I have a confession to make: My main job is not being a Krav Maga or self defence instructor. That’s a passion, a calling to help other people or the community as a whole. What pays my mortgage is working as a people and business leader in a professional services company, the leading one in its field globally.
There’s an overriding learning I’ve managed to take away from many years in people business. To build an effective team, make it diverse in skill and experience - and find people that have qualities that are better than yours, who you can learn from. That’s key; to find those team members who can look after and succeed in the areas where you have weaknesses or gaps.
I have an effective team at work. They complement me and they complement each other. Together we are as rounded as possible, at this point in time, but we don’t stand still. Our world constantly changes.
If you’re a self defence instructor or martial arts teacher, you’re in the same game. Self defence isn’t just about how to strike, when to strike, where to strike and what you do when someone grabs/chokes/holds/pulls you, etc (delete as necessary). That’s just mechanics.
Being an effective instructor, a leader in what you do, requires you to have that effective team around you. Not necessarily in your self defence employment, nor as a permanent presence in your school either, but certainly accessible to you, maybe occasionally on call or on commission, to complement and expand your skills.
Ask yourself some searching questions.
Think you can educate better than anyone? If so, there’s nothing a specialist in didactics or pedagogics can teach you, right?
Think you can strike or kick better than the rest? If so, there’s nothing someone from a different martial art or a professional fighter can teach you, surely?
Think you understand human behaviour so well, there’s nothing more to learn? If so, there’s nothing a psychologist, sociologist or criminologist can teach you, you will conclude?
Think you are the perfect expert on anatomy, physiology and medicine? If so, there’s nothing a health specialist, nutritionist or a sports scientist can teach you, I guess?
Think you’re an expert of weapons, crime or terrorism? If so, there’s nothing a law enforcement, firearms expert or intelligence officer can teach you to make you even better?
All of these have a massive contribution to self defence. How to teach, how to move, how to defend and attack, how you and perpetrators think, how your mind and body works, how to act and react to violence and trauma. This list is NOT exhaustive.
These people are on your self defence leadership team. Read their books. Study their TED talks. Watch their YouTube videos. Go to their seminars. Book their courses. Invite them to your training. If they’re already in your class, make 100% use of them.
I am fortunate. I belong to a very progressive Krav Maga school. It has the independence to discover, develop, discard and deploy without restriction, without obligation, without authorisation. It uses its inherent expertise through its community or network. Medical specialists. Legal professionals. Law enforcement officers. Other subject experts in their field. Attending other martial arts courses. Using an online library. Acquiring certifications in the associated fields to self defence. This is how we progress. Open-minded, curious and humble enough to see that we are never good enough.
Human history and business tell you the same story. The world changes, you must change with it or be left behind.
If your school or federation is stuck, restrictive and unable to change, or insular or arrogant in the thinking that what you have is good enough or the best, not in need of external influence, depressing experimentation and development, you’re in danger. The world of self defence is big and dynamic and it moves. It will surge ahead, if it already hasn’t.
Do you recognise you must always seek betterment, across all the rounded subjects that influence great self defence training? Live that, seek the expertise and keep moving.
Or do you think you’re on top of your game and there’s nowhere you need to go?
If you do, the only way now is down. Don’t let that be you. To become great, become humble - and start building again.