The Innovator's DNA Concept Places Associating as the Backbone in the DNA

The Innovator's DNA concept places associating as the backbone in the DNA of all five skills. (Dyer et. al. 2011) . With this, the authors imply that:

A) associating, so to say, has the back of the other skills
B) associating winds itself around the other four skills in a type of spiral
C) associating is key to the other four skills
D) the other four skills wind themselves around it and provide it with information to associate to