A Lesson in What it Takes
For today’s Team Tuesday I want to formally welcome and congratulate Mr. Scott Dorman again.
I’d recently welcomed him as a part time helper at our front desk, but this time I get to congratulate him on his promotion to Program Director!
Scott will be the one handling raving fan customer service as well as the welcoming and onboarding of new students, with the help of the great Sensei Mackenzie who will continue helping with the latter too.
But I didn’t want to waste an opportunity to share an important lesson, especially for young people deciding what they want to do with their lives; so I want to share a little about Scott’s story here.
Senpai Scott has been a student for about four years, along with his son Nathan.
They have both stayed focused and committed and improved so much in this time as martial artists!
In fact, they’re testing for their certified blackbelts in March!
That’s all awesome and lesson one, but now to lesson two.
I would never have identified Scott as someone I’d hire for my Program Director position.
He’s naturally an introvert and this and other personality traits made me fail to see him as a candidate for the position.
Like many, I probably fell subconsciously into the belief that there is a certain “natural” personality that would be best and that it was other than his.
This is lesson two of this story by the way- there is no “natural” anything.
Anyone can be and do whoever and whatever they want well if they choose to.
As in the Simon Senik quote I led with, we can teach the skills but the attitude is essential (and has to be brought to the table as the starting point). Not skills, nor personality style, nor any other thing is more vital to the success or failure of anybody in anything than attitude!
To quote the great Ziglar, Maxwell and Waitley, “your attitude determines your altitude”.
Second, he’s a busy single father, and owns his own computer services business; I’d never considered that he may want the job.
But here’s the real lesson I wanted to share because I want my own kids to hear it…..
Scott changed my mind in the following ways:
- He kept showing up. Even though I hadn’t considered Scott as a candidate for Team KMMA yet, he kept showing up for everything- the classes, the instructor training, even staff training and events. He showed he was dedicated and interested.
- He kept stepping up. Scott and his son are regular assistants in the Certified Instructor Training program, and he would also volunteer himself to help with events and even his organizational acumen to help us in our dojo and operations improvement initiatives. He would step up and help whenever he could. He showed himself to be a willing and able contributor to the team.
- He spoke up. Scott knew he wanted to work with Team KMMA before I did. He came to me and expressed his interest, why he wanted to make a change of career and how he could help me and the Team on our mission. I heard him and, because of steps 1-3, I believed him.
- He is coachable. Scott has many great ideas and brings a lot of experience to the position, but he has also proven again and again that he is coachable. When I look for a key team member I look for three main attributes: they are hungry, honeable (coachable) and honorable. Any deficiency in any of the three and it “ain’t gonna work”.
- This last one is closely related or even a summary of all the rest but I want to say it again this way. He has a good attitude. In addition to the four parts of this I’ve already mentioned, he’s always happy and smiling. He’s positive and optimistic, and he’s open minded and enthusiastic.
I am proud and grateful to welcome Scott to the team and also that he gave me the inspiration for this lesson through his actions!
I’m also excited for our work and growth together and that he will get to help you on your journey with Krav Maga Martial Arts too!
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
Author of Developing Your Superpowers Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!
(this is a picture of Scott back when he committed to train to become a second degree Blackbelt, about 2 years ago. He’s lost over 30 lbs since then!)
p.s. I have started writing my second book in my Meditations On Mastery series!
This one will actually be titled ” Secrets Your Parents Never Taught You”
(because they probably never knew)
In it we will explore the Blackbelt Leadership lessons that we teach in our Blackbelt Leadership program, that prepare us not only to be better people, better leaders and how to more positively and effectively interact with our world, but also how to empower our children and others we lead to do the same.
In the meantime, if you haven’t read my first book yet, you can order yours on amazon here….
or, better yet, let me personalize one to you for free when you come in for your 2 week free trial of our leadership development academy!
Students: Say hi tonight or any time this week and grab your book if you don’t have one yet! The 2022 Leadership calendar too! And don’t forget the leadership open mat this Friday and the free 2.5 hours of make-up classes this Saturday for Blackbelt Leadership students! 1:00 to 1:45 we’ll review all of the January lessons; February from 1:45-2:30 and then we’ll drill for skill in the last hour! This will be great test prep for everyone and also counts as up to 3 make-up classes if you missed some this quarter! Yet another perk of our all inclusive program and attempt to serve you even more! All of my amazing instructors will share the floor with me for this amazing event! Class B uniform ready to have fun, get a great workout, learn something new AND make the best all better! All phases of Blackbelt Leadership students are invited and encouraged to come!
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TampaKravMaga.com and Krav Maga Martial Arts have been empowering lives through the martial arts in the Tampa Bay area for 20 years!
Founded in 2000 by Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo, a 7th degree Black Belt and Sr. Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts and Karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need – specialized for their age group – for school excellence and later success in life.
Krav Maga Martial Arts Adult Krav Maga training is a complete adult self defense, fitness, and conditioning program for adults who want to learn real world self defense, lose weight, and/or get (and stay in shape).
If you have any questions about our program, or would like to go ahead redeem your 2 weeks FREE, you can call us anytime at 813-547-6368 or visit our Krav Maga Martial Arts website.
About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is a 7th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commisioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.
The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., 33549. Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding areas.
Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com