Taking on Leadership

By Lynne Dean, 1st dan, CTI Masters Club Member

The fact of the matter is that being a leader is HARD work.  Especially being an effective leader.  CTI students are taught from the beginning of the CTI core principles.  These tenants – courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control, and indomitable spirit – are fundamentally the basis of a good leader.  The CTI student has to practice these principles in each class and event.  And, since practice prepares us for success, this naturally positions CTI students to be leaders in their community.Why should a CTI student become a leader in their community? – The answer is multi-faceted.  They have the training.  They have the opportunity.  And the CTI student also has the mandate to not just be an effective member of their community, but to make an impact.

And so – with all this practice and training – how can a CTI student show leadership in their community?  It’s not about making big speeches or leading big teams although there are certainly opportunities there with sports, clubs, and community service organizations.  Fundamentally, a CTI student leads by example.  They influence their peers by their example.  They practice what they preach by working ethically and with integrity on positive ways forward to the happenstances of community interactions.  In a day to day community where folks tend to take the easy way out and no one really does want to be singled out, the CTI student has the opportunity to shine by example and provide positive energy towards the overall good of the community.

Whether at work or at school (or both!), CTI students can apply their core tenants and also the tenacity they build by being associated with CTI.  A leader has to have vision that helps them generate a path forward towards a goal.  It takes a lot to get through our classes and events.  It takes thoughtful planning to reach the goal of the next belt.  As CTI students, we can take advantage of those hard won skills by applying them to our goals and tasks at school/work and at other community events.  We have opportunity and motive.  And so we have to be convicted and take on the leadership roles wherever we can.