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, 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.
7. 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
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   Unless companies adopt an holistic approach to security that focuses on building and fostering a culture of honesty and integrity, GAP’s will appear in their defenses and in their ability to perform their mission of selling their products and services. Once GAP’s are exposed, they can be exploited for the personal gain of the individual(s) exposing them. Once this occurs, the only question remaining will be; can you cope with the crisis being caused and to what extent is "damage control" required. Insurium has the solution www.insurium.comIn order, to adequately protect your corporate assets (People, P
   on 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, 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.
   7. 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 ste
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      s 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.
   8. 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.
   9. 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.
   10. 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.
   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 ste
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       tward, avoid the trap of doing only that which is familiar and traditional, and employ forward thinking to avoid getting stuck in the past.
   14. 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.
   15. 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.
   16. 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.
   17. 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 ste
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       sses 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.
   18. 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.
   19. 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.