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Important issues for multiple karate school operators
As your school expands – and, you can no longer personally touch and control every aspect of your school operation, there are several important issues that begin to arise that you may never have previously considered.
The first of these that I'd like to address is how to insure control as you develop strong Black Belts and strong staff.
Once you expand to multiple locations, or as you grow your single school to a large student body of 300 or more students you will find it necessary to delegate much or, perhaps all of the teaching to an employee. In a martial arts school personal loyalty and respect for the instructor is an important component of our development process. Martial arts schools – especially more traditional schools – depend on a strong hierarchy and on obedience to the instructor.
The same structure that helped you maintain order in the early stages of your grow can become a problem down the line if not managed properly.
Industry horror stories abound.
A common story goes like this. First you develop a student – teaching them from white belt through their coveted Black Belt. Next you begin to teach them leadership skills and begin allowing them to teach more and more students and larger and larger chunks of your student body. Often this is in parallel with developing the individual's athletic prowess and they become a cornerstone of your school and a respected champion of the tournament circuit.
Your confidence having grow in this person's skills and leadership abilities you offer them a “career” position with you and they begin teaching for you full-time. Gradually they become the head instructor and teach most of the classes while you become increasing focused on the sales, marketing, and administrative aspects of your school. Gradually, your students begin seeing your Black Belt as their primary teacher and mentor and the teacher starts to take great pride in “his” student's achievement.
What comes next is often that this instructor begins to hear from students that he should have his own school. Perhaps he gets married and his wife continually complains that he should have his own school and that he's not getting paid enough – and, of course that he is responsible for the success of the school since all the owner does is sit in the office and talk to people all day.
Then one day, like a lighting bolt out of the blue……..
Well, you can probably finish the story. I've seen cases where your previously loyal Black Belt employee has moved across the street – and, in one case actually announce at the monthly belt test that the students should join him across the street on Monday. Perhaps followed by letters and phone calls to solidify the solicitation of yur clientele.
The question becomes – how do you protect yourself against such a disaster?
Well, there are many ways that school operators attempt to protect themselves. The ways that doesn't work – is for you to always be the students' primary contact – and, to aggressively work to make sure you are always seem as the top athlete, teacher, and main student contact. That approach is fine up to 100 or 150 students – but, then you've got to delegate and let others take some responsibility.
What must happen is several things.
First, Your school must be built on a formal hierarchy with you visibly at the top. It must always be clear that you are the senior person in your school and that all others report to you. This area is where larger organizations and affiliations often help to solidify everyone's relative position.
Second, Before hiring anyone it is important to have a clear understanding. That written understanding must include several things.
- Your enthusiasm for helping this budding martial arts instructor grow into a substantial career in the martial arts.
- Your willingness to help them grow in any way possible.
- Your willingness to continually compensate them relative to their contribution to the financial outcomes in your school.
- Their commitment to now and always give their support to you and your school.
- Their understanding that it is unacceptable to ever teach any of YOUR students outside of your school environment and that regardless of how
- The future unfolds they will never solicit any of your students.
- Their understanding that it is acceptable for them to open their own school in the future – under your banner or independently – but, that they will never open within a reasonable distance so as not to compete with you – or, you to compete with them.
In conclusion.
here are many land-mines to avoid as your school grows. Developing your own competition is certainly one that is important to control and monitor.
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