My thoughts on the new gen of digital nomads:

1. It does make the virtual offices and temp workspaces that are popping up everywhere the norm rather than the unusual in another decade.

2. The digital nomads will fight against the silly rules that limit their creativity on the job. But these rules let their boss sleep comfortably at night. But the boss will have to learn to live with a few sleepless nights. After all, the boss may be sleeping well tonight but will not be able to sleep in a year from now if the company does not remain at its peak of competitiveness.

3. As for coddling the new Millenials as described in the 60 Minutes story, that may be OK for a few years. But the world is not remaining the same. For example, this US economic downturn and credit crisis has not even slowed down China or India or the Middle East. The only thing that might slow down the world economy is the price of oil, which the US, China and India have almost no control over. The economic power of the US economy is being replaced on the world stage. US companies and Millenials can enjoy the advantage that the large US economy has now, but things are going to get even more competitive.

4. I would say that the one remaining advantage that the US seems to have far more than many other nations that is the creativity of its workers. Other countries are filled with workers that work 10 hours and more per day. But creativity counts for more. Just look at things like the top Hollywood franchises and Apple’s iPod/iPhone. I believe that US creativity is the result of its free and open society. Other countries can create the same creativity in their people if their governments are willing to increase the freedoms that their people have. Their people have to feel comfortable with trying something very new and with completely failing. Not an easy thing to learn.