The world of business is changing, and in order to survive and flourish in the new environment of modern business, old ways of thinking must evolve. We have entered the generation of cool, the era of the alternative, and it is becoming increasingly obvious that the further outside the box a leader is willing to think, the more success they are bound to find. The old traditions of three piece suits, business luncheons, time cards and cubicles are going the way of the fax machine. In this age of instantaneous communication and a globalized economy of knowledge where innovation is king, it is only natural that the principles of business and leadership will require a fundamental overhaul to stay relevant and practical.
It is no longer enough to smugly hold the title of CEO while watching your workers scurry around the office like mindless drones in an ant farm. The new generation of leaders who are running the most successful, significant, and profitable businesses on the planet are not simply figureheads or empty suits. They have taken the traditional role of business leadership and turned it on its’ head, blazing trails rather than directing others to do it for them. These are men and women who are not afraid to get their hands dirty, or to swallow their pride when one of their risky ventures flops. They don’t stand on the shoulders of their workers, glorifying their own wisdom and foresight, but rather give credit where credit is due, rewarding and celebrating the brilliant minds that have brought their respective companies such widespread success.