Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008 - (Page 6)

OUR VOICE Who Can You Trust? Perhaps the saddest case of collateral damage resulting from the financial meltdown that is sweeping the country and the world is the loss of trust. People that were viewed as experts— from personal advisors to business consultants to leaders at the highest levels of government and the financial world—repeatedly sought to calm fears of the looming crisis in an attempt to bolster confidence among consumers and investors. After all, broad-based consumer/investor confidence means stability and the potential for increased sales and rising values. Without that confidence, profits decline. In the end, as many of the pillars of assurance that spoke in support of the financial structure began to crumble and fall, our confidence in many of those experts laid in the rubble. Top CEOs of the largest financial institutions in the country were suggesting calm. Financial advisor after financial advisor told their investors to stay the course. Government officials of the highest order were calling for the same. But can anyone really blame them? Investors at all levels—especially in this age of electronic trading—will stampede like lemmings whenever any person of prominence voices concern, much less alarm. But who can you trust going forward? Who will provide reliable insight that can help navigate the treacherous, recessive waters ahead? I’m of a mind that in the worst of conditions, one can identify heroes. Good people and reliable advisors can be more clearly identified. Further, a search of the past can also identify those who called it right, who were willing to be a voice of caution, consistently forecast the potential for trouble and offered advice on how to proceed. The key here, as in all such human relationships, is consistency. An anecdotal prediction is no substitute for steady vision, anticipation, and most importantly, wisdom. When the times are significantly less than the best, naysayers seem to come out of the woodwork and are willing to say, “I told you so.” When the good times are rolling, and everybody is making money, who wants to hear a voice of caution who appears to be bent on spoiling the profit-making party? Whether they are national prognosticators or personal friends, a member of a consulting firm or knowledgeable employee, hindsight in troubled times can reveal valuable advisors and those that at least deserve to be heard as you lay out your short- and long-term plans. This is also a good time for some self evaluation. How open were any of us to take steps a long time ago toward a more cautious financial approach? Are we all simply a microcosm of the macro-culture of our economy which demand profit increases every quarter? At its root, that is part of the problem. Investments don’t attract investors if they aren’t turning a profit. The point is, as we move forward and find ways to survive the troubled economic times ahead, it’s not a bad idea to take a look around and a look back to discover who had the best handle on what has now come to pass. Granted, perhaps no one could have fully grasped the scope of this economic crisis because of the nature of some of the riskiest investment products, but who came closest? Even more important, what were your instincts? Did you learn anything about yourself? In the final analysis, the one person you want to trust the most…is you. Rob Kundert, Senior Editor Send us your 2¢! We welcome your opinion Reader responses to articles in Sustainable Land Development Today are encouraged and may be sent via mail or email (Editor@SLDTonline.com), or online through SLDTonline.com. Mailing address: Sustainable Land Development Today, Attention: Editor, 275 East 10th St. Suite 201, Dubuque, IA 52001 The mission of Sustainable Land Development Today is to be the leading forum for the exchange of ideas to advance the principles of sustainability--balancing the needs of people, planet and profit. In fulfilling that role, divergent beliefs and perspectives will at times result in debate which we believe will produce the solutions required to address the ever-changing challenges of the industry into the future. 6 November/December 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today http://www.SLDTonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008

Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008 Contents Our Voice Editorial Board SLDT Resources The BottomLine Go Forth and Tread Lightly on the Land It’s About Name Recognition Managing Risk in the Sustainable Building Frontier Industry Spotlight Achieving Sustainable Land Development Worthy of Recognition Stormwater Wastewater Erosion Control Innovation Classifieds Advertiser Index Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2008

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