Google is like Apple, only different

Why is Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) as successful as it is? Many would argue that it is the detail-obsessed Steve Jobs, who reportedly oversees almost every product down to the last minute detail. This level of involvement from the top down makes for a rather frustrating environment for subordinates who don't always commit to the leader's vision. Yet, it is precisely this commitment that Jobs has -- his consumer experience and detail obsession -- that can lead to great things, even in the face of hardship. And it is precisely this commitment he demands.

I admire Apple highly just because the company designs for use, not for features or other things other manufacturers seem to always market to these days. It's still beyond me why many mainstream companies don't pay attention to design, slick marketing and user friendliness in their products when there are so many examples in the business world where these traits are very successful. Jobs has made it a point to push Apple employees to do more than they could have imagined possible, making the frustration worth every sweat of the brow when an employee can share in a company's success -- and Apple's had plenty of that over the last five years.

What about Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) then? Google's larger-than-life success has been in its search engine. But the company has also released product after product. How? Google's been snatching up talented people and then giving them enormous latitude to make new products -- just like Apple. Unlike Apple, though, the employees themselves are seemingly in charge of what they create. Google managers even encourage engineers to spend about 20% of their time on projects they're passionate about. Now, the trick is for Google to make money on some of these products, which it hasn't generally in the past (no matter how good the products were).

Push your employees by having a raving perfectionist and incredible cheerleader like Jobs, or push them by letting them do what they know they can and by giving them latitude? Both mixes seem to be recipes for success. With Google CEO Eric Schmidt now sitting on Apple's board of directors, these two companies may just be getting started. On what? That is anyone's guess.