How Google Works

If you want to get an insight into what makes Google so special and successful, this is the book to read.

How Google Works was written by Eric Schmidt (former CEO and now executive chairman of Google) and Jonathan Rosenberg (former SVP of Products at Google) and basically explains what the title of the book already suggests. They talk about several aspects that make a company successful in the internet age like its culture, strategy and how to manage innovation, just to name a few. Schmidt and Rosenberg especially highlight the fact that successful companies need to attract the right kind of employees - the smart creatives - and create an environment they can thrive in.

Some of the content is already common knowledge but How Google Works provides both a broader view and further details on what you might have already heard. The aspects covered are explained in a fun way, peppered with a lot of anecdotes, so reading it is a breeze and doesn't get as boring as a lot of other business management books do. It really is interesting to read about the experience of the authors on how the rules of business have changed from traditional companies to the fast moving internet companies of today.

If I'd have to name one thing I learned from the book, it's that learning is never over. Even if you have seen a lot, like the two authors who have previously worked for companies like Novell and Sun, the (business) world is constantly changing and you have to adjust and always reconsider what you know to stay ahead of things.