Leadership for Everyone
You probably already know that Krav Maga Martial Arts is a Leadership Development Academy that also happens to teach the most practical self-defense in the world.
God forbid my students should have to defend themselves against real physical harm, the techniques and training of our Krav Maga self-defense program will allow them to do that very effectively.
But even if each and every one of my students is fortunate enough to never get to apply that piece of what we do, they will be better equipped for each and every challenge of life, and to be a leader in whatever phase of that life they are at.
In John Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, the very first law is the law of the lid.
The law of the lid basically explains that our personal and organizational productivity is limited by our ability to lead.
Neither can reach full potential unless leadership itself does.
But as I prepared for the lesson that I want to give from the mat this week, I realized that the principle is true for everyone, even our children.
My favorite definition of leadership is influence that leads others where they should go, because they want to go there.
Leadership is influence.
But I don’t believe that leading someone to an evil place or one that hurts rather than helps them is true leadership; so leadership is something morethan just influence, something more noble and true.
This is where the “somewhere they should go” part of the my definition applies.
A good leader’s motive must be to lead his or her followers only in a direction good for the follower….
And still we can’t force them- that’s not leadership, but only coercion.
So, the third part of my definition of leadership is that the follower must want to go there.
There are two elements relevant to the latter I believe:
- The follower must belong the right tribe. One should not follow one that he or she doesn’t trust and mostly agree with. A tribe should have similar values and character. The culture and direction of the leader and the tribe has to fit.
- The leader has to be a good communicator; able to teach the followers why they may want to go this way instead of that.
Back to the leading “wherever you are at: part though, which is really the lesson of the week.
We all lead wherever we are at.
As our influence and the size of our following grows,so does the leadership responsibility of course.
but everyone can lead from wherever they are at.
Children can be leaders amongst their peers, employees to their peers but also down the chain, and can even lead up- and of course parents must be leaders to their children.
If you look (and accept) my definition of again, I am sure you will agree that my hypothesis is true (that everyone can lead from wherever they are in theior life and leadership development).
At a minimum, everyone cn lead by example.
By the way, great leaders are also great followers.
No one really leads who can’t follow as well.
Everyone should be leading those they have influence over and following leaders they can learn from All the time.
In this way, as is true in most things, we can both execute where we are at (in the law of the process) while always continuing to become better.
It’s a lifelong journey!
If you’d like to learn more about my tribe, our leadership and our journey, visit us at TampaKravMaga.com or call 813-948-4844 to set up your 2-week free trial and orientation.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com
Author of Developing Your Superpowers Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!
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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