Google CEO Sundar Pichai told an all-hands meeting that the term “Google-ness” has become too broad. Mr. Pichai made clear what the term meant for the company, according to two people who heard him speak. Now, the word is said to be about “mission,” “first,” and being “bold and responsible.”
“Google-ness” has long been a vague term for search giant Google. Once used to determine whether a candidate was suitable for employment, the definition has evolved over the years.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai sought to clarify what the term means to Googlers.
At an all-hands meeting on Wednesday, Pichai told employees that the definition of Google-ness was too broad and he felt an obligation to clarify it, according to two employees who heard the remarks. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
According to one of these sources, Pichai defined Google-ness as follows:
“Mission First”
“Create something useful”
“Be bold and responsible”
“Please stay sloppy.”
“Hustle & have fun”
“Team Google”
A Google spokesperson declined to comment.
The term Google-ness has always been amorphous. In his 2015 book “Work Rules,” Laszlo Bock, Google’s head of human resources at the time, listed certain attributes that he considered unique to Google: “intellectual humility,” “enjoyment,” “ambiguity.” “comfort with respect to safety.”
The company previously reported in 2019 that it changed its hiring guidelines to “avoid confusing Google-ness with cultural fit.” The change came after the company was criticized for its lack of diversity in the workplace.
Are you a current or former Googler and have something to share? Contact reporter Hugh Langley on the encrypted messaging app Signal at +1-628-228-1836 or by email at You can contact me via hlangley@businessinsider.com).
Correction: December 20, 2024 — An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of the Google executive who created Work Rules. His name is Lazlo Bullock, not Lazlo Bullock.
