Rather strong rhetoric. But I believe it. The fundamental nature of the change that engulfs us has caught us unprepared. No aspect of the way our public and private institutions are organized must go unexamined. Or unchanged. “Foremost task,” “our generation”? Without a doubt, the answer is. . . YES.

If design is the Seat of the Soul of the New Value-Added Paradigm. . . Brand Power is its ultimate expression. Brand as in Brand You (e.g., Tom), as in the reason for being at the two-person financial advisory firm. . . or the basis for billions upon billions of dollars of market capitalization at the likes of Nokia or Nike.

The world is/is going “feminine.” Feminine sensibilities will dominate the creation of economic value. But forget future directions: women already purchase the lion’s share of everything, consumer and commercial-- and it is (oddly) the ever so rare firm that has fully re-aligned its enterprise parameters to cater to women’s needs.

A second neglected mega-Megatrend also (1) has trillions of dollars in potential and is (2) blithely ignored by 9.99 out of 10 enterprises. Namely the All New & Different & Enormous & Wealthy Boomer-Geezer group. (E.g.: boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, number 80 million in the U.S. alone.)

This statement is obvious. And its implications should be (but seldom are): Talent Acquisition & Development must become as much of an obsession for conventional companies and government agencies as it is for an NFL franchise or Cirque du Soleil.

Better than it used to be? Sure! Nonetheless, women remain our No. 1 underutilized source of talent, especially leadership talent. Furthermore, the world is moving women’s way: the new economy’s leadership requirements – such as improvisation, power sharing and appreciation of intangibles -- are a near perfect match with women’s inherent strengths.

We must learn to honor the creative and entrepreneurial instinct. The school system is a near-perfect device for quashing both. If Talent Rules All. . . then there is no higher priority than the 179.5 degree reinvention of the fundamental nature of schooling. Won’t sit still? Talks back? Promote ‘em early!

We must use every device imaginable to force ourselves out of comfort zones. My short list of “must haves”: weird boards of directors, weird customers, weird suppliers, weird employees. . . weird lunchmates and weird vacations. We must try and emulate advertising genius Jay Chiat, who once said, “I’m only comfortable when I’m uncomfortable.” Amen.

We must use every device imaginable to force ourselves out of comfort zones. My short list of “must haves”: weird boards of directors, weird customers, weird suppliers, weird employees. . . weird lunchmates and weird vacations. We must try and emulate advertising genius Jay Chiat, who once said, “I’m only comfortable when I’m uncomfortable.” Amen.