The Mindset

A couple of days ago I came across this article about Google’s new headquarters. Judging from its del.icio.us popularity chances are you did as well.

Obviously, it is amazing (at least for an outsider browsing the picture). I’m sure that in reality it makes an even stronger impression. The vivid colors, the open spaces combined with the ability to work in privacy, the unorthodox design, are all captivating. The attention given to the small details is inspiring.

Since I am not working for Google, I can’t know for sure that all this interior design is “good for business” (or in other words: making people more creative and productive). My intuition tells me that it is.

Now, in this blog I do my best to be practical. I try to focus on things we can all apply in the context we work in (also known as: our workplace). Talking about Google headquarters’ design seems somewhat futile. Chances are that even if you are a CEO you won’t pick up the phone and call Google’s architect after reading this post. You probably can’t afford it. And if you are in a lower position, all you have to do is drool all over keyboard when watching these pictures.

But is it really futile? Even if your workplace will never look like Googleplex, there’s probably a lot you can do to improve it. Today, I would like to concentrate one such thing: The Library.

Looking for Books?

Two months ago I wrote about encouraging your technical staff to Grab A Book every now and then and enabling them to do so. Reading is important part of being a professional. Reading enriches your knowledge, but it also makes you think. You cannot expect people to be innovative and productive if they spend 100% of their working time on their core activities. If people are spending all their energy on solving their immediate problems, they cannot really open their minds and come up with ways to advance and improve.

In order to be innovative you have to look around you. You have to look beyond the scope of your immediate tasks, and beyond the walls of your office. The next book you’ll grab might spark you to come up with a great idea. It can be any book. Even a book which doesn’t seem to have anything to do with your work.

And what better way is there to send this message to your employees than to have a library on your premises. You don’t have to work for Google to have a library. Maybe it will not be as fancy as the one in the picture above. But that’s not the point. You just have to arrange a cozy space with a variety of books for your employees to grab.

You don’t have to start with a fancy collection of books. Start with something you can afford. Let people know they can order books they want, and set a budget for it. Soon, the collection of available books will grow and you will have a library you can be proud of in your workplace.

Apart from sparking innovation and encouraging professionalism, you will be sending an important message to your employees: “You are not just resources! You are thinking people who need food for thought. And we are willing to provide it for both our sakes”.

Any company wishing to be creative, innovative and productive should a library. Don’t hide it in the cellar. Don’t open it for just an hour a day. Publicize it. Encourage people to use it. And make it fun to use.

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 9th, 2006 at 10:55 pm and is filed under Creativity, Professionalism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.