The key to corporations' rejuvenation, civilizations' evolution, and human development in general is simple: innovation. I am always amazed when government think they are an exception to this rule. Innovation in government is not an intellectual luxury, a topic confined to seminars and panel discussions, or a matter only of administrative reforms. It is the recipe for human survival and development, the fuel for constant progress, and the blueprint for a country's rise. The first key to business-like innovation in government is a focus on skill. Top-tier companies continuously invest in their employees to provide them with the right skill for the marketplace. Governments must do the same, by constantly upgrading skills and nurturing innovation-among their own employees, across key sectors of the economy, and at the foundations of the education system. Governments that fail to equip new generations with the skills needed to become leaders for their time are condemning them to be led by other,more innovative societies.