Barclays, Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan - it seems every time we turn around, another financial giant is accused of lying, cheating and stealing.

It's not your imagination, says Rakesh Malhotra, a longtime COO who has worked in Asia, East Europe and United States and led cross-cultural diverse teams.

"White-collar crime convictions in the United States alone have increased 17.8 percent in the last five years alone," he says. "Last year, the Securities Exchange Commission filed a record 735 enforcement actions."

And it's not just hedge fund operators and money traders. White-collar crimes include identity theft, cheating on taxes, health-care fraud - crimes as readily committed by employees at the local big-box store as suits in penthouse offices.

"The problem is one of values," says Malhotra, author of Adventures of Tornado Kid: Whirling Back Home Towards Timeless Values (www.FiveGlobalValues.com). "I have worked in several countries, recruiting, hiring, training and retaining employees. I found that in every culture, the same core values play a key role in the success of both employees and the corporation.

"Unfortunately, they are not taught in school - not in grade school or in most business schools. While we would benefit from having values taught at all age levels, for now they are learned mostly from parents, mentors, inspiring teachers and others who shape young lives."

It's as important for the business to have what Malhotra has identified as five essential global values as it is for the employees, he says.

"The business has to show that these ethics are implemented and acted upon. Otherwise, the employee with values, the one instructed to, say, lie about a product, will feel secure about reporting such conduct without being fired."

What are these values and how can they be taught?

• Responsibility: There is nothing more fundamental to being an adult in our society than accountability. Parents can create cause-and-effect circumstances, such as letting a teen borrow the car provided they put gas in it. Breaking such a pact though, because of a bad grade in school, creates a mixed message. When children learn responsibility, they know that happiness comes from doing the right thing.

• Compassion: It's not just a term for being nice; compassion is a form of intelligence - an empathetic ability to see a situation through another's eyes and to feel what another person feels. When adults are compassionate, they reach out to help others because they can feel others' pain - and the relief and gratitude of help, sympathy or encouragement.

• Integrity: Integrity is the glue that holds together all of the values. When given an option to stray from our values, such as lying for the sake of convenience, integrity is there to hold us accountable.

• Peace: Our ability to manage conflicts amicably is a direct result of a peaceful mind and attitude. Those who value peace view anger, jealousy and hostility as the barriers to communication that they are. In all settings, business and domestic, conflicts will arise - it is inevitable. We must work through these peacefully if we are to move forward.

• Love: You must love what you do, passionately. Do your work and your organization in some way contribute to the welfare of people? That is the reason for your passion. With love, you contribute to the greater good and feel gratified.

About Rakesh Malhotra

Rakesh Malhotra has worked in, lived in or traveled to more than 40 countries. During this time, he studied human behavior in relation to core values as a means hire, promote and manage effectively. He has focused on what influences performance and what makes some employees perform at a higher level than others. Malhotra holds a master's in Public Administration and several diplomas in business education.

Brucemore's bucolic landscape?with its rolling yards, soaring trees, timber-lined pond, and stunning gardens?is more than a beautiful setting, it also exhibits over 120 years of history. Embrace the harvest season by joining Brucemore's gardeners on Saturday, October 20 at 10:30 a.m. for the Autumn Landscape Hike. Witness the subtle and spectacular dressings of the 26-acre autumnal landscape highlighted by the dusky plum and rusty barn red colors of the season.   Discover current landscape issues, the role of public use, and the seasonal chores required to preserve the historic grounds. See how planting choices with sensitivity to native species and seasonal display affect the overarching impact of a landscape design. Seek advice from Brucemore gardeners and ask questions on topics ranging from particular plantings to landscape design.

Admission is $10.00 per person and $7.00 per Brucemore member. Space is limited. Purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org, by calling (319) 362-7375, or by visiting the Brucemore Store and Visitor Center.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

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Signs 'Discharge Petition' to force vote

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today joined Rep. Bruce Braley and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to take action that would force the House leadership to bring up a reformed farm bill for a vote.  This action builds on Loebsack's call to Speaker Boehner to allow a vote on a long-term reformed farm bill, not simply a one-year extension as has been reported. Loebsack has been leading the charge in Congress to pass a reformed farm bill that provides certainty to our farmers and includes drought relief to aid those who have been severely affected.

"Our farmers and livestock producers deserve action on a long-term, reformed farm bill, not just the lip service they are currently receiving," said Loebsack.  "It is long past time that the House votes on a reformed farm bill that provides certainty.  Congress needs to pass a farm bill and they need to do it now."

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Rock Island--Food donations are vital to Christian Care. Last year, as a result of caring community support, Christian Care served over 50,000 meals to both the residents of their rescue mission and domestic violence shelter and to needy members of the Quad Cities community! Serving 19 meals a week to hundreds of individuals takes hard work, ingenuity - and food.

Food supplies presently on hand at Christian Care's pantry are perilously low. To meet the demand and to ensure that no one in the QCA goes hungry, Christian Care is asking for your help. On Saturday, September 22, 2012, they will be collecting canned and boxed food items from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Christian Care Rescue Mission located at 2209 3 rd Avenue in Rock Island.

For a complete list of needs or for more details, please visit the organization's website at christiancareqc.org or call Rebecca at 309/786-5734.

Christian Care has been feeding the hungry for 96 years. Although the organization's focus is primarily on the homeless and victims of domestic violence, the Christian Care Community Meal Site welcomes anyone in the community who is hungry. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on weekdays Monday through Friday and breakfast and dinner are served on Saturday and Sunday. Breakfast is served at 6:30 AM, lunch at 12:15 PM, and dinner at 6:00 PM. The community relies on Christian Care not only to serve hot meals every day, but also to provide a warming and/or cooling station for nonresident homeless individuals during periods of harsher weather throughout the year.

Christian Care is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose vision is to transform lives. By providing safe shelter, support and resources Christian Care empowers both the homeless and survivors of domestic violence to make positive changes in every aspect of their lives. Christian Care's two facilities?a domestic violence shelter for women and children and a rescue mission for men?serve homeless individuals, victims of domestic violence, veterans, men and women coming out of prison, and those with mental illnesses. If you know someone in need, call the Christian Care Crisis Hotline at any hour of the day or night at 309/788-2273.

For more information about Christian Care, visit their website at christiancareqc.org or go to facebook.com/christiancareqc.

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