In the current economic environment, playing it safe is probably the most dangerous thing you could do. But all too often, pressure from shareholders greedy for short-term gains makes executives fearful and risk-averse – with devastating consequences.

Even in the mainstream business environment, dealing with the challenges of the working day actually offers a great playground and outlet for developing our spiritual selves and for sharing our light with others.

Just because someone is a high performer doesn't automatically mean that they will make a successful move into a leadership role. But that's what many organizations seem to think – and in doing so, they are setting up their high potential employees to fail.

Economic cycles are a fact of life and business leaders are well used to dealing with their ups and downs. But this recession is different. It isn't just confidence in the economy that is eroding fast. Business leaders have lost their self-confidence, too - with damaging results.

Organisations that try to impose command-and-control management on today's generation of digital natives who have grown up with social media and Web 2.0 are in for a rude shock. Instead, they need to rethink the function of leadership and accept that information is a commodity, not a means of controlling people.

Most companies claim that employees are their most valued asset. But few seem to believe it and even fewer act on it. One sure sign is the attitude towards training. While some firms see training as an expense, others realize it is an investment.