It's so easy in our field to become a dictator. After all, we are the keepers of our tradition, of our standards and we hold the key to belt promotions. We are the heads of our schools and people come to us actually believing that we have knowledge and character beyond the typical person. With all that adoration and respect (which we demand anyway, in the name of discipline), how do we NOT get a fat head?
In martial arts, you hear so much about the importance of being humble and I agree that it is one of the top traits in a great instructor or leader. But how do you know when you are being humble? What does it look like? And when is someone just faking it for the sake of reputation? Humble is a full time job, and doesn't stop when class is dismissed.
