Disrespectful student/parent

[Archimoto]

I agree with the comments and understand why you feel concerned that you may have misread your student. However, I suspect it was less about misreading and more about your focus being elsewhere...but in the end you got it right. Well done !!!

[mal103]

If it's as you say then you have nothing to worry about and will make a good contribution so go for it.

Unfortunately it's a human failing that some will seek power and may try to cover their mistakes/failings by blaming others. Just keep an eye out and if anyone has "a quiet word" then question their motives.

Most of the time they are okay but the last time I was in a committee of 5 it went to ruin as there was less done and more arguing.

[sensei8]

Congrats on being appointed to the board of instructors. You're about to enter the lions mouth by being part of the hierarchy. Be very careful, and log everything for your protection, and if the anyone wants conversations, make sure you email everything; time stamps are valuable on the "cover yourself" areas.

It sounds like I'm going into politics the way you describe it. I don't mind saying I was pretty excited until reading this post. Something I should know about sitting on the board?

From the way it has always been set up in the past 8 instructors are appointed/voted in every two years and the Kaiso (Soshi now that Sensei is retiring) and the Chairman of the board make 10 total. I am told it is very non-political and is structured towards the betterment of the association. I was also told that it takes a full unanimous vote of instructors to replace you before your two year term is up.

I did not think about this as a cover myself type of situation but rather a chance to make a difference and participate in the betterment of the association for all of our schools, instructors and students. Sort of a meeting of the minds type of thing. Mix ideas and go back to the instructors and schools you represent and talk it over with them to get a common consensus and then put it to a vote. What do you know that I don't know? Should I reconcider my acceptance? I definitely do not want to get caught up into dirty politics and arguing with everyone over things that do not benifit the group as a whole, but I've been assured that everyone is in this for the common good of the whole association.

I know from reading your posts you've been in the upper side of management so what can you tell me that I don't know?

Well,

I can, of course, only speak about what I've experienced within the Shindokan circle for well over 20 years as part of being in the hierarchy. Not every governing body has endured the drama that we've endured since Soke and Dai-Soke passed away. Hopefully, your experiences will be more tolerable than ours has been from time to time.

Having said that...

You're told "non- political"! There WILL be politics; hard to not have politics when fallible humans are involved because of the differences that make the individual whom they are. That's the intent, but something rears its ugly head from time to time to ruin all planned intentions. How yours is geared to the betterment of the entire student body, is commendable to say the least, and that's the one and only thing that we all see eye to eye. However, in trying to increase the betterment, sometimes the dumb shows that we can mess up the whole thing by wanting something way to much; it's a fine line to walk, but can be done, with integrity, when the student body is thought of first over the Hombu and the hierarchy!!

How your board is set up is quite similar to how we use to be before San Dai-Soke kicked us all in both shins while smiling. That's why we've downsized certain key departments/boards, and they're backed up in our newly amended By-Laws, to what they are now. For example, our Board of Regents, which use to be called the Counsel of Regents, use to be 12, but now, it's 5, and all must possess nothing lower than Nanadan, when before, all had to be nothing lower than Godan.

What do you know that I don't know?

What I do know is this...cover yourself in ways that you think are going overboard, because, in my mind, you can't be to careful and trustful towards your fellow MAists and your fellow members of the hierarchy. Let your memory be MUCH better than theirs. Note down EVERYTHING, and include dates, times, etc.

Should I reconcider my acceptance?

NO! The student body deserves your dedication and you being on their side in every single issue. Be involved right from the start, and in that, don't sit there waiting until you're called upon. Be professional, but, in the hierarchy, rank means nothing once the gavel sounds. Fight for the student body and for yourself; don't let those of the hierarchy that have been there longer bully you into silence and/or into voting a way that you don't agree with. Hopefully, your Hombu will use Roberts Rules of Order in your meetings because order has to be up front across the board. Study Roberts Rules of Order...memorize it because it will save the student body and yourself. Especially if the you know what hits the fan!! There will be no arguing if Roberts Rules of Order is taken serious, and it must be taken serious...otherwise, don't buy it or at least, throw it in the trash...then tell them that they've all lost their minds.

I know from reading your posts you've been in the upper side of management so what can you tell me that I don't know?

Yeah, the buck stops with me! But, sometimes, not even I have the sole power to stop certain petitions, amendments, and the like. Read, if you have one, your By-Laws and memorize it as well...you'll be glad that you did! Listen intently and not naively for the good for the student body and yourself...PROTECT THE STUDENT BODY!! At the same time, protect the Hombu at all times; the brand can't defend itself unless members of integrity don't shallow themselves up.

Having said everything that I just did, I've had more of the good than the bad, and the bad is to be expected from time to time. I know that the student body's betterment is improving and it is because we put them first, even above the Hombu/brand.

Relax and enjoy the position that you've been selected, but, just don't drop your guard in the meantime!! I'm here whenever you need me!!

[devil dog]

Sensei8,

We went through a similar reconstruction but not really the same. Our Kaiso decided to retire and move to Okinawa where his wife is from and announced this a year before he decided to actually do it and did not make his intentions to name his senior student the new Soke. As a result he left and joined another association thinking that ours would become stagnant without the possibility of advancement.

This sent our organization into a tailspin and the rats were ready to jump ship. Realizing this he announced that he would name his second most senior student Soke (which I pretty much covered in my Promotion without Warrant post).

Any way everything worked out and the new Soshi put the control of the association in the hands of it's instructors and the board.

We do not have the same rank guidelines as you. Our instructors can be appointed at Sandan as long as they meet the criteria.

I took the advise about reading the by laws thoroughly and feel pretty comfortable now about where the association is headed. Soshi refused his position unless the by laws were ammended. Kaiso allowed this and I think he made it so that the association and the art came first and that no one person can dictate the direction of the association.

Basically every two years instructors get nominated for the board. They can not ask to be nominated. The board takes all of the suggestions and 6 months prior to the new board vote they send this list out to all of the instructors to get their opinions. I am told this narrows down the list to about 20. The board then performs interviews with their students, parents and fellow instructors and this also narrows down the list to about half. This new list is then sent to every instructor and they are asked to vote for 8. These are then tallied to get the 8 most voted for instructors and they are then appointed.

Once appointed they are assigned x number of schools that they will represent. This is done randomly like pulling names from a hat.

If there are issues that require a vote the representing instructor must go to his assigned schools and get a yes or no votes. If their are more no votes than yes then he must vote no when in chambers with the board.

The Soshi can at any time request instructors represented by a particular board instructor to resend their votes directly to him to verify that the board members are honestly representing their instructors wishes and not just voting the way they would like it to be. This keeps everyone honest when they know that they could be called out on the carpet for casting a fraudulent vote.

Each members vote counts as one including Soshi and the Chairman. No one has over riding authority unless it concerns the art itself (Kata, Kihon, Kumite, Tegumi, Tuite, Kyusho, etc. and the changing or augmenting thereof). In these matters it takes a 100% unanimous vote from all board members and the Soshi can still overide the vote if he feels that it does not represent the best interests of the art and keeps within the original intent of the founder.

The board has deciding authority on Teaching Licenses, Title Promotions, Kodansha Promotions, Soke appointment, and day to day business decisions and any and all decisions that effect the association it's instructors and students. Soshi wanted it this way so that no one person could dictate to the association body one way or the other. This way the governing body, all instructors and students have an equal voice in how the association is the proceed.

This is a stark change from the way Sensei had set up the board where they had a vote but Sensei always had the final say.

The other thing that makes me feel comfortable is the by law that states there is no rank in chambers and what happens in chambers stays in chambers.

Roughly stated; I do not have more pull than say a Sandan and a Hachidan does not have more pull than me. If in chambers all instructors including Soshi are viewed as equals. If some one votes a certain way or counters anothers argument in chambers they can not demean that instructor once out of chambers and use their rank to sway them. This is grounds for immediate dismissal for which Soshi has the authoritative power.

It sounds like this will be a unique experience and one that is designed to bolster the association versus individuals ego's.

But I'll only be able to tell once I am appointed next month and have our first meeting. Either way I'm excited to contribute and honored that I was chosen.

[sensei8]

devil dog,

What you've posted sounds like your Hombu is slowly getting their act together. Time is what anything needs to grow and to strengthen for their student body to improve across the board.

Concerning Soke type's. I HATE them, and this is because of San Dai-Soke...I don't trust them! Hate is such a strong word, but in this regard, it's appropriate. Soke and Dai-Soke were trusted and excellent overseer's that had an unmatched zeal about them for the student body.

Because of San Dai-Soke, and his acts of betrayal, Soke types have been exercised out of anything and everything Shindokan across the board, and they've been exercised out of our entire By-Laws, and our Hombu will NEVER have another Soke type, well, I surely hope so!!

How Soke's were in our Hombu of yesteryear, Soke's OWNED EVERYTHING concerning Shindokan. They owned the building, the inventory, everything inside of the building, the By-Laws/Scrolls/ETC, the brand, the style...YOU NAME IT, SOKE types OWNED EVERYTHING!! If they own everything concerning Shindokan, then it's to be expected that they can do with what they own anyway they feel like. Want to close the Hombu? Then they can close the Hombu. Want to close Shindokan? Then close Shindokan. What to more the Hombu wherever? Then move the Hombu wherever. However, Soke types can't sell what the student knows already in and out about Shindokan.

I spit on San Dai-Soke; on his name and everything about him!! Harsh? Not from what I've seen.

What is your Hombu doing concerning the entire student body??

[devil dog]

What is your Hombu doing concerning the entire student body??

Not sure I understand the question. The way the association is structured under Soshi is the board of instructors have pretty much all of the power and that power comes directly from the student body. If anything is to change (say fee's) then the instructor representing his portion of the student body take the vote to them and ask them to vote. Once the votes have been tallied and lets say the votes were a majority of yes votes, then the board instructor will in turn take that back to the board with a yes vote.

Soshi has pretty much made it so that no one individual will have control of the association. We may at some point vote in a Soke, since Soshi turned the position down, but even at that point the new Soke will only take over Soshi's responsibilities. In order to change our by laws the entire association must vote and have no less than 80% in favor for the by laws to be re-written.

As far as I can tell our student body is in good hands and have all of the power, indirectly of course, but they all have a equal vote including Soshi.

There is no one person that has the power to change or implement anything without the boards and the student bodies approval.

[devil dog]

Ok well I thought I would post an update. One of my students came to class last night and told me that he had ran into my ex-student. He was told that he had his Shodan test and was meritoriously promoted to Sandan and given the advanced classes.

He also said that he had told him that he should join so he could be elevated to the rank he really deserves.

Now as his last teacher I guess I should look at this as a compliment that my ikkyu was promoted in another art to Sandan. However this man has only been training there for a year (Actually less) and has been promoted to Sandan! It's not like he went to another Shorin Ryu school where the techniques and kata would be the same or similar and was promoted to Shodan. The art he has been learning is Korean.

How does 4 years in my art and one year in this other art translate to instant Sandan?

I hate to say this about someone I don't personally know that well but this other instructor is a flat out joke!

The question I have is how does someone covet a belt or rank that much that they would ignore all of the red flags and accept something that they do not rate?

Not only that but what is up with this school owner promoting someone that does not deserve the rank? I can not believe that giving a (possible) Shodan the rank of Sandan and allowing him to teach advanced classes could be good for his schools reputation or business. Any one that has training and holds the rank of Yudansha would realise that this man is not a Sandan.

I hate to say it but they are a match made in heaven. He got a student that, it seems, only cares about the belt and rank, and the student got an instructor that is willing to down grade his art to make his students happy.

Like I originally said... MCDOJO!!

[mal103]

Some clubs seem to feel the need to promote students so they can look better as they think it's all about image and ego. One thing to remember is that they are only showing it to themselves and their students - if they are stupid enough to think they are doing really great Martial Arts then they have the problem and will (hopefully) eventually realise it later on if they ever compare standards or train elsewhere.

They are not proving themselves to anyone higher as their ego's put them at the top of their own tree, they will probably make all efforts to avoid other clubs or to criticise them to try and make themselves look better.

I know of a 2nd kyu in another club who started teaching and was then promoted to Shodan after only 2 years training, they posted a pic of themselves in back stance, Shuto Uke with their hand in very much the wrong position... They will go on to teach their bad habits and sloppy Karate to others who think they are getting the real deal.

All you can do is hold your head high and continue doing a good job, you can have a private smile to yourself if and when students from this mcdojo turn up at your club

[hammer]

All you can do is hold your head high and continue doing a good job, you can have a private smile to yourself if and when students from this mcdojo turn up at your club

Agree with this...I was in a club that I now believe didn't hold high enough standards for its BBs. Got out for other reasons but now that I'm at a dojo that does set the bar higher I really appreciate it.

[devil dog]

I agree and understand that there are those that only seek to further themselves by means of perception rather than substance. However I will never understand how they do not feel like frauds.

I personally would feel like a first class idiot if I was actually at a lower level but wore a higher level and was passing myself off as the real deal.

That would be akin to being a Shodan, starting your own art and promoting yourself to Judan.

Do these people have any pride in their art and themselves at all? How can you feel any pride in anything just given to you especially when you do not deserve it and have not earned it?

I'm perplexed and shocked at someone that I thought was a serious student of the arts.

I'm even more frustrated and angry with myself for not being able to see what kind of person he was before now. I have always prided myself in teaching only those deserving. I do not teach as a means to make money so I do not need a ton of students and will chose to accept or not accept them based on an initial interview and though watching them in class. I only charge enough to keep the lights on, pay for insurance and pay the rent so I do not have to accept everyone that walks through the door and will not. I have told those with dishonorable intentions or those that are just there to get a quick belt to impress their freinds to take a hike on more than a couple occasions. But this guy just really made me look at myself and my down falls. How could I have been so stupid and blind to miss this guy right under my nose for four years that I trusted and valued as a student and future Yudansha? My students are like my family and I have to admit I am taking this hard. It reflects on my judgement and on me as an instructor.

Anyway what's done is done and you can't change the past. I guess I need to take a hard look at myself and figure out if I have gotten too lax in my old age and what I can do to change it for the sake of my students.