Every accomplished instructor I ever trained with had what I would term an ego. (Shihan Raul Cantu, at that time 5th degree blackbelt-Karate, and Sifus Michael Denler (1994 world champion, Shaolin My Jhong Law Horn Kung Fu, Forms) and Jimbo Carrinio (1994 world champion, Shaolin My Jhong Law Horn Kung Fu,Fighting/contact )
I did, and do not care.
I was there to learn, not to teach, and not to appraise the quality of their attitude or people-skills.
In time, I learned that arrogance is only a sin when you cannot back it up with action or deed. My instructors could, and they were gracious enough to teach me a little of what they knew, and I am only the better for it.
I firmly believe that the reason so many dojo's go under is because of both a good and a bad thing. They attempt to avoid becoming a "McDojo", as someone put it, and the instructor likes to strut a bit. Many people are offended by this, because becoming an effective and capable individual is not their primary reason for attending the dojo. In turn, they leave, attendance dwindles. The typical instructor in my experience is not a business person, and may or may not be a people person. Finally, a good dojo with a highly skilled instructor folds because of what ultimately boils down to the common person's need of having to tell someone what to tell them even though they are the one paying that someone for their knowledge in what to tell them, and an instructor's need to constantly remind that client of this fact in a less than tactful manner.
I did, and do not care.
I was there to learn, not to teach, and not to appraise the quality of their attitude or people-skills.
In time, I learned that arrogance is only a sin when you cannot back it up with action or deed. My instructors could, and they were gracious enough to teach me a little of what they knew, and I am only the better for it.
I firmly believe that the reason so many dojo's go under is because of both a good and a bad thing. They attempt to avoid becoming a "McDojo", as someone put it, and the instructor likes to strut a bit. Many people are offended by this, because becoming an effective and capable individual is not their primary reason for attending the dojo. In turn, they leave, attendance dwindles. The typical instructor in my experience is not a business person, and may or may not be a people person. Finally, a good dojo with a highly skilled instructor folds because of what ultimately boils down to the common person's need of having to tell someone what to tell them even though they are the one paying that someone for their knowledge in what to tell them, and an instructor's need to constantly remind that client of this fact in a less than tactful manner.
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