A big part of being Taekwondo instructor-ship is leadership. To be successful Taekwondo instructor, you have to be more than just coach who can convey good technical information to your students. Anyone can become a coach by sharing information, but it is leadership which will differentiate the great coaches who go on to have long successful career. If you want to be become better leader, here are some of the things I believe you must do.
1) Leaders must read! Read more than textbooks. Commit to reading books about leadership. Without reading, you can not acquire higher knowledge, insights into the human condition, and some kind of ideology and vision is necessary to lead people.
2) Leaders should write; the discipline of writing journal will build a foundation for public speaking.
3) Leaders should practice public speaking. Nothing is better than being TKD instructor than learning how to articulate, connect, convey, and develop that leadership!
4) Leaders must volunteer and serve. When you volunteer, you are free to make mistakes. Make that 1000 mistakes while you are volunteering, not when you are on a paid dream job.
5) Leaders seek to win/win/win! Leaders by their nature, always seeking how to make the whole group win. People will reject your leadership when it is self-centered and petty.
6) Leaders will be mentored by other more experienced leaders. True Leaders know when to follow. You must have ongoing education program for yourself.
7) Leaders are positive who do positive stuff. They avoid negative people and their negative ways; gossiping, criticizing, and creating divisions. They build up communities, not tear it down.
8) True leaders are not just people-pleaser, but principle oriented. Leaders should strive to be loved by people, but they should not betray their compass of morals, ethics and principles.
9) Some natural leaders are born, but most of them have to train. Leadership can be earned by your own merit, skill, and credentials, but that authority is also given and appointed by people around you. Don't be afraid to lead. We do not have to be perfect to lead.
10) Finally, the world cries out for better leadership in all areas of our lives; government, cooperation, public schools, law enforcement, church, sports teams, and families! Good leadership makes this world a better place.
Leadership is not easy, but really worthy cause to pursue. Noways, everyone wants to be Influencer, rather than be a leader. I hope our young people will see the tactics of influence (charm, humor, creativity, aesthetics, and others) apply in their leadership.
