Bloomberg Bombing at the Business of Leadership!

I am beyond dumbfounded when I hear references to the Bloomberg sponsored NYC “soda” and “tobacco merchandising” bans. What’s going on with that? Have we really lost touch with reality so much that some in our society actually believe eliminating products and services which could potentially contribute to a future health risk is a reasonable approach to solving a problem? I cannot understand that. Truth is, whether or not a person has “legal” access to something that may or may not potentially harm them makes little or no difference as to whether or not they will abuse it. If they really want to, they will get their hands on it.

I think all of that pretty much goes without saying. I mean look at the war on drugs, making them illegal has had little or no impact whatsoever on curbing drug addiction and abuse. Availability of something (or lack thereof) is not a verifiable driver of positive change!!! It just simply keeps people who are less likely to abuse the item (soda, cigarettes, alcohol, etc.) from doing so. In business speak, they are not the target demographic anyway. The problem is much deeper than just eliminating access.

What we really need to do as a society is begin actually “training” our children and loved ones to make appropriate decisions and do so regularly. We have a responsibility to equip them with a set of childhood experiences that adequately prepare them to be consistent,  even tempered, and responsible adults. We must mentor them in the ways of responsible living and encourage them to seek out such a lifestyle through the comfort and confidence we project in our own lives. In a nutshell we have to start mentoring, and to do so we all have to take a look in the mirror and get ready for some honest self-analysis.

I know it is uncomfortable to take an objective look at your own actions and habits. It may even be painful to do so. Chances are you have some ugly habits and attitudes hanging around in your life that may be extremely difficult to eliminate or minimize. It is quite possible that nobody ever gave you the proper training to succeed in life so you don’t have any idea where to start. I get that, it happens, I am one of you. However let me tell you this, if you choose not to take a personal inventory and start mentoring your kids they will fail. Maybe not forever, but I can say with 100% certainty that they will definitely struggle mightily for a period of time in their early adulthood.

So even if you don’t care to clean up your issues for you, do it for your kids! Give them a framework from which to succeed in life that will contribute to generational change in your family tree. You won’t be disappointed; nobody ever said “I wish I would’ve given less effort in helping out my kids!” And a secondary benefit… There will be no need for nanny bent politicians like Mayor Bloomberg to continue sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong. Icing on the cake!!!