The CEO of Google has just launched the "Simplicity Sprint" for the 170,000 employees. Here's what it is and why it's so amazing

Google recently announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, commented on the "strong performance" in the second quarter, with revenue of $69.7 billion, up 13% from last year.

While revenues show double-digit growth, they are down from 57% last year. Earnings per share (EPS) is also down, at $1.21 versus $1.28 expected. EBIT shows a flattening due to a 21% increase in headcount.

This is where Pichai and the Google leadership team see an opportunity and a possible cause for concern: Google's productivity doesn't match its workforce. The slowdown in hiring speaks to some of these realities. With rising inflation and a looming recession, it could be worse. But for Pichai, it could also be better. It's an attempt to "get better results faster".

Presentation of the "Simplicity Sprint".

According to Pichai, the Simplicity Sprint is an "everything on deck" collective initiative to gather ideas to accelerate product development and productivity. A company-wide survey will be released and will remain live until August 15. There will be three questions:

What would help you work more clearly and efficiently to serve our users and customers?

Where should we remove speed bumps to get better results faster?

How do we eliminate waste and stay enterprising and focused as we grow?

Senior management will contact respondent employees whose ideas could have implications for improving certain operational efficiencies. It's a pretty remarkable lesson in leadership given the circumstances.

In uncertain times like these, leaders are known to crack down and exhibit a more authoritarian or autocratic style of leadership. And yes, while there are some benefits to being more bossy and forceful – especially in times of instability – the risks are great, including deteriorating employee motivation and morale. At the extreme, autocratic leadership is "based on personal dominance that serves the leader's self-interest, self-glorification, and exploitation of others".

The best of both worlds - a Both/And mindset

Pichai and Google strike an important balance. They maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages: they are both directive and empowering. It is this important leadership mindset both/and that today's VUCA world demands for the best business and team performance.

By using Simplicity Sprint, they give voice to every employee. Pichai tells the 176,000 full-time employees that "your voice matters and your opinion matters," and also that the way forward will be a shared collective effort, not a show of one man or woman giving orders from the high. It's as simple as using collective pronouns ("we", "our") over personal pronouns ("you", "me") in the question set.

They ask employees which speed bumps need to be removed. They don't ask people "how can you be better", but rather "what can we do to help you do your job better". A seemingly minor difference in language, but one that says a lot about what Pichai and the Google team stand for.