Be Careful, My Friend, Very Careful...

[sensei8]

...of what you assume. Because if you don't, that thing which you feared the most, even though you believed that the impossible could never ever occur, will reach up and bite you in your apparently doubtful backside, when you least expect it.

What I'm about to share, could be right out of a nightmare, and this has happened to me and our Kancho (Vice-President). I find myself in complete, and unexpectedly, befuddled as to the how's of this...

How did this happen??

How did I not foresee this??

How did I miss it??

How did I fail at this most basic of my responsibilities??

How?? How?? How??

Our By-Laws, as written by our Independent Legal Team, were worded in such a way, that ever possible scenario considered had triple redundancies to ensure, and protect the SKKA/Hombu, and in turn, its Student Body, for the long term.

An error, somehow slipped unnoticed, and unavoidable, between the cracks of between the lines. However, and nonetheless, an inconsequential error that does nothing to lessen the value of the report and/or the By-Laws.

Apparently, Lawyers, for both sides, have fenced with one another, and now that the dust has settled, the other side seems to have a far more cleaver knowledge of the law than our Legal Team, in which, they, the other Lawyers, obviously can read between the lines far better.

There's no legal recourse!!

Unanimously, the Hierarchy, as well as the Regents, have eliminated the Kaicho and Kancho positions!! Both Kancho and I have been ceremoniously ushered into the unemployment line, with cause, it seems.

How??

Through a proxy vote, which is both legally binding, and irreversible, unless, by sheer luck, there's a majority vote to reverse it, which is highly unlikely to occur, and it wouldn't make any sense to do so in the face of the most recent vote.

Why??

The SKKA tends to be quite dysfunctional from time to time ever since the passing of Soke and Dai-Soke, respectfully, in which the SKKA loves to throw a big stick into the bicycle spokes just to see what happens, sitting back with some popcorn and soda as they watch the crash.

So, be careful of not reading, nor understanding, in its entirety, of any and all documentations asap because your future within the Governing Body and/or your school of the MA just might depend on it, especially if you're part of the hierarchy.

There's the saying...

"Be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, you build the trust of those who are present." ~ Stephen Covey

[LLLEARNER]

Wow! I am sorry to hear that.

I know you have been with them for nearly your entire life and I could always tell that you loved what you could do for the good of the organization and its students. I hope that this does not impact your passion for your students wherever your future lies.

[MatsuShinshii]

When you say removed what does that mean?

Are you shunned from the SKKA? Are you still a member? Can you still teach and promote under the SKKA?

I assume you have your own dojo/ school/ students, so what does that mean for them? Are you still able to teach, promote under the SKKA?

Sorry to hear about your circumstances.

[The Pred]

Oh so sorry to hear.

[Chunmonchek]

So sorry to hear about this.

I'm sure that you will do the best for yourself and your students, whatever that may be...The Road Not Taken...

Politics sucks, and, at the end of the day, any organization is only as good (or bad) as its leadership and members.

[Spartacus Maximus]

This sort of thing is exactly the reason why governing bodies, administration and the political aspects are personally very unappealing. Although they may serve a necessary function for some people, the larger they get, the more problems arise when the hierarchy finds cause to argue, bicker; pull rank. Pride and ego gum up the works and interfere with the essential vocation of perpetuating a system and teaching a martial art.

It is unfortunately unavoidable in any governing body to have people who will contest, oppose or be jealous of whenever anyone gets more influence and authority or respect than they do.

In the end the only true loyalty that should have any value is the one that exists for one’s teacher. Especially if that teacher put over a decade of effort to pass on hard-earned skills.

[Chunmonchek]

1. It is unfortunately unavoidable in any governing body to have people who will contest, oppose or be jealous of whenever anyone gets more influence and authority or respect than they do.

2. In the end the only true loyalty that should have any value is the one that exists for one’s teacher. Especially if that teacher put over a decade of effort to pass on hard-earned skills.

Point 1. Anytime you have more than 3 people "in the room", there's the potential for "politics"...an unfortunate truth.

Point 2. I couldn't agree more...I wish more did.

[sensei8]

LLLEARNER wrote:

Wow! I am sorry to hear that.

I know you have been with them for nearly your entire life and I could always tell that you loved what you could do for the good of the organization and its students. I hope that this does not impact your passion for your students wherever your future lies.

I appreciate your thoughtful words!! I've been with them 54 years this October 18th, and there's been way far to many great days, than there have been bad, and we've experienced our share of devastating tragedy, but as a Governing Body, we've lived up to the well known maxim that says..."7 times down, 8 times up!!"

Things happen, and this latest thing shall pass, and it will not define me whatsoever. My passion grows stronger day by day for my students, for the entire SKKA Student Body, and for Shindokan...to my last breath.

MatsuShinshii wrote:

When you say removed what does that mean?

Rereading my OP, I didn't write "removed". However, if by "removed" you mean "eliminated", our positions, then yes, for now, just like Soke types were eliminated, therefore, Kaicho and Kancho have been eliminated. These eliminations will be duly recorded appropriately.

MatsuShinshii wrote:

Are you shunned from the SKKA? Are you still a member? Can you still teach and promote under the SKKA?

No...Yes...Yes!!

Neither of us, Kancho and myself, have violated any By-Laws whatsoever for us to be "shunned" for; we are both still very much active in the comings and goings of the SKKA/Hombu, just not as Kaicho/Kancho.

Our memberships are also valid!! Because we, and several others as well, have been grandfathered in our membership, and therefore, have no expiration dates. These Life Time Memberships were awarded by Soke alone to the chosen few.

We both can still teach/promote under the SKKA umbrella.

MatsuShinshii wrote:

I assume you have your own dojo/ school/ students, so what does that mean for them? Are you still able to teach, promote under the SKKA?

Sorry to hear about your circumstances.

Nothing whatsoever affects my students and/or dojo...nothing. They can eliminate all they want everything that they want until the cows jump over the moon. The SKKA is forbidden form interfering with any networked dojo in any shape, way, and/or form. My SKKA position, or the lack thereof, has no bearing whatsoever on my students and/or myself. If I was ever ostracized, for cause, my students and myself would be fine, and not even miss a step or the SKKA. The SKKA is just a thing, and I've way to much knowledge/experience across the board to allow a thing to affect us/me. After all, proof is on the floor, and only there.

Thank you for your kind words, and great questions. You and I share way to many similarities whenever the MA is concerned through our training and in our Governing Body histories. So much so, that I feel that you and I are kindred through our MA journeys/experiences across the board. This, for me, is great and refreshing!!

To many times I've brought to the forefront here at KF both the good and the bad news/information and the like, and that was not to toot my own horn, but to share Shindokan/SKKA/Hombu with those outside of our little circle of MA misfits. So others might see behind the closed doors of a thriving MA Governing Body, for whatever benefits can be garnered, and possible help them through their own circumstances when dealing with a Governing Body for whatever that might be.

The Pred wrote:

Oh so sorry to hear.

Thank you for that. We'll ALL be fine; life goes on.

Chunmonchek wrote:

So sorry to hear about this.

I'm sure that you will do the best for yourself and your students, whatever that may be...The Road Not Taken...

Politics sucks, and, at the end of the day, any organization is only as good (or bad) as its leadership and members.

Thank you, Chunmonchek.

I'll always have my students' back for life...and yes...The Road Not Taken...because it has made all of the difference.

Politics will chew you up and spit you out and not think twice of you...IF you let it, and I most assuredly will not allow politics to win. Politics might take the wind out of my sail, but it'll only be for a abrupt split second. I might lose the battle, but not the war!!

Spartacus Maximus wrote:

This sort of thing is exactly the reason why governing bodies, administration and the political aspects are personally very unappealing. Although they may serve a necessary function for some people, the larger they get, the more problems arise when the hierarchy finds cause to argue, bicker; pull rank. Pride and ego gum up the works and interfere with the essential vocation of perpetuating a system and teaching a martial art.

It is unfortunately unavoidable in any governing body to have people who will contest, oppose or be jealous of whenever anyone gets more influence and authority or respect than they do.

In the end the only true loyalty that should have any value is the one that exists for one’s teacher. Especially if that teacher put over a decade of effort to pass on hard-earned skills.

Thank you for that, Spartacus Maximus!!

Politics are that unforgiving beast. The Governing Bodies of the MA are no different, possibly worse, than any other political endeavor. I've vetoed so much ego driven crap that's ended on my desk as Kaicho, that I often wonder just who in the ding-dong world are these people?! Solid MAists, through and through, but once you get them off the floor, and into a boardroom, they've not a minimum of a clue what they're doing, not in the slightest. But they all, each and everyone of them were duly elected into their positions.

There's the wise saying...

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Seems quite fitting concerning my new found dealings.

[sensei8]

1. It is unfortunately unavoidable in any governing body to have people who will contest, oppose or be jealous of whenever anyone gets more influence and authority or respect than they do.

2. In the end the only true loyalty that should have any value is the one that exists for one’s teacher. Especially if that teacher put over a decade of effort to pass on hard-earned skills.

Point 1. Anytime you have more than 3 people "in the room", there's the potential for "politics"...an unfortunate truth.

Point 2. I couldn't agree more...I wish more did.

Solid post!!

[The Pred]

Does this mean organization your organization has no executive leaders?