More respect on the mat or your day job?

IcemanSK

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I'm curious, do you get the respect you feel that you deserve at your job? Are you respected more at your job or on the training floor?
 
I'm curious, do you get the respect you feel that you deserve at your job? Are you respected more at your job or on the training floor?

Day job! (err....well in my case it's Night Job!)

I actually know what I'm doing when I'm in the office :D
 
Day Job.....On the mat I am and always will be the student even if I am teaching a class, so even though I am respected and knowledge is respected I think there is the underlying belief though that I am still the student, when people need a final authority on something because of conflicts in teaching they seek out the head instructor usually.

At my job, I am in some things the Subject Matter Expert, so people will seek me out to get my opinion on things and on other projects my skillset is the one needed so....there is respect there for the knowlege I have.
 
I get more respect with my day job than I do on the mat. I know what I do with my work very, very well. However, I do have some level of respect on the mat but not the in the same way the students respect my instructor. That's how it should be.

- Ceicei
 
I get the respect I am due in the Dojang, but I get a whole lot more respect in my day job, but since in my day job I am in charge of the building, then that's the way it should be.
 
I get different forms of respect, but more or less equal levels, in both places.
 
I'm respected in both.

One is a small staff who work well together, the other is a bunch of people who enjoy martial arts, with whom I have many good friends that give each other bloody noses with great regularity.

Totally different atmospheres.

Lamont
 
Respect is a funny thing we all believe that we need to be respected by everyone, but in my eye's the respect I need is from within. Once that is appartent to everybody that you respect yourself they tend to respect you even more.

Yes I beleive I have earned the respect from my students co-worker and teachers, for they have given me the right to respect myself.

On a side note I beleive each and every person needs to be shown some sort of respect for we all deserve it.
 
The reason I ask, is that it seems to be that way in my case, lately. The odd thing is, I work where I teach! I run a TKD program for the community center where I work. I teach 4 hours a week & do other things the rest of the time. My supervisor for most of my day thinks that those 4 hours I teach is a waste of time because it takes me away from the other things that I do. She doesn't realize that I spend more one-on-one time per hour with more kids than any other staff member.
 
I would say a bit more at work. I have been an Electrician for way too long, but have kept up with the changing times and do probably more computer network cabeling now than triditional electrical wiring. Anytime you can stand in a room with literally thousands of wires hanging out of the ceiling (last one was 3200 CAT-6 lines) and walk out a couple of days later and have it neat, orderly and tested to 100% passing even the old guys give you a nod. (I am fast becoming one of the "old guys" on the job now though :( )

Still trying not to trip over my own feet on the mat though. Another 20 years or so and I may have that part down pat. :) I suppose you could say I get some respect on the mat, because I am always 100% "there" and even though it my not click that night, I'll still be there trying the next time.
 
I get more from the people I associate with in the martial arts including those at my school.
My real job is full of backstabbing people and administrators that care about how things look and the $$$ more than they do about any employee
 
Respect for what? Respect is earned and not given so whichever area people work the most at - presumably their job for the most.

It's a variable factor as well, depending on individual priorities- fellow martial artists might respect a particular MA's skills/abilities but a family might respect a particular MA having a job etc.
 
The reason I ask, is that it seems to be that way in my case, lately. The odd thing is, I work where I teach! I run a TKD program for the community center where I work. I teach 4 hours a week & do other things the rest of the time. My supervisor for most of my day thinks that those 4 hours I teach is a waste of time because it takes me away from the other things that I do. She doesn't realize that I spend more one-on-one time per hour with more kids than any other staff member.

Hi Iceman,
Wasn't going to respond to this, but after sleeping on it changed my mind. First, I want to say I admire you for working with kids. I have a theory that in our society, we only truly respect (so care about) those with money, power, and status. Kids have none of those, so for all our lip service about how much we value them, kids actually are often at the bottom of our list of priorities. And by extension, so are those who work with them. So again, kudos, Iceman for choosing to do work which carries little monetary reward, bestows no power, and offers very little status. You could certainly do something else that would give you two, three, or four times as much of each.

Second, I want to say I 'get it' about your supervisor not understadning what you're doing on those four hours. May not change anything for you, but I get it. Have had my fair share of the same. But those people don't take away from what we do for kids. And the most important 'supervisors'--the kids themselves--always get it. :)

Keep fighting the good fight, Brother. You have my utmost respect. :asian:
 
I would say that I get equal respect on and off the mat. In my day job, I'm an Air Force Officer in charge of a Flight...the military kind of has the respect thing down with the whole chain of command and rank structure.

In the Dojang, though I introduce myself by my first name and tell everyone that there is no rank in the Dojang - you can never escape it. The first time I had a much younger and lower ranking person in the class, I indtroduced myself with my full name and told him about no rank here, etc....then I saw him outside and he nearly had a heart attack.

We also have some very young students now, one brand new to the AF. It took a while, but he is now able to separate the two and we are treated as complete equals - regardless of military OR Tang Soo Do rank.
 
I get more from the people I associate with in the martial arts including those at my school.
My real job is full of backstabbing people and administrators that care about how things look and the $$$ more than they do about any employee

Now I don't feel so alone......

I have a similar situation only people are less backstabbing but pushing thier own personal agendas. I do get some respect but a little more wouldn't hurt.

Training wise from day 1 going into my new art (Kempo(well not so new anymore:) )) I have been respected as a MA from all ranks higher and lower. After we all got to know each other as a person and friend as well.

I would think most people would be treated better at any activity they choose to do for enjoyment opposed to one you do for a paycheck.

Don't worry I won't tell your boss your secrets safe with me.....:wink:

-Marc-
 
From coworkers, or civilians? :) I get equal amounts of respect from students at the school and civilians I deal with in my job. As for respect from my coworkers/fellow instructors, that's another subject. They know me too well. :uhyeah:
 
While I know I have earned the respect of my peers in work and on the mat, I find I prefer the respect i get in the dojang. Unfortunately, I have not been too happy with my day job lately. I like what I do and who I work with, but am struggling with the culture and beuracracy at work. In the dojang, things are simpler and frankly more pleasant.

Needless to say, I am looking at making a career move. :)

Peace,
Erik
 
Hmm from the public, it seems I am respected (not saying I AM, just seems that way).

Coworkers? Not so much :) But then we all give each other healthy dose of "ribbing" on a daily basic.

As far as "on the mat," anybody who spends time with me on the mat or on the TKD floor, like me or not, respects me ;)
 
Good question. Dojo respect is different then work respect, as it should be. You are being judged by a different standard in both places. Right off the bat, in the dojo you are learning the art of respect and this key element may be a missing ingredient in the day/night job. The dojo is a level playing field where respect bestows respect, but your day/night job is a place where you may respect someone and not get any back no matter how hard you try. In the dojo from day one you are learning discipline and how it relates to respect along with honor and honesty. Try bringing this into a work place with coworkers that may or may not be on the same page as you are being taught to be in the dojo. I think the most important lesson we learn in the dojo, is to respect ourself, and then when this happens we can walk into life with a confidence of who we are and people will see.
 

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