Competing on Talent

David Brooks column today, in The New York Times, is entitled "The Talent Magnet"and is a must-read argument in favor of "knowledge-professionalism." Among the points that he makes are the following:

• Competitiveness [in the future] will be more about organizing relationships than amassing force, [and] to thrive America will have to be the crossroads nation where global talent congregates and collaborates.
• Armies & sports teams are no longer the right metaphors for understanding such competition. Instead, Brooks argues that: ""... competition between elite universities, who vie for prestige in a networked search for knowledge [is a much more appropriate model]. It’s less: “We will crush you with our efficiency and might.” It’s more: “We have the best talent and the best values, so if you want to make the most of your own capacities, you’ll come join us.”"
• "The new sort of competition is all about charisma. It’s about gathering talent in one spot".... This concentration of talent then attracts more talent, which creates more collaboration, which multiplies everybody’s skills, which attracts more talent and so on."