"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there." - Charles Kettering

Hopefully, by now, you've realized that we have entered the "Innovation Age."  That's right, its official.  For those of you keeping score, this is how we got here:

• The stone age led to the bronze age
• The bronze age led to the iron age
• The iron age led to the middle ages
• The middle ages led to the renaissance
• The renaissance led to the age of discovery/enlightenment
• The age of discovery/enlightenment led to the industrial revolution
• The industrial revolution led to the atomic/space age
• The atomic/space age led to the information age
• The information age led to the innovation age

So what does it mean to be a part of the innovation age?  The innovation age is defined by user-defined advancements, effortless collaboration and rapid (almost constant) change.  The maturing Information Age has resulted in a climate where information has become a commodity and available to everyone for little to no cost.  The coming Innovation Age, in contrast, will determine how people utilize all of the information available to them in order to produce new products, services, experiences, etc.  This is the point of separation between those organizations that thrive in the new "Age" and those who are left behind.  Positioning your organization to adopt and leverage these attributes gets you in the game.

So now that we're here, what type of skills are we going to need in order to participate and succeed?  For the most part, we have already talked at great length about what today's (and tomorrow's) innovators will bring to the new workplace:

• Skilled at lateral and alternative thinking styles
• Excels at many different styles of individual problem solving
• Able to actively participate and add value to brainstorming and other group ideation sessions
• Comfortable with taking calculated risks
• Maintains imaginative and creative approach to problem solving
  
• Able to analyze and learn from failures
• Can assume leadership responsibility

As with any transition, the changes to come will likely be difficult at times.  But, alternatively, the forthcoming opportunities will be truly incredible!  Only those who are prepared to capitalize on the new Innovation Age will thrive...Are you ready?!?!?!

Have a GREAT week!!!