Promotion without warrant

[devil dog]

shogoshin, I apologize for making snap judgements. I remember you teaching our classes when I first started and have a lot of respect for who you where back then and it sounds like you have not change much since then.

We all make personal decisions and you are right I did not know that you turned down promotion. I figured you got sloppy and lazy like so many instructors do when they reach a certain rank and stop teaching or trying to better yourself.

I will talk to sensei and appreciate you not taking this personally. I do not wish to tarnish your name or disrespect you. I realize that Sensei thinks very highly of you and I should have taken that into account before speaking my mind in anger over the situation.

Sensei Pete told me that you did not accept successorship and that he respects your reasons and so does Sensei. I guess that should speak for itself. However you can understand that a lot of instructors took this personally especially the ones that have devoted themselves to the art and to the organization.

I hope you can understand this and accept my apology for snapping to judgement. I guess my humility took a back seat to my anger.

I see you live in Kentucky. I do too. We should get together and train. Where are you at in Kentucky? I'm down close to the Tennessee and Viginia borders.

[shogoshin]

Devil dog,

Humility is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. I know this all to well. No harm done you just did not have all the facts. Don't worry about it. We'll be talking soon and I'll fill in the blanks.

Believe it or not you'll be playing an active role in this but as I said not over a public forum. Call sensei and then give me call.

I'm in northern my near Cincinnati.

[sensei8]

Reading the dialogue between you two, it reminded me of what our Hombu has endured ever since Soke and Dai-Soke passed away, respectively 2008 and 2010.

I've aired this over the many years here at KF, and I did that because I needed fresh ideas and minds that were outside of the Shindokan circle, and it's a sensitive area, to say the least. I've refused many promotions from Dai-Soke for both personal as well as professional reasons. He understood my reasons and he respected my wishes without any ambiguity whatsoever.

I feel that I'd like to say, and this might not be the situation at your Hombu, and it wasn't the situation at our Hombu either, but the successor doesn't have to be the highest rank. No!!

I can't stand politics but you know what, they're there for a reason, and the reason is suppose to increase the betterment of the student body. To protect the student body!! When the student body is no longer more important than the hierarchy, then something has to be changed/fixed.

Sorry, for putting myself in your conversation, and my intent was to let you know that I understand, and that I sympathize with the plight that you're all facing. I've been there before, and it was a roller-coaster of a ride, to say the least.

What a Hombu does is no ones business except those of said Hombu!!

[devil dog]

Sensei 8,

I appreciate your wisdom. I have come to value the opinions of you and others on this forum.

However in this case I have come to realize that I was being petty and did not have the facts before I decided to judge.

After talking with Sensei last night for a few hours I have come to realize that if I were in Sensei's shoes I would have appointed this man Soke as well.

I am not sure if Sensei Ken (shogoshin) will be upset about this but I feel like this should be shared so that others can learn from it.

To make his point to me, Sensei forwarded the letter shogoshin sent to him explaining why he could not accept the appointment. It almost brought me to tears knowing that I judged this man unfairly and disrespected him publically on this forum.

This is the letter and I quote "As Soke I would be representing your legacy, our organization, our instructors and our students.

Others would judge our organization and it's instructors based on my skill level and depth of knowledge. Knowing where I am as a student of the arts both in skill and knowledge I can not in good conscience accept this appointment. I do not measure up to this appointment and would only cast a shadow doubt over this organization by accepting something that I know in my heart I am not worthy of.

A Soke to me is someone to be looked up too and that others strive to be like. Someone who represents the best of what the art has to offer. Someone who has dedicated their lifes pursutes to the betterment of the art and the perfection of onesself.

I have not done this and do not exeplify what a Soke is. Because of my time off and decisions I have made along the way I do not deserve, nor in my mind, rate the grade I wear much less this prestigious position.

I would be but a mere paper tiger and this would cast a shadow over the whole organization and diminish your legacy and bring question over the abilities of our instructors and students. With respect to you and those that represent the organization I humbly ask you to reconsider this appointment. I do not wish to go against your wishes or what you feel is best for us but I must humbly decline this genrous offer in the best interests of the continuation of our organization. I will not jeopardize what we all love for a chance to be something that would merely be a lie.

With respect and in the best interests of all involved I must decline." end quote.

Sensei clarified a lot about this man that none of us knew about. I and others made a snap judgement before getting the facts. I am humbled by this mans respect for all of us and his personal humility and selflessness in turning down something that only few ever get a chance at.

I am embarrassed to have judged him before knowing the facts. He is a much better man than I. I am not sure I would have put others over my personal wants and status if the roles were reversed. I publicly apologize to him and hope he can forgive my disrespectful actions.

[sensei8]

I respectfully step away from the conversation because as I've said before, the business of the Hombu is THAT Hombu's business alone!!

I bow to his reasons, and I bow to the content of his letter!!

[devil dog]

Well I guess I can give an update since everything has been finalized.

Our Sensei appointed shogoshin as Soshi. Had no idea what this meant and had to look it up. It basically means head instructor of an organization or art. It's really the same thing as Soke in terms of what his responsibilities are within our association but without him being officially appointed as Soke. The board and shogoshin will appoint a Soke when someone is shown to be worthy of the position. Until then he will oversee along with the board day to day business.

Unfortunately shogoshin blew out his ACL and will be out of commision for up to 6 months. He will not be able to teach for a while and then only verbally since he will not be able to demonstrate anything for quite some time.

I feel pretty bad for him. He got flak from me and other instructors within the organization and now that he has been appointed he is out of commision.

We work things out and I have been told that I am being appointed to the associations board of instructors. Quite an honor after making such a fool of myself.

I have told him that he should use this time to post here as he has a ton of knowledge that could be shared with this forum. Not sure if he will but I hope he does.

Either way all's well that end well. I wish him a speedy recovery.

[sensei8]

Glad everything worked out, even though some wrinkles had to be ironed out. Here's to his speedy recovery.

Congrats to you being appointed to the board of instructors, and you're right, it is an honor.