sensei8

Customer service should be of paramount importance to any MA school, imho. Without it, students, both current as well as prospective, parents/guardians, and anyone else who might darken ones door, its solid future is at stake. What I've noticed, and this situation plagues any business, and not just those businesses that aren't MA related, is that the word, "Service" is being, if it's not already the norm nowadays, forgotten. Businesses act that they need the customers, but they don't want to be saddled with providing any notions of any quality "Service". It's as though the business is being troubled to have to provide any "Service" for the customer for any reason(s). I've noticed it at a well known business, that whenever I ask for assistance in locating an item, I'm told where I might find it but I'm never taken to that location by a member of staff, even if that staff is part of the management team. No, I have to search for the location on my own with their treasure map directions, and this, as a customer, is quite frustrating, to say the least. To go to that same well known business to pay for my purchases, the cashier never greets me with a "Hello" or a smile. The cashiers at this well known business make me feel unappreciated and unwanted and uncomfortable to be there. Monotone expressions as well as vocalization speak so loud! No, "Thank you; come again"...nothing!! Good Customer Service costs the business NOTHING!! Bad Customer Service costs the business A LOT; can close a business faster than one can imagine. The word "Genuine" has to be the staple of any Customer Service, and it'll set that business separate from its competitors. However, there's that fine line, as it's there for anything business related, "Genuine" bad Customer Service will drive customers away, whereas, "Genuine" good Customer Service will retain as well as attract both current and future customers. Every business needs customers! Without customers, how can overhead be paid for and how can profits be attained?! I'm a firm believer that a dojo is a business!! It's a business if the dojo/dojang/etc has overhead!! Student CHOOSES the MA school, and the school of MA needs to demonstrate their appreciation, and it must be "Genuine". Otherwise, the student ratio to instructor will turn into a dismal negative. A school without students is a business that's, well, taking a very long and lonely walk, and that walk usually leads to the school being closed. Customer Service...good vs bad; the good should triumphant over bad hands down today and everyday and every time and without reservation. Who wants to go to the MA school if they're not valued? Who wants to go to the MA school if they're not shown good and genuine appreciation? Who wants to go to the MA school if they're treated like a dollar sign? Customer Service should matter! If it doesn't matter, than neither do I, to that business!! I learned these attributes in College, and they've stuck with me all of these years...the list isn't inclusive, but the list covers what I consider the top attributes needed to succeed...however, to this day, I've kept my college notes because they've been the backbone of my own Customer Service... *Patience *Attentiveness *Clear Communication Skills *Knowledge of the Product *Ability to use "Positive Language" *Acting skills *Time Management Skills *Ability to "Read" Customers *A Calming Presence *Goal Orientated Focus *Ability to Handle Surprises *Persuasion Skills *Tenacity *Closing Ability *Willingness to Learn *Listening Skills None of these Customer Service attributes are about sales and how to get the sale, even though, they can provide that as well. No, these attributes are all pertaining to Customer Service by remembering that "Service" is very important. Customer Service shouldn't have to sound like a bad word to the proprietor of the business. But, however, Customer Service should leave a great taste in the mouth of both the proprietor as well as the Customer, and, imho, especially to the customer!! Does your school of MA have good Customer Service? Does your governing body have good Customer Service? What type of Customer Service do you require of either of them?

The 3rd Dan isn't a requirement, but more of advice. Reason for the 3rd Dan is so that a student can be promoted to 1st Dan without having to go to the governing body or go to another instructor holding that 3rd Dan. A 1st Dan can only promote to 2nd Kyu. That is, of course, providing what's in the charter of that governing bodies By-Laws. I've known 1st Kyu's who have opened their own dojo's and are still running a successful dojo. How so? Well, let's look at the 1st Dan example. You, being that 1st Dan, will have a student body, and over time, you'll have students that will approach their own testing cycle for 1st Dan, and that's good, it's suppose to happen that way. The good news is that by the time any of your students are standing before you for their 1st Dan testing cycle, you'll easily have reached that 3rd Dan. Break that down, and if you, as well as your student pass every testing cycle, on general terms from 10th Kyu to 1st Dan, for example, takes on an average of about 5 years, give or take a year or two on either side, and on these general terms, you'll have went from 1st Dan to 3rd Dan, and possibly to 4th Dan. Now, you can promote any of your students to 1st Dan all by yourself, and without any other instructor and/or governing body assistance of any type. I waited until I was promoted to 3rd Dan before I opened my dojo; that was my choice, as it'll be your choice to do so. I listened to the advice from our Soke (Founder) as well as my own Sensei before I decided. I decided to wait until my 3rd Dan, and while that was my choice, it doesn't have to be your choice. I also waited until I was promoted to 3rd Dan because I wanted much more teaching experience as well as business experience. I was brought up in our Hombu (Headquarter) under the wings of our Soke and our Dai-Soke (My Sensei), so not only did I learn much from them on teaching and business and so much more. I say, open the dojo/dojang/etc, at 1st Dan, if that's your conviction, and don't look back, but, however, strive forward. You'll be fine! Sure, you'll be scared and all of that, but you'll be fine!! Hang in there, and believe in yourself, as I believe in you!!

Shouting out "Fire" has proved to be an effective way to gain some help. However, let's never forget to be careful in attaining ones attention because no one's for sure if the help provided will actually help you or your attacker.

Welcome to KF, daverojo77; glad that you're here!!

Congrats Noah; well deserved!!

Do you have a sponsor? If not, it'll be difficult to train in Okinawa otherwise. One can't just walk into a dojo in Okinawa and ask to train. One, it's rude, and two, the CI doesn't know you . If you're training in Okinawa at the invitation of a Master and/or organization in Okinawa, then that takes care of the sponsor. If you're training in Okinawa with someone who has a sponsor, that MIGHT take care of the sponsor, but again, go thorough the proper channels before traveling to Okinawa for training. We were fortunate enough to travel to Okinawa with either our Soke and/or Dai-Soke; both were born and raised in Okinawa.

Thank you, John, for your thoughtful words!!

Yes, you can teach someone to teach BUT they must have that within themselves already. If they're technical solid, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that a teacher lives within that practitioner. The floor reveals this in that practitioner when that practitioner is on the floor in the role of teacher for the first time. They've been shown how to mirror and things like that over and over again, yet, that practitioner still can't grasp the vital nuances that are required to teach. That same practitioner might not be able to teach, but that practitioner has the ability to assist. This practitioner, in time, will be able to teach. However, if one can't even assist, then that same can't teach, no matter how patient I might be. And trust me, I'm very patient in this regard.

Great posts, all!! Great things to remember and great things to consider!! When the kids ready, and not anytime sooner!! That's gold advice, imho. Not the parents/guardians, but the children are oftentimes overlooked. Turns a parent/guardian into forcing a kid when the kids not ready. Key off the kids, and not off the parents/guardians!!

Sounds good to me because it makes quite a lot of sense to do so, especially if the interest in that forum has depleted considerably. As always, I'm for change across the board, and Patrick is always embracing any change that will benefit both the members at large as well as KF itself. May the new horizon soar to, and beyond our imaginations. In short, bring it on!!

Thank you, Patrick, for your thoughts and prayers!!

Well, I'll deal with each situation as it unfolds, not until then!! If I must stay, then I will. But within me, is the survival instinct that also allows me to do all I can to create an opportunity to separate myself from the situation. I'm complete in my MA totality.

Ok thank you for taking the time to answer that for me. I feel like that would not only been important for you and the organisation but for the families too As expected, the auditorium at the Hombu was filled to the max. So much so, that the Fire Marshall had to stop the flow of well wishers. We opened up the gym, that's equipped with a very large screen, and we sent a feed from the auditorium into that gym. All funerals were completed before the Memorial began, with the last funerals occurring that Saturday morning.

Thank you, lowereastside, John, groins for your thoughts and prayers!! Everyone's prayers and thoughts mean everything to me, especially now!!

Had a new school open up, and when I visited it, to see for myself what others had reported to me, I left shaking my head in disbelief. The CI's "greatest ability", and these are his words, and not mine, that he can stand right outside the front door of his school and shoot an arrow over the roof of his school and hit a small target that's behind the schools building. No, he refused to demonstrate this to me because he had to teach class, and I had to leave as fast as I could. School lasted 1 month!!

Not all black belts can teach, nor should they try!! The CI decides if that said proposed instructor has the abilities to teach said style effectively. This takes time!! Watching the proposed instructor day in and day out, and mentoring that proposed instructor makes everyone accountable. Does that proposed instructor engage willingly? Smile? Shy? Overbearing? Looks at the clock OFTEN? Wants to be on the floor teaching? What's the tone while teaching and when they're off the floor? Multi-tasking skills? Managing skills? Detail orientated? Schedule making abilities? Ordering material skills? Inventory skills? Labor management skills? Curriculum writing? Does that proposed instructor show up early and stay late? Ownership skills? Accountability skills? Have desire? Man oh man, the list is quite long, or it can be, and it is with me because credibility is at task across the board. Can I teach someone to teach? NO!! I can only teach them Shindokan, the rest is up to that individual...either they can teach or they can't!! There are no middle grounds!! Our Hombu does certify instructors, but having the stamp of approval of the CI is paramount over the certificate that the Hombu awards at the end of the training for any proposed instructor. Why? The CI KNOWS that proposed instructor much more intimately than the Hombu, unless that proposed instructor is an In-House Proposed Instructor of the Hombu.

Good topic, Danielle!! Thanks for starting it!! Allow me to answer these 3 questions one at a time. It has been my practice to allow children on the floor when they reach 5 years old. However, I've made exceptions by allowing 4 year olds on the floor. The choice, as to what age is the best to start them in the MA depends on what the CI decides. And at times, the governing body dictates that, and to me, that's wrong. Why? The governing body needs to stay completely out of the daily operations of a dojo/dojang/etc because they've no stake in anything outside of the governing body. The governing body has a full plate already. As far as prerequisites are concerned, and what's required, I'll just say this... Kids will be kids. Therefore, the prerequisite should be directed towards the CI. Can the CI teach kids? If not, then the CI needs to not ever teach kids. Teaching children requires a CI that knows exactly how to teach them. By the way, 'exactly' means that the learning curve for the CI concerning children needs to have some flexibility because what a child did today, might not echo to tomorrow. Why? Kids are kids!! Coordination in children are what they are, and in that, they'll not be as coordinate as adults are, but that should be expected. Attention span?!? WOW!! I know some adults that don't have the attention span of children. What I've learnt by the experts and professionals outside of the dojo/dojang/etc is that the age of the child matches the length of attention span in minutes. So, if you've got a 5 years old, you've got about 5 minutes before that child loses interest. HOWEVER, that 5 minutes will be a general rule because, that child will lose their attention span WHENEVER THEY DECIDE, and not the CI. Be prepared to expect the unexpected when teaching children the MA. If you bore that child to death, you'll lose the battle of will fast, and it'll take some creative and effective tools to bring them back onto your side. When it comes to children, the parents/guardians decide which MA that child will start, and that'll have a varied factors that have to be meet before that child bows onto the floor for the first time. So, what I like to do, is sit the parents/guardians down and have an open conversation, and then go from there. The child can start anywhere, once the parents/guardians DECIDE!! Kids may want, but the parents/guardians decide ultimately. Sure, I'll push my brand, but in the end, my brands either fits their needs and expectations or it doesn't. I always encourage the parents/guardians to visit as many classes as they feel they need to decide because things decided behind closed doors are forgotten once the floor starts to reveal a many things.

Aikido, imho, is neither doomed and/or flourishing! As in any MA, they ride a wave of notoriety, and granted, some ride the wave longer than others. Albeit, all MA have their 15 minutes of fame. And in that, the answer to your question will vary as wide as the sea is, depending on whom is asking and whom is asked. Is Aikido effective? To me, that's the question that bears more fruit, imho. Doomed, to me, means that Aikido is on the way out, and to be on the way out means that Aikido isn't effective anymore. Imho, Aikido is still effective!! If one witnesses something that's not effective, than again, look at the practitioner as the source of that ineffectiveness, and not at the style. Flourishing is, imho, fed my branding!! The UFC, for an example, is riding that wave, and has for quite along time, and might continue riding that wave for some time. However, that wave, with some bad branding, will dwindle to nothing more than a ripple. Same is to be said for any style of the MA!! Nonetheless, I'm a firm believer that the practitioner is at fault, and not the MA!! Opinions as to Aikido's future, unfortunately depend on having practitioners that are quality and then some. One doesn't have to look any further than the practitioner to see if, for that practitioner, they are doomed or that they're going to flourish. Proof is on the floor!!

Labels, imho, separate individuals, thusly, divides them instead of uniting them; all are human beings. I'm the furthest thing from being a 'whimp', yet, and however, I was taught by my Sensei, and I therefore, teach it to my students, that there's nothing wrong with running away from any altercation, if one can. I'd rather run away from a proposed attacker, than confront said attacker for personal as well as professional reasons. If a conflict occurs with an attacker, and at the very first opportunity to leave arrives, I will leave as quickly as I can. To me, this meets the expectations of everything I know, both personal as well as professional.

Thank you, Bulltahr, Liam, Oshishinobu, and Danielle for your thoughts and prayers. Liam, to answer your question... Yes, a Memorial Service was held at the Hombu on July 16, 2016.

Just because one's a human being, it doesn't mean that they know how to act like a human being. The child was defending himself....good for the child. As far as the rest, I'd inform the appropriate authorities, and that's all I can really do.

Thank you, The Pred, JR 137, and Karate_John for your thoughts and prayers!!

With all due respect Bob, there is still a risk when taking an impact with your head. Broken knuckles, arms, feet etc. are nothing and you'll survive them. But if something should go wrong with a headbutt the consequences are significantly worse. Admittedly it was caused by a knee to the head, but if anyone saw Cyborg Santos' injury from Bellator at the weekend, shows how fragile your skull can be! Your right, Danielle; solid post!!

Tragedy, at this moment, is the only word I can use to adequately convey as to what's occurred on the early morning of July 11, 2016. While returning from Mexico, and after spending the entire day, of July 10, 2016, celebrating the highly successful conclusion of the SKKA's Annual Testing Cycle, that saw, for only the 3rd time in its history, its largest approved candidate pool of 1003, tragedy struck, and struck with an evil chorus. The entire SKKA's Higher Hierarchy, minus myself, were killed in a head-on vehicle accident with a drunk driver, who was travelling at a very high rate of speed!! Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends during this mournful time!! I've not much of the details, but what I do have, and what I'm willing to share, is few. Most of what I do know, would fill in a thimble, at best. Most of the information is being withheld because, I'm either not a member of any of the immediate families concerned, and/or I choose to not know the exacting details as to the who, what, when, where, why, and how's surrounding this tragedy. Knowing the exacting details will not bring them back, and much of it is a private matter that belongs to those families, and them alone. Because I've a very low constitution of these type of details, I choose not to know the exacting details that surround accidents of this magnitude, and again, what purpose would it serve to anyone for me to explain those type of unnerving as well as unsettling details!?!? Lost in this tragedy are: Kancho: 1) Greg Forsythe Regents: 2) Thomas Stillwater 3) Jonathan Plouge 4) Ben Stevenson 5) Giichi Tanaka 6) Yoshikazu Tanaka For a quick bio, please check the below links, while brief, they should provide enough history of each lost... http://www.karateforums.com/a-pocket-full-of-marbles-vt42305.html?highlight=regents http://www.karateforums.com/no-more-counsel-of-regents-vt42754.html?highlight=regents Words can't convey what I've been feeling ever since this occurred. I was sadden when our Soke passed away in 2008 from natural causes; he was 91 years old. I was even more sadden when our Dai-Soke passed away in 2010 after his second stroke within a very short time; he was 78 years old. These two deaths, while painful and sad, they weren't senseless and uncalled for, as what's happened with what took place on July 11, 2016. Killed also in this accident, was the drunk driver!! Not that this lessens the blow, if at all!! The families will find their closures, if possible, in time, if at all. As for my closure, and not that mine matters at all compared to what the families are experiencing, time heals all wounds, as it's said, but I'll allow time to see what wound is or isn't healed. My head's in a fog these days, and oftentimes, I feel like I'm sitting on top of a bomb, waiting for it to explode right beneath me!! Not a good feeling, one, I'm hoping to shake quite soon. I've asked God why! But, for now, He's not revealed this to me!! I've guilty feelings about this tragedy because had I decided to travel with them to Mexico, I too, might've been killed as well. But I choose to go home to my wife in Houston, TX because I'd been away for 3 weeks, and I was missing her. The future of the SKKA is unknown, but to be honest, and for the moment, it's the most insignificant concern, and will be addressed when it's more appropriate to do so. However, all classes at the Hombu, as well as all Executive and Administrative business is suspended until further notice. All In-House students of the Hombu, have been shifted to nearby dojo's within the SKKA Network for an undetermined time. All Testing Cycles are suspended within the Network for an undetermined time, as well. The Hombu's daily operations will continue, for the moment, but will be closed for an undetermined time as well, once a moment in time permits it to do so, and for now, I'll conduct the daily operations, but from my home. I'll return to the Hombu, whenever it makes sense, and right now, it makes no sense according to our Legal Team. Right now, my mind's on the friends that I've lost...and I pray for the fog to lift from my head, the sooner the better!! God bless Greg, Thomas, Jonathan, Ben, Giichi, Yoshikazu, as well as their families during this sad moment!! All of the SKKA lifts our prayers to those lost and to their families!!

Most Karate styles TEACH the head-butt, Shindokan teaches it, and as with anything, if it's executed properly, there's little to no danger to the practitioner. The nose, being the target, isn't bone, but it's cartilage, quite easy to break. The head-butt gives the karateka one more tool to consider, and given the opportunity, I can guarantee that I'll use it with a fever of intent!!