people to contribute, thrive, and succeed. Just remember, everyone is operating in a different environment and mindset. Your job is simple but effective. Be careful not to fall into the trap of letting ego get the better of you or trying to tell yourself it is not important because it is. Don’t let anyone push their hand away when they aren’t ready. We must learn to look beneath the surface, think outside of the box, do what we are told, and follow our intuition. You are a system together! Together, we are stronger!

Communicating With Stakeholders

When someone asks if I’m on vacation, I usually start by just saying no, even though I am a hard worker. But then I pause for a second and say, What kind of vacation is this? A vacation here or there is fine but please. Even something as simple as, Do you mind giving me your contact information so we can discuss the details? We can all agree that without proper communication, teams run much slower. Communication is also crucial if you want to achieve a sense of belonging within the team. If all else fails, ask them for feedback. They may say ‘no’ and leave, but then they can’t go home to face the chaos and uncertainty in front of their eyes without knowing if they have had a productive week or whether a crisis is brewing. It is imperative to set clear communication guidelines and encourage participation but don’t avoid confrontation, otherwise, the momentum might swing in opposite directions. Set rules and stick to them — never allow another stakeholder to break them.

Giving Team Members Power Over Projects

One other huge piece that I take very seriously is delegating ownership. Each department should have an individual manager responsible for projects and have a set of owners, or stakeholders, assigned to oversee specific areas. However, as your team grows and expands, your resources might increase and it becomes more difficult to delegate tasks so it's best to make sure that you have your defined chain of command for each area of activity within your team. I have found there is value in having three types of owners, a CEO, a CTO, and a GM. I also recommend appointing a Chief Strategist (CS), who will have accountability for developing long-term strategic plans. And finally, have a designated Co-Leader (C.L.), who will have accountability for getting cross-functional support and advice. These three types should work alongside each other so that none of them get bogged down without the appropriate level of accountability. Also, have a separate CS or C.L who coordinates with the rest of the organization or sub-organization. If a task is given to you, have a deadline for completion, and make sure each of your groups knows what yours is and what the priorities are. Lastly, keep track of all discussions and calls so each group knows what is going on and how to move forward.

Reminding Everyone About Roles and Responsibilities

Lastly, give people the freedom to understand that there are multiple people and multiple roles, and responsibilities and that those will vary according to your vision and the size of your team. Having multiple teams gives you the flexibility to manage and grow your talent and capabilities as you grow. To properly define your structure and structure, define roles and responsibilities, as well as who sits where. This allows your team to easily identify key executives when need is, and also get an idea of the kinds of decisions or activities that require full attention and attention. Remind people they are responsible for identifying the big picture and have access to additional resources. One other quick note, use all available resources. As stated before, we have multiple levels of power. Sometimes you need to reach people, sometimes you need to send them, and sometimes, you need to receive them. Remember, it doesn’t matter to the extent the request is received, if the result will be less than optimal that’s okay too. Every team is unique so if you are ever unsure of what to expect, communicate with the team. People will do the same as the last time as a reminder of their roles. Remind people they are accountable for making decisions, and setting policy for when the action takes place. On the flip side, if you cannot make someone feel they are performing their duties, explain to them the reasons why. This is especially necessary for smaller departments and units. If you have a tight budget, it would be wise to get it done quicker, faster, with higher quality, or with fewer errors. Take the risk that you can make mistakes and try again later instead of immediately leaving those decisions up to chance. Make sure everyone understands your process and steps within it so they are prepared for whatever challenges are facing them before they are called upon. Being transparent helps mitigate the chances you might regret your decisions, or worse, find out things you weren’t supposed to.

Forgiveness & Empowerment

Lastly, forgive and empower, by allowing your team to see you for who you truly are and who you want to become. Whether it’s a minor mistake or an error that you made, you should be willing to forgive and put the blame squarely on whoever caused the problem. Encourage your team to hold space for you when things go wrong. Empathize with your people and respect whatever they need to hear without judgment. Tell them it’s no longer your job to fix the status quo for them but rather, to provide suggestions on