If you stand for great service, low prices, superb quality, stylish design and environmental friendliness, you actually stand for nothing.

In 2008 we suffered an economic catastrophe, and the rules of the game fundamentally changed forever. A few years ago, you might hear a leader talking about doing things "the way we've always done it." No more. Today, nearly every industry is in the midst of massive upheaval. Today, we live in a world of dizzying speed, exponential complexity, and ruthless competition. Leaders today realize they need to innovate, and their chief concerns now focus on fostering creative and innovation within their organizations.

If you stand for great service, low prices, superb quality, stylish design and environmental friendliness, you actually stand for nothing.

Institutions too often focus their energy preserving the problem to which they are a solution than to innovate their way to success.

I admire mold-breakers. People that bust free from traditional thinking and change the game completely. Steve Jobs. Charlie Parker (jazz saxophonist). The Groupon guys. Seth Godin (author). People who dare to be different and end up creating something truly different and remarkable.

People equate job titles to levels of creativity. We think that musicians are creative while accountants are not. Job title has nothing to do with human creativity. In fact, we all have enormous creative potential. Even those that often state with authority that "I'm not creative." With a systematic approach to building creative capacity, we all have the opportunity to create and leave a mark on the world.

It's better to over-pay for A-level talent early on, even if you can't afford it. They will drive exponential value and help you win faster.