No mention of it at the Community Center

[exile]

I appreciate everyone's thoughts on this. I'll tell you what I did. I sent an email to the sports coordinator & copied the rest of the senior staff on it. (Including the person who used to run the Center & now oversees that & many more programs). The sports coordinator & the head of the entire program are new, so they don't know the history of how things got to be.

I told them that, in addition to my receiving my 3rd Dan, our school was listed on the organization's Dean's List in it's 1st year of operation (a rare thing). Then I thanked them for all of their help & support & recounted how I came to teach my program at the Center in the 1st place.....It was all their idea. I started by agreeing to help the gentlemen who ran the karate program (he said he needed someone who could teach his kids how to kick). I did this on my days off. When the then head of the Center heard about this, she insisted that it become part of my regular work at the Center. I became the liasion between that program (that was off-site from the Center) & the Center itself. Within a few months, the powers that be asked me to run a program of my own. I researched & found that GM Sell was willing to take me on as a student as I ran my program. When the original Karate instructor decided to step down 5 days before he was supposed to receive a new group of beginning students, I squeezed 2 months of prep time to open my school into those 5 days & I was ready to go.

My goal was to not only recount how we got to be this far, but to thank them & remind them that it's all been at their urging & support. Yes, I've done an awful lot of hard work to get to the place where we are. But I figured that letting them know how smart they are for backing me was the best way to get their attention.

As many of you have said, ignorance, rather than malice, is probably the issue. I agree in restrospect. That's why my new goal is to make sure they are no longer in the dark. I'll keep you posted.

Very shrewd approach, Ice. One thing you can count on: the best way to get people to back up a good idea is to make them think it was their idea in the first place and then tell them what a great idea it is, and why can't I think of stuff like that? :shrug: Amazing how effective that sort of tactic is! And you have the extra moral satisfaction of being able to say, truthfully, that you've taken the high road...

Good luck with this approach, and may you earn the credit with The Powers That Be that you eminently deserve!

 

[bluekey88]

Ice, that is one of the most beautiful solutions to such a problem as I have ever seen. Please let us know how things progress.

Peace,
Erik

 

[arnisador]

Iceman, you took undoubtedly the best route. Even if they are uncaring, you have provided them with an account of the relationship and your achievements and you did so in a gentlemanly way.

Yes, positivity is a good approach here! Sounds like you handled it well, IcemanSK.

 

[Kacey]

I've been gone all day, and missed most of this - so first, I think it really sucks that the person in charge of your program didn't acknowledge it properly; to me, it looks unprofessional - if nothing else, it improves your credentials as an instructor. When I tested to 4th, the Y knew it was coming, and as soon as I told them I had passed, they reprinted the class flyers with my new rank, in hopes that would help increase the number of people in the class.

Second, I think you handled it beautifully - congratulations on finding an appropriate solution! :asian:

 

[IcemanSK]

Ok, so here's what happened when they all got the email today. (I sent it my bosses & their bosses) Today, they had a divisional meeting where they each talk about what's going on in their programs. (This goes beyond just Center staff to include everyone in the the very large department of Community Services). So, my bosses got to tell their bosses what a great TKD program we have at the Center. My bosses looked great to their bosses & life is good. Apparently, there will be a press release about what a great TKD program we have at the Center. :ultracool

 

[Laurentkd]

Ok, so here's what happened when they all got the email today. (I sent it my bosses & their bosses) Today, they had a divisional meeting where they each talk about what's going on in their programs. (This goes beyond just Center staff to include everyone in the the very large department of Community Services). So, my bosses got to tell their bosses what a great TKD program we have at the Center. My bosses looked great to their bosses & life is good. Apparently, there will be a press release about what a great TKD program we have at the Center. :ultracool

AWESOME!!
Look at that... it all turned out way better than it ever would have had they recognized you at the first meeting.
Everything happens for a reason!
Glad you were able to turn this into such a postive situation!

 

[exile]

Ok, so here's what happened when they all got the email today. (I sent it my bosses & their bosses) Today, they had a divisional meeting where they each talk about what's going on in their programs. (This goes beyond just Center staff to include everyone in the the very large department of Community Services). So, my bosses got to tell their bosses what a great TKD program we have at the Center. My bosses looked great to their bosses & life is good. Apparently, there will be a press release about what a great TKD program we have at the Center. :ultracool

Couldn't have have written a happier ending myself!

It's hard to avoid being a bit cynical about how much nicer people are to you when you make them look good... but that's the way of the world. And the best part of all this is that you managed to bring it about without giving the slightest impression of whining or complaining or anything like that. Sometimes there's no other way—you have to shake people by the collar to get them to notice—but if you do it the way you've done it, with nothing but positive vibes involved, it's way better. And you can sort of laugh up your sleeve... you adjusted their attitude for them and they didn't even realize it!

 

[Shaderon]

Well done, whatr a fantastic result.... you clever person! Congrats!!!

artyon:

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I am glad that thing's worked out in such a positive way. Good job in handling it the way you did.

 

[shesulsa]

Ok, so here's what happened when they all got the email today. (I sent it my bosses & their bosses) Today, they had a divisional meeting where they each talk about what's going on in their programs. (This goes beyond just Center staff to include everyone in the the very large department of Community Services). So, my bosses got to tell their bosses what a great TKD program we have at the Center. My bosses looked great to their bosses & life is good. Apparently, there will be a press release about what a great TKD program we have at the Center. :ultracool

ICE!!! That is very beneficial indeed! I would say you handled that little issue like a Sah Bum Nim, I would! Nicely played and good for you!

This is a good lesson for all of us. We often assume, I think, and wrongly so that everyone else has the same or a similar understanding as we do and holds the same things as important. Yet, clearly, we don't. I think we can get so wrapped up in our own things that we unfortunately and unintentionally can neglect the important achievements of others.

You saved everyone a lot of grief, embarassment and negativity.

Congrats again!

:asian:

 

[tkd_jen]

Good job buddy!! Handled like a true gentleman! Just another benefit of this forum, gives us an arena to vent to those that will understand our point of view before we go barking up the wrong tree. Thanks for the update Ice!

 

[Miles]

I've been gone for a few days and just read thru this thread. I think you handled this situation in a very mature and honorable fashion. Your accomplishments are evidence of the hard work and dedication you put into your training and teaching. Congratulations!!!

Miles

 

[bluemtn]

That is absolutely awesome, and you handled it beautifully! I think it was just not knowing what kind of an accomplishment that was- a lot of people don't. Congratulations!