Here are 10 key takeaways from Steven Levy’s book “In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives”:

  1. Engineering Mindset: Google’s success is rooted in its engineering-driven culture that values speed, openness, experimentation, and risk-taking. Example: Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin revolutionized internet search while still students at Stanford.

  2. Ambitious Goals: Google sets audacious goals to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Example: Google has taken on transformative projects like efficient data centers, open-source cell phones, YouTube, cloud computing, and digitizing books.

  3. Elitist Hiring: Google has an unapologetically elitist approach to hiring the best and brightest engineers. Example: Even with over 23,000 employees, co-founder Larry Page still signs off on every hire.

  4. Employee Perks: Google pampers its engineers with perks like free food, dry cleaning, on-site doctors and masseuses to keep them happy and productive. Example: These perks help attract top talent and foster a collaborative culture.

  5. Data-Driven Decisions: Google is fanatical about collecting and analyzing data to drive decisions. Example: The company’s founders see Google as a vehicle to realize artificial intelligence and have become paranoid about leaking details.

  6. Openness and Transparency: Google values openness and transparency, sharing information widely within the company. Example: The book was written with full cooperation from top management, including Brin and Page.

  7. Experimentation and Risk-Taking: Google encourages employees to spend 20% of their time on projects they deem important, fostering experimentation. Example: This led to the creation of successful products like Gmail and AdSense.

  8. Collaboration and Teamwork: Google believes in the power of collaboration and diverse teams to drive better outcomes. Example: The company encourages cross-functional collaboration and values diverse opinions.

  9. Rapid Growth and Expansion: With its AdWords advertising business as a “cash cow”, Google has been able to rapidly grow and take on ambitious new projects. Example: The company expanded from search into areas like mobile, video, cloud computing, and more.

  10. Potential Challenges: As Google chases new initiatives like social networking, it faces challenges like losing its innovative edge and employees leaving for nimbler startups. Example: Google’s social networking efforts have struggled against successful competitors.