As a teacher, parents expect me to build their children’s self esteem. We all want our children to be leaders, not followers. This can be a challenge for me when parents expect leadership skills to miraculously develop exclusively through the copious amounts of kicking and punching taking place on the mats. If I am not able to utilize all the tools I have available, developing leadership skills within my students becomes a much more difficult task.At Silent River Kung Fu commercial bottled water is not permitted within the school. The environmental and health issues associated with bottled water are well documented and in good conscience I won’t turn a blind eye while someone exasperates a serious problem. It can be frustrating when a parent challenges our policy by reducing the issue’s solution to recycling and BPA free plastic. For every person that seeks out the healthiest, least environmentally toxic bottled water available, there are dozens of people only seeing a person drinking and endorsing commercially bottled water.
There are enough problems in the world caused by the “everyman for himself” approach to life. That’s why we have greedy shareholders endorsing CEOs who collect outrageous bonuses for generating short term profits while driving their corporation into bankruptcy. If we all just worry about what we are personally doing about serious issues while ignoring our responsibility in setting an example that inspires others to follow, it is going to take forever to get everyone pulling in the same direction to implement lasting change.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams (1767 - 1848)
2 comments:
We set an example even when we are not at the Kwoon. As a leader, my actions in my community, at home, and at work will leave a lasting impression. It's important for us to practice what we teach no matter where we are, or what we are doing.
Sifu Wilson
I recall Colin Beavan stating that the act of picking up trash carries so much potential for change not from the rubbish you are removing but rather the lesson you are teaching those who witness the act.
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