Changes that effect traditions.

sensei8 · KF Sensei

The wonderment of a governing body; so precise, yet so rattled, all at the same time!!

Changes are inevitable, especially when the head honcho is no longer active both on and off the floor. When the cat's away, the mouse do play!! Some changes are solid, while others are way out in outer space, and one just has to scratch their head and find a wall somewhere and bang your head against that wall over and over in total disbelieve.

IS THE VOTE UNANIMOUS OR IS IT MAJORITY??

What's you exact position on the board?? Are you the Chair??

For example, I'm the Kaicho of the Hombu/SKKA, and in short, the buck stops with me because I'm the Chair. Many of our voting parameters only have me vote to break tied votes, while other voting parameters, only my vote is part of the total voting, however, we do NOT allow proxy voting ever!!

If a vote requires unanimous, then that makes the outcome frustrating, but exacting. How so? If, for example, I don't want something to happen, then all I have to do is vote against the majority, and that vote is tabled, and then killed for another time in the future.

However, if the requires majority, then that makes whatever I want, seem null and voided, no matter what I want or don't want!! How so? If, for example, and within the SKKA's Higher Hierarchy we've 7 elected members on the Administrative Boards, 4 votes passes that type of voting parameter. That can be more frustrating because the "yeas", in this example, defeat the "nays", and in that, that which was voted upon becomes the letter of the law, and the chances of tabling that, especially if the vote was for or against an Amendment.

Does your governing body issue debates, for or against, whenever voting is on the open floor??

Things that are for debates, once the Chair has thrown it to the floor, can take a vote to the twilight zone. How so?? For example, if I don't want a vote to be heard and/or taken, all I have to do is debate, and stall the vote for an undetermined amount of time; aka, similar to a Filibuster, in all of its glory.

I mention, as well as ask, these questions because if you're against these changes, you have to fight against them until your last breath. Otherwise, what you want are only an opinion, and opinions are NOT facts, especially in a governing body.

Does your governing body use Robert's Rule of Order??

If not, then how can anything be solved within any governing body?!?

If so, then, as a suggestion, read Robert's Rule of Order cover to cover, and master it; know it better than the other members of your board because it can save you, and them, a lot of grieve across the board. How so?? EVERYONE on the board HAS TO be subjected to them without ambiguity and/or reservations without questions. Robert's Rule of Order can be quite daunting, and difficult to comprehend, as well as difficult to interpret, hence, I've lightly skimmed over what I'm speaking about when it comes to RRoO, and that's because, it's a lot to consume, and I don't want to minimize RRoO at all.

Quorums and Generals and so on and so forth are also ways to get Amendments passed or tabled or stalled or put away to combat inevitable changes that you might not agree with.

However, there must be a reason, otherwise, just to do something just because someone can, can drastically undermined the continuity of, not only the Student Body, but as well as the governing body.

Other than RRoO, might I suggest, "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson. This book speaks directly to the inevitable change across the board. This book changed my life about the inevitable change!! Perspectives use to be awash with me concerning inevitable changes, but that was no longer the case once I read that book.

Are your board voted upon??

If so, then they can be unseated with a vote of no confidence. If not, then the powers that be, are without reigns, and imho, that's very dangerous, to say the least.

Are your boards seated with term limits??

If so, then their time on the board is limited, and if your By-Laws dictate otherwise, board positions can't be re-elected for an undetermined time. If not, then they'll be there forever driving you and the Student Body and EVERYONE else crazy with this and that.

A lot of things for you to consider, outside of ranks and belts and this and that. That is why I approached my post here in the manner of which I did.

Your, imho, Shinshii's legacy is in your hands NOW and FOREVER!! How do you and the rest of the board feel about that, and are you all ready to uphold and support and defend his legacy, no matter what??

Change is inevitable!! But the validity of what your Shinshii had assembled is entrusted in you and your board, and all of the eyes of your Student Body are upon you all to do what is right for ALL CONCERNED and not just those on the board.

You all have the future in your hands, and how you address your future is how your Shinshii's legacies is valued by EVERYONE in your governing body!!

You want to add more belts?? Then do it!! But only if it's warranted to do so across the board!! You want to teach students under 16 years of old?? Then do it!! But only if it's warranted to do so across the board!! You want to do this and that?? Then do it!! But only if it's warranted to do so across the board.

Politics are that jagged and unsteady floor to stand upon within any MA governing body, and that beast must be controlled at all times or anarchy becomes the rule of the law; politics must be tailored at all times, and not just for a season.

Who's stronger?? You and your board, or the beast of politics?? Forgive me if I've come across strong, as it's never my intent, and I only want to offer some advice to you because I've a great deal of experience in the comings and goings of a MA governing body. I've been where you're at, and I've seen the walls coming down all around us, and I've heard the cries of the Student Body in the midst of insurmountable turmoil.

Politics can't be avoided, however, they can be minimized once everyone are on the same page of your Shinshii. Without him, and all that he's done, none of you would be where you are within your governing body, and more importantly, within the style that he's taught each and everyone of you!! His tradition is all of yours' tradition!!

You all, imho, just as I've/we've done to our Soke and Dai-Soke, owe him your most sincerest gratitude. Remember him, and you all be just fine!!

_________________
**Proof is on the floor!!!

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

The Pred · Green Belt

[quote="

I knew this was not a popular subject that I should have avoided.

Ok here is my opinion on this subject. First I do not think it is just about learning and knowing the curriculum. Yes to have the knowledge is very important but this is only half of what I believe makes a Shodan.

Not going to be popular but here it goes... If I put a, lets say 14 year old, up against my other Shodans and Nidans they can not handle their own without these other men holding back. Our Shodan and Sandan tests are the hardest we give. This is for a few reason but at the top of the list is the fact that no one is awarded Shodan without deserving it and proving that they are worthy of the title. I have said I am old fashioned before so everyone should know this as I explain what I mean, our Shodan test takes a minimum of a day and a half but usually takes three due to exhaustion and the student needing the opportunity to pace themselves. The normal requirements are tested but instead of just showing that you know and are somewhat proficient in the Mudansha Kata, Kihon, Tuidi, Tegumi, and Kyusho techniques you must prove that you are very proficient. I hate the word mastered but this would be a very close word to describe our requirements. This consists of all curriculum from Hachikyu thru Sankyu and a decent proficiency for Nikyu and Ikkyu requirements. This tests the students knowledge and proficiency in the curriculum. To test the students skills and abilities in utilizing this knowledge we put them up against every Nikyu, Ikkyu, Shodan and Nidan in the school. They must be able to best all Nikyu, most Ikkyu and hold their own against Shodans and be able to hang in the fight against the Nidans.

Again I have yet to see a 14 year old able to measure up to what we consider worthy of the grade.

In my mind your students represent you as an instructor and more importantly represent the art. If I promoted a youngster to Shodan they would need to be able to hold their own against other equivalent grades no matter the size or age. We have everyone mix it up with everyone. There are no size/weight limits because you will not run into a 200lb hoodlum that walks away because you are only 100lbs. We do not make exceptions for age in that only 16 yr olds fight other 16 to 18 yr olds. They fight 20 to 40 yr olds. There are no rules on the street so why implement them in the dojo?

The bottom line is I do not feel that a child would be able to meet our criteria for promotion and I would never hand the belt to someone that I thought was not worthy.

Please do not take this as a judgement on you or any other school that awards BB's to youth. Requirements are different from school to school and from art to art. This is just my point of view and my requirements based on my Shinshii's requirements. They do not work for everyone and I realize there is merit in what you have stated above. However you asked me to clarify so I felt obligated to do so.

I also realize I have no filter or political correctness so please do not take what I have said as a condemnation although it might come across that way. I certainly do not mean it that way.

I respect your choice and reasons to do what you do as well as any other instructor here on KF. However these are my reasons and I stand by them based on my personal experiences as they have proven to be true in our particular art/school.[/quote]

So how does the 18, 115 ib female fair against the 32 year old 255 pounder?

JR 137 · Black Belt

I'm not good at cutting and pasting multiple quotes, so bear with me...

I agree with your views on junior black belts. No matter how hard I try to accept it and how good the arguments are for having them, I just can't justify it. Being a grade 5-8 science teacher, I have several students who are junior black belts in a few different arts. This sums up my feelings about it best - for every test, I play a review game the day before. Students get answers correct, they advance in belt rank. I follow Seido's white-blue-yellow-green-brown-black order, then award dan ranks. It's a great game and my students love it. When a student gets to their black belt question, I tend to make it difficult. I often get "he's already a real black belt!" To which I struggle not to say "he's 10, there's no way he's a real black belt." I can't help it, it's just how I feel.

That ties in to my other thoughts on your dilemma...

Black belt should be a sacred thing, in a way. Yes, it's just a belt, but it's so much more too. There needs to be integrity in setting the standards, testing, and awarding dan ranks. Shortening the time it takes to achieve it by cutting back the curriculum hurts the integrity of it. If someone meets the standards set by your Shinshii in less time than the norm, then so be it. But if they don't meet those standards, then go back and train some more. I'm not the firmest believer in minimum time in grade, but at the same time there's no substitute for experience.

Watering down the curriculum by lowering the standards for shodan in an effort to "modernize" really hurts the organization's integrity. Black belts are the model of the school. Lowering those standards to "modernize" is putting the rank up for sale. No other way to put it. It's not being earned the way your Shinshii intended it to be earned. Better yet, it's not being earned they way your Shinshii demanded it to be earned. He had the dan candidate's teacher sit in on the test, and for very good reason. The teacher was held accountable for the student's performance, good, bad, and everything in between. What would he say to lowering the standards in order to modernize? I'm sure he wouldn't even hear the person finish the sentence.

Just my opinions. I'm a 40 year old old-school guy.

Tempest · Green Belt

I gotta say, the more I read, the more I am with Matsu on this one. My base art, Judo, requires you to be at least 16 to be a Shodan, and that is for a national medalist. 17 otherwise. No exceptions on that one.
There is more to being a black belt than having a crisp looking punch.
You get rank for knowledge, experience, and the ability to execute. Youth, while a great thing, is very much a bar to 2 of those things. No matter how pretty it looks, until someone has there full growth, they cannot execute certain techniques quite right under pressure. Even if they are a naturally gifted and hard working athlete, it just won't work. Additionally, experience is more than just time in the dojo. A certain degree of maturity is expected of a black belt, and no matter how talented they are or mature "for their age" that they are, a 12 year old is not likely to have such maturity. It can only come with time and experience.
_________________
Think first, act second, and stop getting the two confused.

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

MatsuShinshii · Black Belt

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