//THE TERROR

5. Take charge of the future. At the moment, with the future the fuzziest it's been in a long time, this may seem like a strange suggestion. But look at what is happening in business. Managing current issues is management's number one priority in most cases, while thinking about the future is not even on the screen. Meeting current quotas, stock analysts' (and shareholders') expectations and trying to outdo the competition are the pressing concerns.

Whether some business executives recognize it or not, it's the future that fuels the present. To ignore what lies ahead spells trouble for the present. The fact sales came to a halt on September 11 in so many industries and have been slow (painfully slow in many situations) to bounce back is particularly challenging. But that's not all. The fact that consumers and business buyers have been so slow to start spending is frustrating and confusing.

Even though they don't dare verbalize their worst fears, many are wondering if the absence of a rebound may signal that some basic shift is taking place. It's quite possible people are feeling far more vulnerable and, for the first time, exposed to forces beyond their control. To avoid the disruptions caused by economic contractions and other changes, the task is to create a constant, long-term flow of new customers. As such, the prospect identification and cultivation process is unending.

The message is clear: Having sales growth today results from making the investment and effort to plant the seeds long in advance of the harvest. The future can never be known for certain, of course, and unforeseen events -such as the attack - will surely arise, but creating a framework for the future is very much in our hands. No matter what happens next, the attack of September 11 was the clearest wake-up call American business has heard in more than half a century. While some company executives and business owners are panicked, the more astute are taking charge of their destiny.

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