It's scary out there.

There's no getting around the news--foreclosures, bailouts and breathtaking stock market swings. It's real. It's upon us. It can be scary.

Though we can't control the economy, we can control our perception (and reaction) to it. Every crisis creates a positive by-product--opportunity. It's more important than ever to think creatively and adapt "on-the-fly" to seize those opportunities. Companies that do so will thrive, even during the most challenging times.

Here are some survival strategies for tough times:

Don’t Panic. Be a Leader.

Fear plays a role in the ups and downs of the stock market. Don't let it create the same volatility in your business. Plan ahead based on facts, not fear.Think of yourself as captain of the ship. With stormy seas the crew (staff) and passengers (customers) look for leadership. Define flexibility with your actions. Others will follow suit. And don’t sugar coat any problems. Use clear, consistent and confident communication.

Make “Recession” Your Call to Action

Hard times breed efficiency. Take the time to fix the inefficiencies you’ve been putting off. Also re-evaluate your direction. Be realistic about the situation as it is now, not what you projected months ago that it would be.

Retain Your Best and Brightest

How? Communicate more with staff and vendors. Acknowledge the situation. Communicate your expectations. Seek advice. Uncertain times make people seek security and reassurance. They're unlikely to jump ship, especially if they feel like part of a team.

Now is not the time to skimp on customer service.

Like your staff, clients need to hear from you. Whether your customer service is awe-inspiring or plain awful (be honest), what’s one action you can take to "wow" a client? Flexible payment options? A bonus offer? Do it. Don’t give your clients or prospects any reason to say "no."

Adapt by Not Adapting

Contrarian? Perhaps. But, you don't need to reinvent the wheel to be relevant. If relying on your "meat and potatoes" is what works, why "fix" it. Maybe you already offer something that just needs tweaking. What service or product is it time to blow the dust off of? Also, don't assume prospects aren't interested because "times are tough." The services or products you offer (or want to) may be more relevant than ever. You won't know unless you try.

Use Your Downtime

If despite your best efforts, you find yourself with unwanted time off, look around your office. Are there unopened tapes/books sitting on the shelf? Use this time to upgrade your skills. Or, is there a new direction you’ve always longed to go in? Now’s the time to explore it.

Value Your Relationships

The people in your life can be a source of comfort during difficult times. What relationships could you be maximizing, but aren't? Remember, we humans are, by nature, resilient and adaptable. By embracing that adaptability and being flexible within your organization, you increase the odds of not just surviving but prospering.

Build People.

The inauguration is over and I am smitten. My heart is yearning to step up, be accountable, and lead.

The poignancy of all the people waiting to hear from the new President and to get a glimpse into the future is striking. We can't be a nation of people waiting anymore.

Find a place to volunteer before you get back to your job. We have a lot of work to do. It will take all of us day and night, weekdays and weekends. Please let me know what you find:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/

Freedom

Our country is udergoing an extreme makeover. We can't read a paper, listen to a radio or turn on a TV without a reminder that our next president is a black man. He is a black man descendant from a Kenyan - not an American slave - but the symbolism is there for every son or daughter that has learned anything about plantations.

I have always been conflicted about the mechanics of the slave economy. I inherited it from my southern mother. She told me one day that "the war between the states ruined the southern way of life". This perspective seemed to influence her tolerance of people on the subway in New York.

My family was a blend of poor farmers from the south and Irish-German immigrants from the north. Each summer, I was bussed down to Norfolk from New York's Port Authority to visit my grandparents. It was a confusing trek filled with tastes and experiences so foreign I had a hard time recounting them to my playmates on Long Island was impossible. The trip was always a blend of oddities: vacation bible school, collards and okra, 'Sis Laura, High's ice cream and the long drive, further south to Creswell, to visit "Grandaddy".

This is house in Creswell, North Caroline where my great-grandfather lived and died. I remember handing him a banana in the dark surrounded by women in waiting for his passing.

Frank and I found the house this year and we toured a close-by plantation the same day. Slaves were an investment our guide said. He showed us the ledger where a blacksmith was worth $1800.

It could be argued that the plantation owner was an investor in human capital before mechanization but his "investment" was self serving. The investments in people that we need to make today need to serve everyone.

It is a privilege to work for other people and get paid for it. We can do whatever we want with our paycheck. We can do whatever we want with our time.

Brian – my son, graduate student in Portland – summed his impressions of Florida in a gentle way. “I can’t believe how many people come to Florida to stop working.” I don't know if that was a simple observation or a veiled suggestion that I need to keep working.

I am in Florida and I work from our motor home every day. Last Friday, I stepped away from the phone and the computer and drove to Deland to volunteer. I answered the call of Barack Obama to service. I invested four hours of time. I finally figured out I can work to be paid and find time to work to pay back.

That's freedom.