For centuries, geography was crucial for economic success. Agricultural societies fared better in temperate climates and near water sources; cities grew up along trade routes or near natural resources. But the most important resource for a city today is its skilled people--and the most critical skills they have are social.    

Social skills (or social intelligence) is not the same thing as sociability. Persuasion, perceptiveness, group management skills, and empathy are all abilities necessary for successful leaders, and those who possess such skills tend to have significantly higher salaries. As local economies grow and become more complex, people who can juggle disparate information and help others work together become increasingly important. Just as a developing brain needs more synapses, developing cities need more people to be good at forming connections. These people are the entrepreneurs that launch new ventures--and the executives that build them into major companies.