Developing Leadership in Kids through Martial Arts
Like many Martial Arts Instructors, I have had the opportunity to work with and get to know some amazing people. Many of these have been young people who seem to excel in the martial arts. Starting martial arts early in life can be a very strong influence on a kid. Not only does it train their body, but their mind and spirit as well. It gives them the stepping stones to make them into future leaders.
I used to teach a specific class at the dojo called, ‘The Leadership Class’. Many dojos have programs such as this too at their school. These are students that are usually hand picked by the Sensei to train in a specialized class to help develop their technical skills, tournament training and assistant junior instructors. During the class in which I taught, I shared information and knowledge that had been passed down to me from my Sensei/Father. Important lessons on philosophy and etiquette, goal setting, how to work with people and skills that can help make you a better teacher. Since many of these kids had already spent 4 or more years training, you could tell that most of the Leadership kids were different than the rest. You could see that these kids were dedicated to learning their art, passionate about helping other kids and demanded more of themselves than the average student. Each week there would be a lesson on either history of some martial art topic, or an exercise they would have to do to help teach them about how to be a good teacher and leader. Every exercise given to them was designed to help them to be their personal best and how to encourage it in others. Upon my departure from the dojo, I left my Leadership Kids with a final lesson. I titled it ‘What it takes to be a Leader.’ I wanted to give them something before I left that they could remember that might some how one day help them to not just be great martial artists, but amazing human beings who work hard to inspire others and help them along the way too- like I had been taught by my Sensei and other teachers and leaders in my life. Below are the 8 points I shared with my Leadership Kids.
How to Be Leader
1. Encourage others, complement them and help them be their best. Remember to be positive and happy. Speak only kind and positive words to them and about them to others. It is important to do this not only with juniors to you but to those equal and senior to you as well.
2. Always keep the ‘3 poisons’ in check
EGO, GREED, ANGER. We are all capable of these and if we lose sight at any moment of where we are going, who we surround ourselves with and what we are doing, then one of these poisons, if not all of them, will be our down fall.
3. Being a leader, it doesn’t mean you are superior to anyone else. It just means you are setting the path, the course for others to follow your example. Make sure it’s a good course you are setting.
4. Learn what unconditional acceptance and love is and practice it with everyone and everything. This means to accept & love everyone for who they are. UNDERSTAND before being UNDERSTOOD. Try and dig deeper with a person. Sometimes what is on the surface isn’t the truth.
5. Help those around you to see their truest potentials. Help them in any way you can. Have their best interests at heart. Understand that when they succeed, you succeed in being a great role model.
6. Collect knowledge. Read books, attend seminars and train hard. Accumulate a wealth of knowledge in which you can pass along to others and enrich their lives.
7. Know your worth and your value and let nothing or no one stop you from receiving it. You deserve it.
8. Know when to let go. There is a time to let go with everything we do in life and with people. Knowing when that time is- is so important. Listen to your inner voice, it will never steer you wrong.
I know that there are probably other tips that I could have taught them in that final lesson. However these tips have always served me to be the best martial artist I could. They have helped me to remember what is important and have taught me that by practicing them with everyone I meet, that I can make a difference. Hopefully, by passing these points along to these students that perhaps they can take the lessons and the other ones they learn in the dojo and in their lives and really become leaders in their own rite and make a difference.
Tracy Warrener has been fortunate to have been raised within the Martial Arts since the age of 4 years old and is a 4th Degree Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate. She has had the opportunity to study with some amazing Martial Artists. Sensei Richard Kim, Sensei Peter Urban, Professor Don Jacob, Sensei Jim Wilson, Professor Wally Jay, just to name several. Of course her main Sensei is her father, Sensei Don Warrener. Throughout the 40 plus years of her involvement in the Martial Arts, she has worked her way from being a student of the martial arts to a Martial Arts Sensei ,teaching hundreds of students. She has ran and managed martial arts schools teaching students of all ages, worked within the community teaching at fitness centres, schools, businesses and Women’s Shelters, the benefits of Karate. One the causes close to her heart is teaching and empowering young girls and women the importance of self defence and awareness. Her program called Look Strong! Act Strong! Be Strong! focuses on easy self defence techniques and mind self defence techniques. In 2013 she was awarded The Silver Lifetime Achievement Award in the Masters of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in California for her contribution to Women in the Martial Arts. She is also a Certified Reflexologist and Reiki Master. She has starred in three of her own DVDs produced by Rising Sun Productions on Reiki, Reflexology and her Look Strong ,Act Strong ,Be Strong Self Defence Program. tracy.warrenerentertainment@gmail.com
http://www.warrenerentertainment.com/zen-lessons-the-art-of-leadership-book-701/
http://www.warrenerentertainment.com/the-master-key-and-beyond/