Do you have what Google has?

By Jeanette Davis

Being great can get a boost by studying the greats

I love copying the greats. I don’t mean things like violating copyrights or duplicating patented ideas. But, to be successful, company leaders should be studying the ones who do it best; so I always look forward to the rankings of the world’s best places to work and to finding out why they’re there.

Even small businesses can apply the techniques and strategies of the big guys – especially the ones that are inexpensive but can have a major impact on productivity and the bottom line. I found Fortune Editor Adam Lashinsky’s interview with Google (GOOG) CEO Larry Page a tremendous source of ideas for our company to help us stay on track in our commitment to significantly grow and improve in 2012.

3 ideas from Google worth copying

Here are only three of many things that Larry says make Google great and that we think are worth copying:

1) Give people meaningful, impactful projects to work on so they’re excited to come to work every day.

2) Figure out the best things you can do for your employees to make them feel like family. Treating people that way ends up making them more productive and happier.

3) “When you treat people with respect, they tend to return the favor to the company.” That means being sensitive to what’s going on in people’s personal lives and adapting when necessary.

Read the Fortune article for the full list of good ideas from Larry.

What do you think? Which of these ideas – or what others – would improve your company’s success? What companies would you say are worth imitating? Please share your thoughts in the comments box below.

Jeanette Davis is Mary O’Connor and Co.’s VP of Operations and a passionate UofWA Dawgs fan.

We always want to hear about your experiences, too! Subscribe to our blog or check back often. Watch how we grow, and tell us how you’re improving, too!