BABY DADDY OR FATHER, WHAT’S THAT GOT TO DO WITH LEADERSHIP?

“Fatherlessness is statistically the worst global societally devastating condition contributing to poverty, war, crime and violence. That is a leadership issue.” J Loren Norris
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BABY DADDY OR FATHER, WHAT’S THAT GOT TO DO WITH LEADERSHIP?

“To avoid poverty, one must do three things. 
1) Finish high school. 
2) Don't have a child before twenty. 
3) Get married before having a child. 
How does "institutional/systemic/structural racism" prevent blacks from following that formula?“
Radio Host Larry Elder 8/17/18 on Twitter
https://twitter.com/larryelder/status/1030618828106067968?s=21 
Ben Shapiro adds, “get and keep a job” to this list rather than at what age to have a child.

I GET IT
Trust me when I say I understand this issue well.  My mother was pregnant before finishing high school. She dropped out of school before graduating and got married. It was an ill fated marriage which only survived a few years. In my book Live A More Excellent Life, I talk about all the lessons I learned the hard way growing up without my dad around. I also tell the victorious story of my mother starting over and graduating from college the same month as her 50th birthday!! My mother, my hero, went on to retire as a teacher impacting the lives of HUNDREDS of young people who found themselves in similar circumstances. I have also known the issue first hand as children have been born before marriage in my family as well.

NOT A BLACK AND WHITE ISSUE
This is not a black or white issue. It is not an immigrant or citizen issue. This is a societal issue. This is a global issue. This is a leadership issue. When parents and governments fail to prioritize the process of growing up and building a responsible culture and family structure, the fabric of society has only bare threads to cling to.

This is not an attack on anyone. If you are feeling attacked, or guilty, or victimized its not coming from me. I am however, a firm believer that in order to solve any problem of any magnitude the VERY FIRST STEP is to acknowledge there is a problem. The next step is to separate the root of the problem from the symptoms of the problem. Then to address the root with achievable solutions rather than bemoaning the symptoms.

​LEADERSHIP FAIL
This is a leadership fail in my opinion. The mindset of victimization has made the process of blame shifting far too easy. This mindset has also removed the accountability of those who have the most opportunity to make change, the person whose decisions and actions have lead to less than desirable outcomes, circumstances and situations.

Yes, I know there are certain of the global human population who have little to know means, educationally, financially, relationally, culturally and politically to make tremendous headway toward a better life all on their own. For them, my heart is broken and it is for this reason that I do what I do.

WHY I DO WHAT I DO
I believe gaining knowledge, wisdom, understanding and hope are of significantly greater value than getting money alone. I also believe they will lead to true and and lasting wealth better than a windfall of cash. As my friend Attorney Leigh Hilton says in her book Who Gets Your Stuff When You Die? “Most people who get a large inheritance treat it just like lottery winnings, it will all be gone in a year or two.” What good then, is giving money into a situation where understanding of how to invest this money to change your future rather than spending it on today’s creature comfort is lacking?

I am not yet wealthy by many measures, but I am better off than I grew up and I am not done. I strive everyday to invest in growing myself in wisdom, understanding, compassion and capacity. I give everyday to the cause of leadership in the form of this blog, video and podcast. It has always been free and it always will be free. It has already touched lives of young people, men and women, whom I have never met face to face. Many of them ask me first to help them get to the USA and second, if I won’t sponsor them to send them money. When I tell them I will do neither, but I will mentor them to improve their life where they are and to make a lasting impact in their own community, some of them never contact me again. Some dig in and build a strong relationship. Many of them are in the process of transforming their lives and we converse about it via Messenger or WhatsApp. It is an honor to invest in them. Two of them have since written books of their on and lead local and regional leadership conferences!!! (Proud “dad” moment)

Fatherlessness is statistically the worst global societally devastating condition contributing to poverty, war, crime and violence. That is a leadership issue.  https://www.fatherhood.org/fatherhood-data-statistics

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