How do honesty, integrity and strong personal character help a martial arts instructor become a better leader? Zig Ziglar answers… You must have someone to lead before you’re able to lead. You must determine what your students want from life, and then try to help them. That’s the underlying purpose of the martial arts: enabling ...
Read More »Martial Arts Management
Thriving in a Scary Economy, Part 1
First, protect yourself and your staff from the influence of media and of the “Mediocre Majority.” Either filter this crap well or turn off the TV until it’s over. You’ll be told we’re coming into the next great Depression. In reality, it seems like the economy bottomed out almost a year ago, and has been ...
Read More »Zero-Based Thinking
Martial arts is about reaching your potential. Like learning an intricate kata, success is a matter of learning the right techniques, and then executing them in the correct sequence. It’s not a miracle, nor does it depend on luck. This magazine and the ACMA program present you with techniques and sequences. Your job is to ...
Read More »Tactician to Strategist—Part 2
As we finish our exploration of becoming a strategist, another factor can sometimes add to the mix. Some of us open multiple schools. So now we have several dragons with which to contend, and it is obvious that we can’t be teaching classes in two locations at the same time. At this time, all ...
Read More »A Good Instructor Doesn’t Always Make A Good Manager
While an instructor may run a class with stern discipline, that doesn’t always translate well when that instructor puts on his management hat. The job of the owner/manager is not to be a dictator, but to tell people how they’re doing, what they’re doing, give encouragement, and give advise. IN motivation, we only become committed to ...
Read More »The Seven Qualities of a Champion
When I first became a Taekwondo instructor, I claimed that my martial art is a philosophy that can be very instrumental in developing our youth through mental discipline and physical conditioning. However, I had a difficult time justifying to myself how punching and kicking could be a philosophy. In the early 1970’s, I was writing ...
Read More »Time Integrity for Entrepreneurs: Idea Day, Part 2
Last month, I challenged you to schedule one IDEA DAY per month that you spend reading and studying all of the business educational materials, books, CDs, DVDs, etc. that you invested money to acquire, but have had no time to focus on the contents. This month, in part 2, I’ll present you with rules for ...
Read More »The Secret to Being a Dynamic Instructor
If you are going to be an effective leader, the focus has to be on how you are going to serve. That attitude completely changes the way you come across. To be an effective communicator or instructor, you have to know your audience. That’s number one. Who is in the class today? What do they ...
Read More »Time Integrity for Entrepreneurs: Idea Day, Part 1
As business owners and entrepreneurs, each of us invests our time and money in information. Each month, you receive a massive amount of materials from various sources: wisdom, techniques, ways to market, ways to earn money and tips on how to make your business more successful. You may go to conventions and seminars and invest ...
Read More »Tactician to Strategist—Part 1
During the next two months, I’ll focus on a critical transition in the life of a martial arts school. The transition is the one that takes the school owner from being a tactician to being a strategist and frequently takes us away from what we love the most, teaching classes. First, I want to set ...
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