And with the knowledge that terrorists aren't weaker since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq but instead are growing stronger, evidence Hezbollah's ability to destroy an Israeli ship and strike its third largest city by missile, the fear that danger sits on our shores and laps at our coastal communities is real and growing.

So, what is an American business person to do? I speak specifically to the business person, because as a consultant and a business person that is my work community but most important, we wield a great deal of influence and power and how we use that power is critical to not only economic but also to our very survival.

I don't pretend to have either political or military answers to the current world state of affairs, but I think that my five decades as an American political activist (including serving a brief time as a paid lobbyist), my eight-years military experience, and my 30-plus years business experience, may offer a learned point of view.

In these troubled times, I believe we business people have a responsibility to ourselves, our clients and customers, our friends and family, our country and the world to do the following:

1. Continue to grow our businesses. Our clients and our customers need good products and services at a fair price and that provide good value not only for their basic needs but for their growth. The world economy needs to stay strong no matter the states of politics or war. And our families and communities need life's essential gifts to stay strong, which come from the earnings that we make and reinvest in our businesses and our communities.
2. Do not become conservative in our business practices, which ultimately hurts business growth and profits. Invest in growth and innovation; take calculated risks; understand and employ the appropriate best practices.
3. Seek outside knowledge and advice from every source--including business peers, our employees, business books and articles, and business experts--to ensure our businesses look outward, avoid the trap of doing only that which is familiar and traditional, and employ forward thinking to avoid getting stuck in the past.
4. More than ever, give back to our communities and extend those communities beyond our local boundaries. During times of stress, we need to help those organizations that do good. In the end, it is good for business and good for our communities. When people are given a hand up, after all, they become consumers and better citizens.
5. Do the right thing. Pay taxes owed, keep corruption off our doorsteps and keep excessive greed at a distance. (Greed drives Capitalism, even though we are loathe to admit it, but excessive greed indicates an inherent personal weakness and leads to corruption.) The economy and our neighborhoods need businesses driven by values so that we enhance our credibility, especially in times of fear. Credibility and trust must live within us, if we are to maintain hope in each other.
6. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, especia
   Getting Ahead at Work Part I
   Have you ever seen the movie “Office Space?” If you have worked in any facet of corporate America and haven’t seen it, I encourage you to do so. It is a comedy about a guy who rises up to rail against the hopelessly corporate fictional enterprise, Initech. The cast of characters includes the boss who always wants you to work overtime, the employee with too many bosses, two clueless consultants and one character who just wants his “stapler” back. As outrageous as the film’s plot is, it does reveal some of the secrets to getting ahead in the corporate world.I have known many incredibly capable people who
   n business person to do? I speak specifically to the business person, because as a consultant and a business person that is my work community but most important, we wield a great deal of influence and power and how we use that power is critical to not only economic but also to our very survival.

   I don't pretend to have either political or military answers to the current world state of affairs, but I think that my five decades as an American political activist (including serving a brief time as a paid lobbyist), my eight-years military experience, and my 30-plus years business experience, may offer a learned point of view.

   In these troubled times, I believe we business people have a responsibility to ourselves, our clients and customers, our friends and family, our country and the world to do the following:

   1. Continue to grow our businesses. Our clients and our customers need good products and services at a fair price and that provide good value not only for their basic needs but for their growth. The world economy needs to stay strong no matter the states of politics or war. And our families and communities need life's essential gifts to stay strong, which come from the earnings that we make and reinvest in our businesses and our communities.
   2. Do not become conservative in our business practices, which ultimately hurts business growth and profits. Invest in growth and innovation; take calculated risks; understand and employ the appropriate best practices.
   3. Seek outside knowledge and advice from every source--including business peers, our employees, business books and articles, and business experts--to ensure our businesses look outward, avoid the trap of doing only that which is familiar and traditional, and employ forward thinking to avoid getting stuck in the past.
   4. More than ever, give back to our communities and extend those communities beyond our local boundaries. During times of stress, we need to help those organizations that do good. In the end, it is good for business and good for our communities. When people are given a hand up, after all, they become consumers and better citizens.
   5. Do the right thing. Pay taxes owed, keep corruption off our doorsteps and keep excessive greed at a distance. (Greed drives Capitalism, even though we are loathe to admit it, but excessive greed indicates an inherent personal weakness and leads to corruption.) The economy and our neighborhoods need businesses driven by values so that we enhance our credibility, especially in times of fear. Credibility and trust must live within us, if we are to maintain hope in each other.
   6. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, especi
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      business people have a responsibility to ourselves, our clients and customers, our friends and family, our country and the world to do the following:
      1. Continue to grow our businesses. Our clients and our customers need good products and services at a fair price and that provide good value not only for their basic needs but for their growth. The world economy needs to stay strong no matter the states of politics or war. And our families and communities need life's essential gifts to stay strong, which come from the earnings that we make and reinvest in our businesses and our communities.
      2. Do not become conservative in our business practices, which ultimately hurts business growth and profits. Invest in growth and innovation; take calculated risks; understand and employ the appropriate best practices.
      3. Seek outside knowledge and advice from every source--including business peers, our employees, business books and articles, and business experts--to ensure our businesses look outward, avoid the trap of doing only that which is familiar and traditional, and employ forward thinking to avoid getting stuck in the past.
      4. More than ever, give back to our communities and extend those communities beyond our local boundaries. During times of stress, we need to help those organizations that do good. In the end, it is good for business and good for our communities. When people are given a hand up, after all, they become consumers and better citizens.
      5. Do the right thing. Pay taxes owed, keep corruption off our doorsteps and keep excessive greed at a distance. (Greed drives Capitalism, even though we are loathe to admit it, but excessive greed indicates an inherent personal weakness and leads to corruption.) The economy and our neighborhoods need businesses driven by values so that we enhance our credibility, especially in times of fear. Credibility and trust must live within us, if we are to maintain hope in each other.
      6. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, especi
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         imately hurts business growth and profits. Invest in growth and innovation; take calculated risks; understand and employ the appropriate best practices.
      7. Seek outside knowledge and advice from every source--including business peers, our employees, business books and articles, and business experts--to ensure our businesses look outward, avoid the trap of doing only that which is familiar and traditional, and employ forward thinking to avoid getting stuck in the past.
      8. More than ever, give back to our communities and extend those communities beyond our local boundaries. During times of stress, we need to help those organizations that do good. In the end, it is good for business and good for our communities. When people are given a hand up, after all, they become consumers and better citizens.
      9. Do the right thing. Pay taxes owed, keep corruption off our doorsteps and keep excessive greed at a distance. (Greed drives Capitalism, even though we are loathe to admit it, but excessive greed indicates an inherent personal weakness and leads to corruption.) The economy and our neighborhoods need businesses driven by values so that we enhance our credibility, especially in times of fear. Credibility and trust must live within us, if we are to maintain hope in each other.
      10. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, especi
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          The UK market for men’s and women’s lifestyle magazines is going through a highly dynamic period; there have been many major launches and much corporate activity in recent years, which has had an impact on the overall market.The improved performance has been due in large part to a dramatic resurgence of the men’s lifestyle market, prompted by the launch in early 2004 of the two weekly magazines Zoo and Nuts. However, the women’s sector has also shown a robust improvement, with a 10% increase in consumer expenditure during 2004.Original consumer research into magazine readership and attitudes whi
          s good for business and good for our communities. When people are given a hand up, after all, they become consumers and better citizens.
      11. Do the right thing. Pay taxes owed, keep corruption off our doorsteps and keep excessive greed at a distance. (Greed drives Capitalism, even though we are loathe to admit it, but excessive greed indicates an inherent personal weakness and leads to corruption.) The economy and our neighborhoods need businesses driven by values so that we enhance our credibility, especially in times of fear. Credibility and trust must live within us, if we are to maintain hope in each other.
      12. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, especially our employees. In these days of merger and downsizing, many are but one paycheck away from desperate times. They need to be able to count on us, if not for a job then for the truth and fairness.
      13. While remaining focused on our businesses and our lives, stay current in world affairs. The family of (wo)Man requires an educated and informed populace to protect us from ourselves. And freedom calls us to act before it is too late, which means we need to know when our leadership in both the political and economic arenas are required, so that we can step in and raise our voices up for the good of all.
      Whether we like it or not, business persons are recognized as leaders: We have power and we must use it for the betterment of society. Too often we are seen as using that power badly (think Enron). We must use that power instead to take an active role for the good of our neighbors or it is power wasted. That good begins within our own businesses and as we grow the good spreads outward.

      The world is a scary place, and North Americans are more vulnerable than ever before in the history of the world. As business people we can use our power to work to alleviate some of the pain and fear or we can choose to be insular and safe and hide behind a veil of ignorance that says "world affairs are none of our business."

      Lewis Green is the Founder & Managing Principal of L&G Business Solutions, a management consulting firm focused on helping businesses grow using marketing and sales strategies.