Martial Arts World News Magazine - Volume 19 | Issue 1

Teamwork
Guidelines for Keeping Your
Team In Sync
HANSHI
DAVE KOVAR
is an 8th degree
black belt and
recognized as the
“Trainer of Trainers”.
Master Dave Kovar
is an internationally
acclaimed instructor
with black belt
degrees in ten
different martial
arts styles. His
systems have been
implemented in
hundreds of schools
around the US.
➽Without a doubt, one of the most important
ingredients to having long term success in
the martial arts industry is having a cohesive
team. As you know, the total is always more than the
sum of its parts. When a team is working well together,
more gets done and the process is more enjoyable. In
essence, everybody benefits. Following are some simple
guidelines that we have found helpful in keeping our
team in sync.
Be Loyal To Those Not Present – Stick up for your
teammates. No one likes to be talked about behind their
back and we should not tolerate people talking bad to others
in our presence.
Do More Than Your Fair Share – No one appreciates
working with someone that says “That’s not my
job.” Develop a reputation for being someone that will do
“Whatever it takes” to get the job done.
Be Dependable – Get in the habit of being where you
are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there, and
ready to do the job.
Anticipate Your Teammate’s Next Move – Good
teammates rarely need to tell the person what to do next
because their partner is already doing it.
Don’t Vent Out or Down…Only Up. Then Don’t
Vent…Explain – Nothing is worse for morale than
whining or venting to people who aren’t in a position to
solve the problem. Go to the source and then explain your
viewpoint in a logical, unemotional manner.
Be Flexible – Sometimes it is okay to do a task someone
else’s way.
When Giving an Assignment, “Ask, Don’t Tell”
– No one likes to be told what to do, but most everyone is
glad to help out when asked.
When Getting an Assignment, Have an “I’ll Be
Glad To” Attitude – Be open to input.
Practice Non-Judgment – We are all different, with
varied strengths and weaknesses. Being judgmental undermines
individuals.
Pick Your Battles – Pope John XXIII once said, “See
Everything, Overlook A Lot, Correct A Little” – If you
always have to be right, people will tend to resent you and
be resistant to your ideas.
When At Work, Put Your Game Face On – We
all have personal challenges that we deal with on a regular
basis, but when you get to work, leave them at the door.
When Resolving Challenges and Giving Feedback to
Teammates, use the following guidelines:
Be Unemotional – Logic and emotion are like oil and
water…they don’t mix. If you speak calmly and logically,
chances are the other person will respond in turn.
Have A Solution In Mind – Go into the discussion
already having a potential solution that the other person
will see the value of, but be flexible and willing to adjust.
Try To See The Other Person’s View Point
Before Expressing Your Own (Seek First To Understand
And Then To Be Understood) – This is
important because people can sense when you are trying
to understand how they feel and are therefore much more
receptive to understanding yours. Secondly, you might see
the validity of what they are doing.
Don’t Be A Nit Picker – Avoid bringing up unrelated
stuff that is not necessary. It tends to make people
defensive and never helps to resolve anything.
Resist The Temptation To Argue – If you are not
sure what to say or how to respond, say nothing.
Be Sensitive to Other Peoples’ Needs – To a hammer,
everything is a nail. Each situation is different,
each person is different, and so each situation and person
should be treated accordingly.
Keep It Impersonal – Discuss the actions that you
are concerned with, not the person. In conversation, use
“feel”, “felt”, “found” whenever possible.
Restate Their Value And Strengths – People are
much more receptive to input when they know you appreciate
their other qualities. (Praise, correct, praise)
Agree To Disagree – Sometimes it is okay to have a
different viewpoint, as long as there is mutual respect and
a way to work around it.
If these suggestions make sense, you might try to use
one or more as a discussion point for your next team
meeting.
For More Information
Visit KovarSystems.com
14 MARTIAL ARTS WORLD NEWS VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 1