As the U.S. economy begins to show signs of improvement, executives say they need a workforce fully equipped with skills beyond just the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic (the three Rs). Skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation (the four Cs) will become even more important in the future, according to a new survey conducted by American Management Association (AMA). Proficiency in reading, writing and arithmetic has traditionally been the entry-level threshold to the job market, but the new workplace requires more. Employees need to think critically, solve problems, innovate, collaborate, and communicate more effectively--and at every level within an organization. According to the AMA 2010 Critical Skills Survey, many executives admit there is room for improvement among their employees in these skills and competencies. In an effort to assess how "top of mind" skills and competencies are, AMA, in conjunction with P21, surveyed 2,115 managers and other executives in AMA member and customer companies about the importance of the four Cs to their organization.