//THE TERROR
 
Whatever else the nation has learned from the September 11, 2001 attack on America, it is clear American business was sent a loud wake-up call.

Companies discovered their vulnerability, not from without but from within. What happened to business in the weeks since September 11 is revealing - and instructive. Are small and mid-sized businesses hunkering down? He's not alone, of course. For a while, it seemed companies were actually catatonic, unable to make a move or a decision. No one wanted to do anything because no one knew what might happen next.

While no businessperson wants to admit it, most of us were just plain scared. Many had good reason to be, particularly the airline and hospitality industries, along with the ancillary services supporting these vast enterprises. But the fear is not confined to Wall Street and a smattering of industries. With a slowdown in sales, uncertainty has penetrated every segment of the economy. It seems as if corporate and consumer priorities changed overnight. Uncertainty was rampant as the business climate remained dismal. And even though the mayor of New York City and the President of the U.S. has constantly urged everyone to "get on with it," the message has not resonated with most people as further "alerts" were sounded.

The attack laid bare the utter dependence of American business on a growth economy for its success. Over the last half decade, what we thought was our business prowess was actually just plain old good luck at being in the right place at the right time. Simply put, business is now being put to the test, and coming up with a passing score is a challenge. Yet, if we look closely, the attack offers lessons for succeeding in 2002.

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