Critical thinking and problem-solving: Companies need to be able to continuously improve products, processes, and services in order to compete. And to do this they need workers to have critical thinking skills and to be able to ask the right questions to get to the bottom of a problem.
Collaboration across networks and leading by influence: Given the interconnected nature of the business world, leadership skills and the ability to influence and work together as a team have become increasingly important.
Agility and adaptability: The ability to adapt and pick up new skills quickly is vital for success: workers must be able to use a range of tools to solve a problem. This is also known as "learnability", a sought-after skill among job candidates.
Initiative and entrepreneurialism: There is no harm in trying: often people and businesses suffer from a tendency to be risk-averse. It is better to try 10 things and succeed in eight than it is to try five and succeed in all of them.
Effective oral and written communication: Recruits' fuzzy thinking and inability to articulate their thoughts were common complaints that Wagner came across from business leaders when researching his book.
Accessing and analyzing information: Many employees have to deal with an immense amount of information on a daily basis: the ability to sift through it and pull out what is relevant is a challenge.
Curiosity and imagination: Curiosity and imagination are what drive innovation and are key to problem-solving. "We're all born curious, creative, and imaginative," says Wagner. "The average four-year-old asks a hundred questions a day.