Teamwork Tuesdays: Laszlo Bock — High-Performing Cultures Empower People
What separates good teams from great teams? It’s not just talent or strategy — it’s whether people feel empowered . Laszlo Bock, former head of People Operations at Google, found that the best cultures don’t control people—they trust them. He said: “Give your people a little more power than you’re comfortable giving, and you will find they almost always rise to the challenge.” In low-trust cultures, leaders: Control decisions Micromanage details Limit ownership In high-performing cultures, leaders: Give people a voice Trust them with responsibility Encourage ownership and decision-making High-performing teams don’t build followers — they build leaders, and when people feel empowered, they don’t just do their job — they take pride in it. They think more, care more, and lead more. But empowerment isn’t just about freedom — it’s about trust and accountability . You can’t say, “Take ownership,” and then control every move, and you can’t give freedom without clear standards. Trust but veri...