Authority vs. Influence

by John and Deb Mahaney ~ Owners of Gloucester Uechi Karate Academy
Deb and John both hold Fifth Degree Black Belts
As the saying goes, you get more with honey than with vinegar. Having taught both children and adults for the past 13 years, I have learned that I can easily use my authority to get a student to make short term changes in behavior, however, only my influence will make them want to institute these changes for the long term. These long term changes are going to help the student feel successful, not only in their training, but also in their life outside of the school.