| Friend,
As promised, I'm still sending this email newsletter out to you, but on a less-frequent basis. And for the next several weeks, we're going to be discussing the Ten Immutable Laws of Running a Martial Art School, according to yours truly.
Let's get started with Rule #1:
CLIENTS FIRST
The first immutable law of running a martial art school is "clients first." While this rule may seem simple, it actually informs and instructs everything you do in your school, and it is the reason for the other nine rules.
All too often, martial arts instructors have the attitude that their students exist for them. Ego causes them to believe that they are doing their students a favor by teaching them their art.
This goes hand-in-hand with the Supremacy Delusion, a mental disorder of sorts that affects a lot of martial artists. That is to say, they believe that their art, organization, or system is supreme among all others.
And because of that belief, they put the style or art above the welfare and needs of their students.
Why This Will Kill Your School's Growth
But whether it's due to having an inflated ego, or a misguided belief in the supremacy of their art (or organization, etc.), placing yourself or your system ahead of your students will always be a fatal error for your school.
Here's why: While some people will drink your Koolaid, most will be turned off by the cult-like atmosphere in your dojo.
And, once they figure out that you're only there to have your own ego stroked, they'll be gone faster than you can say "cancellation clause."
The Hierarchy of Needs
This is because ultimately, people tend to be motivated by a hierarchy of needs.
Years ago, a guy named Abraham Maslow defined and categorized a Hierarchy of Needs to explain why people do the things they do: - At the very bottom of those needs are physiological needs, such as food and water, shelter, clothing, etc. These needs always come first.
- After that come safety needs, such as personal security, financial security, personal health, and so on.
- Then comes the need for social belonging; in other words, the need for friendships and other relationships.
- After that, people look to their own esteem, meaning the need to be respected.
- And finally, when a person has fulfilled all the other need levels on Maslow's Hierarchy, they will seek self-actualization, which speaks to the need for meaning in one's life.
Every normal, psychologically-stable person will pursue goals that are equivalent to where they are on Maslow's Hierarchy. And, they will mostly ignore needs that are higher on the hierarchy, in order to pursue those needs that are of the utmost importance.
How the Hierarchy of Needs Dictates Motivations and Decisions
For example, someone who is extremely poor, who doesn't know where their next meal is coming from will be mostly concerned with physiological and safety needs.
However, your typical middle-class person (which will comprise most of your clientele) has those needs seen to; they likely have a stable job, health insurance, transportation, food in the fridge, and a steady paycheck.
So, that person is going to prioritize their lives around seeking relationships, gaining respect from others, and perhaps even finding some greater meaning or purpose in their lives.
The Underlying Rationale
But here's what's really important to understand--the real underlying motivation for sane, rational people is happiness and joy.
What they are really looking for when they seek meaningful relationships with others, when they seek to gain respect and accolades, and when they search for purpose in their lives, is to get the most out of life.
And for most people, anything that gets in the way of that will be jettisoned like yesterday's trash.
That's why a school that is run like a cult of personality will never thrive. The only people who are drawn to those types of schools are people who are psychologically unstable or mentally weak. Normal, healthy people will be completely turned off by an egotistical instructor, one who puts themselves before their students.
The same goes for the school that exists to perpetuate a style or system. If the system is so important to the instructor that they place tradition ahead of helping their students, the style has become a religion of sorts. Again, this creates a cult-like atmosphere that will repel your average person.
The End Result
What ends up happening in these cult-like schools is that normal, stable people don't stick around. The enrollment ends up being comprised of weird, unstable people, and because all the relationships between the instructor and students are dysfunctional, the school itself will never thrive.
My Final Advice
So, here's my advice: Remember to put people first in your dojo. Keep your own ego in check, and remember that you wouldn't have a dojo without your students.
Also, remember that styles and systems evolve and change, and organizations come and go. Which is more important to you then? Perpetuating a style, system, or organization, or having a positive impact on others that will reverberate for generations to come?
I know which one I choose. What will it be for you?
Until next time,
Mike Massie MartialArtsBusinessDaily.com
Quick-start Guide to My Books and Resources: - Looking for a list of books and resources I've written? Click here! - Need business coaching to grow your dojo? Click here…
P.S. - You still have to look after yourself and your own needs as well. Remember, if you don't turn a profit, your school won't survive long. So, being a good school owner means that you're constantly balancing your own needs with helping your students meet theirs. The key to this is making your every decision in your business a win-win for both you and your clients.
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