New Economy 101

Welcome to the new world of work. Business, talent, and ideas move with unprecedented speed here. Change is constant and revolution is bubbling up everywhere. In fact, so much is changing so fast that nearly everyone needs a refresher course from time to time -- a dose of clarity during these uncertain times.

This much we do know: We live and work in a time of unparalleled opportunity and unprecedented uncertainty. An economy driven by technology and innovation makes old borders obsolete. Smart people working in smart companies have the ability to create their own futures -- and also hold the responsibility for the consequences. The possibilities are unlimited -- and unlimited possibilities carry equal measures of hope and fear.

Use this instruction manual to guide you through this new world of work and its unlimited possibilities. Read the following Fast Company stories -- essential articles organized according to theme -- to get acquainted with smart models and mentors, to study best practices from companies around the world, and to begin thinking about your place in this new paradigm. And check back with www.fastcompany.com for daily updates on the changing face of work.

New Ways of Working

The Wow Project
In the new economy, all work is project work. And you are your projects! Here's how to make them all go Wow! Tom Peters

Xtreme Teams
In the new world of business, all work is teamwork -- but very few teams work all that well. How do groups of ordinary people achieve extraordinary results? Learn from these extreme teams. Your team may never work the same again. Cheryl Dahle

The Digital Domain

It's a Web, Web, Web, Web World
The Web reinvents many of the basics of business life: where you get your news, how you search for information, what it takes to communicate. Here's our crash course in how to Web-ify yourself. Katharine Mieszkowski

How to Speed Up Your Startup
When it comes to launching Internet companies, you can't be fast enough. Here are lessons in speed from a leading VC, the founder of an e-business incubator, and a team of anthropologists studying work and life in Silicon Valley. Katharine Mieszkowski

Careers

Free Agent Nation
There's a new movement in the land. From coast to coast, in communities large and small, citizens are declaring their independence and drafting a new bill of rights. Meet some of the 25 million residents of Free Agent, USA. Daniel H. Pink

Are You Deciding on Purpose?
Counselor and author Richard Leider explains his laws for finding purpose in your work and life. Alan M. Webber

New Logic of Competition

The Brand Called You
Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand. Here's what it takes to be the CEO of Me Inc. Tom Peters

Unleash Your Ideavirus
Here's a big idea: Ideas are driving the economy. Here's a bigger idea: Ideas that spread fastest win. Here's the biggest idea: You can get your customers to spread your ideas for you! Seth Godin

Learning

Learning for a Change
Ten years ago, Peter Senge introduced the idea of the "learning organization." Now he says that for big companies to change, we need to stop thinking like mechanics and to start acting like gardeners. Alan M. Webber

Schools That Think
Everyone agrees: Education is essential for the future of the new economy. Everyone agrees: The public education system needs reform. No one agrees on how to do it. Here are four models for the future. Sara Terry