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Roll With the Punches and Come Up Smiling by Tom Callos Choosing the Best Membership for Success Martial Arts Is About Expression by John Graden Ten Ways To Appreciate Your Staff by Rob Colasanti Extraordinary Marketing Newsletter Classics by Stephen Oliver Five Ways To Compensate a Program Director by Rob Colasanti Self-Defense Myths by Bill Kipp What To Do When You Need the Phone to Ring by Tom Callos Why Should You Use A Billing Company Do You Over Deliver? by Rob Colasanti Improve Your Retention With These Professionally Written Articles For Your School Newsletter- What you should know before you sign a lease! What To Do If Your Prospect Appointment Does Not Show! |
"Sometimes the pressures of running a school can take the fun out of teaching," says veteran instructor Teri Lee of West Coast Martial Arts in San Jose, California. Martial arts instructors are a tough and resilient bunch, and that's exactly what it takes to survive in business. But, once in awhile, a tap! tap! tap! on the forehead from business pressure can get even the toughest black belt down. Imagine one morning you come in to your school and discover one of your 8x10-foot mirrors leaning against the wall it used to hang on. What's more, it's broken in six big pieces. One of your best students cancels their agreement. You've spilled your Grande Frapaccino Power Coffee on your freshly laundered uniform. You've got a runny nose. Your assistant instructor leaves you a note that says he's run off with Mrs. Truman and there are seven messages on your answering machine from Mister Truman! The postman arrives with a registered letter from the IRS. And to top things off, your air conditioner has died. It's enough to give you the martial arts school blues. "I'm a positive guy," says school owner John Kyle of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, "but the pressures of life and business, even here in paradise, can take their toll on you - and I think I speak for a lot of instructors." "Sometimes the pressures of running a school can take the fun out of teaching," says veteran instructor Teri Lee of West Coast Martial Arts in San Jose, California. "It's not often that I get down, but every so often, Boom!" The trick is to learn how to manage and thrive when the pressure of business gives you a kick-in-the-shins. Ernie Reyes, Sr. is a long-time veteran of the martial arts school pressure cooker. He says don't sit in your discouragement for too long. Get out and do something about it. "You have Personal Power when you take action on something that's bothering you," says Reyes. "Sometimes it's just any action - and it's a start at getting you out of your funk. I have to rebound quickly because I'm teaching the power of a positive mental attitude. I have to be a role model for my students." Taking action might mean conducting a fact-finding mission to determine exactly how and what went wrong in your school. It might mean deciding to laugh about a particular situation rather than cry. In Teri Lee's case, it might be the signal that it's time to go for a long run. "When I'm feeling discouraged about something at the school, I'll clear my head by running for an hour, or two. After a good run in the mountains, I feel relaxed and ready to tackle my problems." Finding an activity that's totally out of your normal routine can be a great way to open the valve on the business pressure cooker. For some, it might be an afternoon on the golf course or throwing some bowling balls (preferably, in a bowling alley), while others may visit a quiet bookstore or take a nap. John Kyle says, "My suggestion is that if you're having a bad day, don't blow it out of proportion by overreacting. Just roll with the punches and come up smiling." Tips on Handling Those Bad Business Days:
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