Comments on: Google’s 20% time at accounting firms? http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/ From external to internal audit Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:28:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Big Four and Mintz again part of Top GTA Employers list / Neil McIntyre http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/comment-page-1/#comment-623 Big Four and Mintz again part of Top GTA Employers list / Neil McIntyre Sun, 14 Oct 2007 04:34:06 +0000 http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/#comment-623 [...] no mention of 20% time for personal projects [...] […] no mention of 20% time for personal projects […]

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/comment-page-1/#comment-604 Dennis Howlett Tue, 09 Oct 2007 19:00:08 +0000 http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/#comment-604 What they don't tell you is that GOOG plans for 94% failure because it can afford to waste that level of investment $$$. What they don’t tell you is that GOOG plans for 94% failure because it can afford to waste that level of investment $$$.

]]> By: Krupo http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/comment-page-1/#comment-599 Krupo Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:09:19 +0000 http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/#comment-599 Ironically if a big 4 firm tells you that they expect 70-90%& utilization, then you do in fact have that 10-30% time to do other things. Of course, they'll require that you spend some of that time in training or business development, but the idea of using that time for special projects is not as farfetched as some would have you believe. And even at Google, you have to push to take advantage of your 20% time - it just doesn't magically happen - you need to come up with something to do, otherwise you'll drift to doing your 'normal' day job 100% of the time... Ironically if a big 4 firm tells you that they expect 70–90%& utilization, then you do in fact have that 10–30% time to do other things. Of course, they’ll require that you spend some of that time in training or business development, but the idea of using that time for special projects is not as farfetched as some would have you believe.

And even at Google, you have to push to take advantage of your 20% time — it just doesn’t magically happen — you need to come up with something to do, otherwise you’ll drift to doing your ‘normal’ day job 100% of the time…

]]> By: Ron Baker http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/comment-page-1/#comment-597 Ron Baker Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:22:53 +0000 http://neilmcintyre.ca/googles-20-time-at-accounting-firms/#comment-597 Hi Neil, Great post, couldn't agree more that the Google 20% program is an excellent way to inspire knowledge workers to innovate. Unfortunately, most law and accounting firms will never adopt such a policy as long as they believe that time = money. The traditional efficiency metrics used in firms, such as billable hours, realization and utilization rates ensure no time is invested in R&D and the future. They are simply useless as a guide to judge the effectiveness of knowledge workers. I've written extensively on this topic in my books and our blog, with perhaps this post being most appropriate, "CPAs Aren't Knowledge Workers": http://tinyurl.com/34yp5r Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Ron Baker, Founder VeraSage Institute www.verasage.com Hi Neil,

Great post, couldn’t agree more that the Google 20% program is an excellent way to inspire knowledge workers to innovate.

Unfortunately, most law and accounting firms will never adopt such a policy as long as they believe that time = money.

The traditional efficiency metrics used in firms, such as billable hours, realization and utilization rates ensure no time is invested in R&D and the future. They are simply useless as a guide to judge the effectiveness of knowledge workers.

I’ve written extensively on this topic in my books and our blog, with perhaps this post being most appropriate, “CPAs Aren’t Knowledge Workers”:

http://tinyurl.com/34yp5r

Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Ron Baker, Founder
VeraSage Institute
http://www.verasage.com

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