PRACTITIONER EXCHANGE MEGA SESSION: Fostering a Culture of Innovation at Google
Track: Talent Management
There is no step-by-step handbook for building an organization for innovation, but that doesn’t mean that you need to be left totally in the dark. Over the past decade, Google has embedded innovation into everything we do. By providing our employees access to information and giving them the freedom to move quickly, Google has built a culture that allows and encourages every employee, team and office to be innovative. Google has continued its growth through a series of new product developments, acquisitions, and partnerships. Environmentalism, philanthropy and positive employee relations have been important tenets during the growth of Google. This session will share our three guiding principles for innovation and will show how they can be applicable for your organization.
Shannon Deegan
Shannon joined Google after several years in media and publishing, including as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York City. He has lived in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan, where he led business development efforts in Asia for two of Canada’s largest financial institutions. From 1993 to 1996, Shannon was the Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor on Asia to the Canadian Secretary of State. He has also served as a special assistant to former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Prior to his career in public service, Shannon was a professional hockey player with the Los Angeles Kings organization.
Shannon has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Vermont, where he received the university’s Most Outstanding Student award. He also holds a Master of Philosophy degree in International Studies from Ireland’s Trinity College, Dublin, and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.