Robert Safian believes we are in the era of "Generation Flux" characterized by rapid change. Those who embrace this change and have a mindset suited to constant flux will thrive. Examples include DJ Patil and Bob Greenberg. Companies that can adapt to different forms like Amazon, and embrace new ideas from all employees like Apple, will also succeed. Having a clear purpose beyond profits, like Chipotle's "Food with Integrity", helps companies navigate the constant change. Innovation requires failure, so embracing mistakes is important to overcoming challenges.

1. Commerce
inthe Age
ofFlux
A KEYNOTE BY
ROBERT SAFIAN,
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF,
FASTCOMPANY
COMPILED BY ALEXANDRA GLASSMAN,
OGILVY & MATHER

2. C O M M E R C E I N T H E A G E O F F L U X
GENERATION
FluxSAFIAN BELIEVES we are in the era of “Generation Flux.” What
is Generation Flux? It’s both a time period and a group of
people. The era can be defined as the current environment
characterized by such a high velocity of change, while
the people of Generation Flux are those who are wired
to take advantage of, and thrive in, this era. Unlike other
“generations,” the members aren’t defined by a specific
age group, but rather by mindset. In business today, Safian
notes, innovation moves so fast that some companies end
up focusing on the wrong things. We’re in a “next two hours”
era. Those who take advantage of the current climate and
embrace it are the ones who are poised for success.
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3. C O M M E R C E I N T H E A G E O F F L U X
THE
FluxersWhat are some examples of those who have embraced the
chaotic nature of today’s climate? Safian highlighted DJ Patil as
a classic member of Generation Flux; Patil is an expert in chaos
theory who has worked for everyone from the United States
Defense Department, where he helped with threat assessment,
to eBay, building their security apparatus. But again, Generation
Flux isn’t just for those under age 40 or so. Bob Greenberg,
founder of the agency R/GA, has been in the business for
over 30 years, but owns the mindset to succeed in the Age
of Flux. Greenberg has not been, as Safian put it, “stalled by
nostalgia”, which is something that comes naturally to human
beings. That reflex is not very helpful in our current climate.
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4. C O M M E R C E I N T H E A G E O F F L U X
THRIVING IN
the ChaosAS FOR COMPANIES that have succeeded in the Age of Flux,
Safian began by giving an example from physics. When you
look at a quantum particle, he said, sometimes it will look like
a particle, and other times it will look like a wave. The thing
is, it’s both. And the companies that embrace this duality,
the ones that are no longer singularly defined, are the ones
equipped to succeed amidst the chaos. Think Amazon. Can we
define Amazon as: A software services company? A consumer
electronics company? A delivery and retailer? The answer, of
course, is that it’s all of those things. We can try to singularly
define Amazon, but that would be backwards thinking. Some
traditional retailers have done a good job of adapting with the
times, like Burberry and Ralph Lauren, who have presented
themselves as current and relevant by aligning with technology.
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5. C O M M E R C E I N T H E A G E O F F L U X
Driving ChangeIN THE OFFICE
IF A COMPANY is to ride the waves of chaos into a prosperous future, they’ll
need to change how they operate behind closed doors. These days, we’re
all working in “figure it out” jobs, making it up as we go along, to an extent.
This should be embraced. Safian pointed to the best example of forward-
thinking corporate culture, Steve Jobs’s Apple, and four lessons learned
from him: 1) Take your ideas from everybody: Apple married the engineering
and design departments. Breaking down silos often leads to innovation; 2)
Redefine the corner office: Re-defining the role of leadership and asking
for perspectives from everyone in the company helps cultivate fresh
ideas; 3) Edit and amplify: Make tough decisions about what’s important,
honing the best ideas. Recognize what you’re the best at, and what you’re
really about; and 4) Find your mission: Which leads us to the next point…
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6. C O M M E R C E I N T H E A G E O F F L U X
PUT
Purpose FirstWHILE THE ACTUAL product or service, experience, and strategy still of
course matter, many successful companies are finding that having
a bigger purpose is just as valuable. Companies should look to
employ an inside-out strategy: a purpose that drives your mission,
and not the other way around. A purpose, like Chipotle’s “Food with
Integrity”, should be at the core of the company, and should drive
actions. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has said, “We do things because
they are just and right,” with the purpose of advancing humanity. Of
course, Apple makes a boatload of money. But they might not be what
they are today if not for a clearly defined, broader-view purpose.
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7. C O M M E R C E I N T H E A G E O F F L U X
Fail,THEN OVERCOME
IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE INNOVATIVE, you’re going to fail.
Comedian and late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien
told Fast Company, when asked how he knows innovation
when he sees it, “I know innovation when I’m completely
confused. If someone does something around the office
that just confuses me and angers me and makes me
feel stupid, I know it must be truly innovative.” If we
do things that will anger and confuse some people, it’s
likely that we’ll fail sometimes. But, Steve Jobs dropped
out of college and was fired from his own company, and
Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball
team. And they both did some pretty spectacular things.
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