Comments on: Could 20% time revolutionize your association? http://www.socialfish.org/2008/04/could-20-time-revolutionize-your.html Social media strategy, training for associations, non-profits Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jeff De Cagna http://www.socialfish.org/2008/04/could-20-time-revolutionize-your.html#comment-239 Jeff De Cagna Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:50:00 +0000 http://socialfish.org/2008/04/could-20-time-revolutionize-your-association.html#comment-239 Lindy, I've been studying Google for years and the short answer to your question is, sadly, no. At least not by itself.<br/><br/>You see, 20% time is not unique. It is patterned after 3M's 15% rule, which emerged because a CEO was willing to respect the organizational culture rather than enforce discipline against an employee who didn't honor his commands. BTW, the employee thanked the CEO for not firing him by inventing masking tape!<br/><br/>In each case (3M and Google), the broader commitment to innovation makes the 15% rule and 20% time culturally consistent. For most associations, it would be nothing more than a one-off gimmick that could not be sustainable over time. In fact, I could envision how a similar approach used in an association w/o a deeper commitment to innovation could actually backfire and damage innovation prospects.<br/><br/>I've visited Google and I know from my conversations with Googlers how important 20% time has been to the organization's innovation efforts, But it is not 20% time alone, and it is not a stand-alone experiment I can recommend for associations. Lindy, I’ve been studying Google for years and the short answer to your question is, sadly, no. At least not by itself.

You see, 20% time is not unique. It is patterned after 3M’s 15% rule, which emerged because a CEO was willing to respect the organizational culture rather than enforce discipline against an employee who didn’t honor his commands. BTW, the employee thanked the CEO for not firing him by inventing masking tape!

In each case (3M and Google), the broader commitment to innovation makes the 15% rule and 20% time culturally consistent. For most associations, it would be nothing more than a one-off gimmick that could not be sustainable over time. In fact, I could envision how a similar approach used in an association w/o a deeper commitment to innovation could actually backfire and damage innovation prospects.

I’ve visited Google and I know from my conversations with Googlers how important 20% time has been to the organization’s innovation efforts, But it is not 20% time alone, and it is not a stand-alone experiment I can recommend for associations.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.socialfish.org/2008/04/could-20-time-revolutionize-your.html#comment-238 Kevin Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:40:00 +0000 http://socialfish.org/2008/04/could-20-time-revolutionize-your-association.html#comment-238 Lindy, I think you hit the nail on the head. It's a safer bet to try something new (as long as you are starting out small) than it is to roll-out "major initiatives" that amount to little more than a reaffirmation of the status quo. Personally, I have long been fascinated by Google's 20% Time and have struggled with coming up with a way to do something similar in a small-staff, busy association environment. Ultimately I feel that the associations who take the time to incubate ideas (even "strange" ones as the Google text says) are the ones who are more likely to grow. Lindy, I think you hit the nail on the head. It’s a safer bet to try something new (as long as you are starting out small) than it is to roll-out “major initiatives” that amount to little more than a reaffirmation of the status quo. Personally, I have long been fascinated by Google’s 20% Time and have struggled with coming up with a way to do something similar in a small-staff, busy association environment. Ultimately I feel that the associations who take the time to incubate ideas (even “strange” ones as the Google text says) are the ones who are more likely to grow.

]]>