Respect is the Beginning of Success!

 

Can success be felt? 

Can success be felt? Absolutely. Success is what most every human being strives for in life.  We want to drive nice cars, live in nice homes, send our children to good schools, and make enough money to live comfortably.  In business, though, the scenario changes a little.  If one location of a business is known as the “slow store", then it is basically accepted as a failure.  Without high expectations, that location will never grow into a successful part of the chain.  Not because it has failed, but because it was accepted as less than number one.  Think of your martial arts school.  Of course you have locations that do better than others, but do the others know that they are not completely out of the competition?  Success is not just for big businesses, it is also for the little people!  For a small school, even a small improvement or gain in business feels good; it brings that feeling of success to life.

Showing Respect

Showing respect to your students and staff is the first step in moving towards success.  If your customers do not feel respected as paying customers, they will take their money elsewhere.  If those customers do not feel respected as students, then they will want to learn elsewhere.  The paying customer and learning student are the number one priority of a martial arts school.  How can you show them that you respect them?  For beginners, treat them like they are more than just another dollar.  Speak to them in a respectful tone, and remember names and faces alike.  Strive to make your meetings with students personal, so people do not feel like they are just another face in the crowd.  As you show your students that you respect them, do not forget that they must also respect you.  Do not pacify a student to make them happy, rather speak rationally about what is bothering them and try to compromise.  This aspect of respect leads to long term loyalty.  If a student knows that you are willing to listen, they will not be afraid to voice their opinions, which will help improve your school.

Consider their suggestions carefully

Let your students and staff know that you consider their suggestions carefully.  They should be able to feel like a part of the school rather than just another customer or just another employee.  If the students respect you, then they will want to continue learning in your school’s environment.  It will make them feel secure in their decision to study martial arts at your school.  If your staff feels respected, they will be more likely to continue working for you.  Would you rather work for someone that you respected and felt respect from or for someone that you don’t know or feel respected by?  Respect is the beginning of success.  Respect can influence your success.  In life, we most often try to surround ourselves with people that will listen to us and not shoot our ideas down without a second thought.  So be someone that everyone strives to surround themselves with.

 How is success measured? 

Is it by money?  Cars?  Houses?  Business?  No, it is measured by growth.  If you take one small school that has had the same ten students for six months and you create ways to bring in more business, and that school gains two customers a month for the next six months, then it has started to succeed.  When that school gives up and decides that it can do no better, then it has failed and it has accepted failure.  The new goal is to find an incentive for that school and give the staff a reason to try again.  Constantly remind your staff that success is not a static thing, that it fluctuates with trends, economy, and many other features of business.  Students must continue to learn in order to continue their success in the study of martial arts.  Make these points clear to your students and staff regularly.  Remind them that accepting that they can do no better is just the same as accepting failure.

If you give your staff incentives to increase contract sales, then they will work harder to bring those sales in.  Instead of comparing the small school with the big schools, compare the schools in groups of equal weight.  If you have one school, set goals for the staff members to compete for incentives.  Do not be afraid of promotions or giveaways because they can provide growth for your schools’ success.  But also do not let them bring your success down.  Be sure to discontinue practices that do not bring results.

The focal point of business

Success may not be the focal point of life, but it is the focal point of business.  Earn your students' respect as well as respect from your staff, and stress the importance of not “giving up”.  Once your students do not feel that they can learn anymore, they have given up, and it is your job and the job of your staff to motivate them.  Your students and staff will want to earn your respect, and to do this they will put forth an extra effort if they see you doing the same.  It all comes back to the success of your school!