Today's business leaders operate in an increasingly harsh environment. Uncertainty in the economy causes paralysis. Quarterly goals drive short-term and shortsighted decisions. Workforce mobility kills loyalty. Iconic products decline as fast as start-ups create new categories. And the pressure to do more with less, combined with the multiplicity of available marketing tools and technology, can be overwhelming.

Now more than ever, brands and the people who lead them need clarity and guidance. The good news is that people have found ways to thrive in harsh environments for millennia....