Manhattan Work Pressure Creates Need for New York Alcohol Classes

Believe me when I say that the three-martini lunch found in shows like “Mad Men” are alive and well. As a counselor for both in-class and online alcohol classes I have many students who say that drinking with their bosses or clients is an expected part of their job. This holds especially true for those who travel on business.

This is especially true in New York City. On Wall Street, where a “models and bottles” lifestyle prevails, those who don’t drink complain that they can’t close a deal, can’t even get into early negotiations because they won’t drink. As reported in well.blogs.nytimes.com.

Of course, sobriety and success are not mutually exclusive. Some of the world’s most successful business do not drink alcohol at all. Warren Buffett, Donald Trump, Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Larry Ellison are all lifetime abstainers. Whether or not he wins the 2012 presidential election, Mitt Romney hasn’t lacked for success, either.

Still, research supports the idea that nondrinkers have a harder time climbing the corporate ladder. Multiple studies have shown that moderate drinkers earn more money than those who don’t drink, though heavy drinkers earn less than moderate drinkers.

We are now in the 21st century. There is no doubt that for some advancement and success within a company will involve alcohol. But as Warren Buffet and Donald Trump show, you do not have to drink to succeed.