How Google Sold Its Engineers on Management

managementpeople-analyticsgoogleproject-oxygenengineering-culture

Abstraction: Google used data analysis to prove and codify eight manager behaviors

Key points:

In 2002 Google briefly eliminated engineering managers and reversed course when employees flooded Larry Page with mundane issues.
Project Oxygen (launched ~2009) used multivariate stats on exit interviews, Googlegeist surveys, and performance data to confirm managers significantly affect retention and satisfaction.
Identified eight key behaviors of high-scoring managers, e.g., coaching, not micromanaging on technical work but closely managing career development.
Upward feedback surveys (UFS/TMS) were decoupled from performance reviews to reduce resistance; scores rose from 83% to 88% median favorability between 2010 and 2012.
"Engineers hate being micromanaged on the technical side but love being closely managed on the career side."
Great Manager Award winners were disproportionately promoted to VP; 10% of a VP promotion round were award winners.

Connections: Google · Laszlo Bock · People Analytics · Data Driven Management