Laszlo Bock

Innovator, Author, Leader

Transforming How We Work

Discover the insights and wisdom of Laszlo Bock, former SVP of People Operations at Google and author of the bestselling book "Work Rules!"

Explore His Books

About Laszlo Bock

Laszlo Bock

Laszlo Bock is a Romanian-born Hungarian American businessman, who is co-founder and former CEO of Humu, a company that uses science-based 'nudges' to influence positive behavior change and improve business performance.

Born in 1972 in Romania to ethnic Hungarian parents, Bock emigrated to the United States as a refugee from communist Romania in the 1970s. His journey from refugee to business leader is a testament to his resilience and determination.

Education

Bock earned his bachelor's degree in international relations from Pomona College, graduating in just three years. He later received his MBA from the Yale School of Management in 1999.

Career Highlights

Before joining Google, Bock served in executive roles at General Electric, as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, and in various roles at startups, nonprofits, and in acting.

From 2006 to 2016, Bock was the Senior Vice President of People Operations at Google, where he helped grow the company from 6,000 to 72,000 employees. During his tenure, Google was recognized as the Best Company to Work For over 30 times around the world.

In 2010, Bock was named "Human Resources Executive of the Year" by HR Resources Magazine and later in 2015, the "HR Professional of the Decade."

After leaving Google in 2016, Bock co-founded Humu with former Google executives Wayne Crosby and Jessie Wisdom. Humu was acquired by Perceptyx in August 2023.

Books by Laszlo Bock

Work Rules! Book Cover

Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead

Publisher: Twelve Published: April 7, 2015 4.6/5 (3,045 ratings)

From the visionary head of Google's innovative People Operations comes a groundbreaking inquiry into the philosophy of work — and a blueprint for attracting the most spectacular talent to your business and ensuring that they succeed.

"We spend more time working than doing anything else in life. It's not right that the experience of work should be so demotivating and dehumanizing." So says Laszlo Bock, former head of People Operations at the company that transformed how the world interacts with knowledge.

Buy on Amazon Read Summary

Work Rules! - Book Summary

"Work Rules!" by Laszlo Bock is an amazingly insightful look into the philosophy behind the success of Google in relation to its employee structure and managerial style. It charges everyone, founder or not, to step up and take their businesses much more seriously than they would in order to get assured success.

Key Insights from Work Rules!

1. A founder is both a mindset and a call to action

You have to accept the responsibility that comes with leadership and act as a founder would. Leadership is both a responsibility and a privilege. When one is tasked with the weight of leading a firm, it is pertinent that one treads carefully so as to ensure success.

2. You are directly responsible for the quality of the people in your team

As a leader/founder, you are responsible for the quality/content of your team no matter how large it is or has grown to be. Invest in the recruitment process actively.

3. Create a solid identity and clear-cut goals

It is important that you create a solid identity and clear-cut goals for your intending members of your team so they frame their actions to match it.

4. Provide the perfect environment

As a founder, it is your duty to give your team members the perfect environment to function properly.

5. Assess progress and reward efforts

After detailing what you expect from your team, you can assess their progress or lack of it so as to fully appreciate their roles and how to reward their efforts.

What Critics Say

"'Work Rules!' delivers on its promise. Befitting a volume written deep within the algorithm factory, WORK RULES! is dense with data and counterintuitive conclusions for anyone looking to make the workplace a better place."

— Forbes

"WORK RULES! offers a bold, inspiring, and actionable vision that will transform the future of work. It should be mandatory reading for everyone who leads, manages, or has a job."

— Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of 5 books and organizational psychologist
Purchase on Amazon

Inspiring Quotes from Laszlo Bock

If you're achieving all your goals, you're not setting them aggressively enough.

— Laszlo Bock, Work Rules!

All it takes is a belief that people are fundamentally good—and enough courage to treat your people like owners instead of machines. Machines do their jobs; owners do whatever is needed to make their companies and teams successful.

— Laszlo Bock, Work Rules!

If your goals are ambitious and crazy enough, even failure will be a pretty good achievement.

— Laszlo Bock, Work Rules!

Micromanagement is mismanagement. People micromanage to assuage their anxieties about organizational performance: they feel better if they are continuously directing and controlling the actions of others—at heart, this reveals emotional insecurity on their part.

— Laszlo Bock, Work Rules!

Building an exceptional team or institution starts with a founder. But being a founder doesn't mean starting a new company. It is within anyone's grasp to be the founder and culture-creator of their own team, whether you are the first employee or joining a company that has existed for decades.

— Laszlo Bock, Work Rules!

Career & Accomplishments

1972

Born in Romania

Laszlo Bock was born in Romania to ethnic Hungarian parents.

1990s

Education

Earned a bachelor's degree in international relations from Pomona College, graduating in three years.

1999

Yale School of Management

Received MBA from Yale School of Management.

Early 2000s

McKinsey & Company

Worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.

Early 2000s

General Electric

Served in executive roles at General Electric.

2006-2016

Google

Senior Vice President of People Operations at Google, helping grow the company from 6,000 to 72,000 employees. During his tenure, Google was recognized as the Best Company to Work For over 30 times around the world.

2010

HR Executive of the Year

Named "Human Resources Executive of the Year" by HR Resources Magazine.

2015

Published "Work Rules!"

Released his bestselling book "Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead," which became a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.

2015

HR Professional of the Decade

Named "HR Professional of the Decade."

2017

Founded Humu

Co-founded Humu with former Google executives Wayne Crosby and Jessie Wisdom. Humu pioneered the use of behavioral science to deliver short, actionable recommendations that influence, or "nudge," positive behavior.

2023

Humu Acquisition

Humu was acquired by Perceptyx, a leading employee listening and manager effectiveness platform.

Present

Current Roles

Founder and Chairman of Humu, Co-Founder and Chairman of Gretel.ai, and advisor at BetterUp. Active investor in and advisor to numerous start-ups and venture capital firms.

Stay Updated

Subscribe to receive updates about Laszlo Bock's latest insights, books, and speaking engagements.