In karate training the number one quality of a black belt we look at when promoting up the ranks isn’t how high they can kick, or how many boards they can break. It’s how well he or she can teach others. I believe a pro-active teaching mentality pays dividends to anyone. It is not limited to just a martial arts context.
On the dojo floor we use the term “obligation” in regards to the necessity of teaching, but simply saying “the importance of teaching others” captures the spirit of this for any environment or situation. So, why should you teach?
If you are not teaching, you are not growing.
Are You an Expert?
There is a whole argument going on right now across the internet related to defining what an expert is. The ability to teach demonstrates a thought process of how well you understand something and can explain it to others. While being able to explain something well doesn’t make you an expert, if you can’t explain it or do it in a way where others can take action on it, it’s likely you don’t know what you are talking about. Or you haven’t put yourself in a publicly facing position to be able to articulate something. I don’t mean just be putting up a blog post (although that’s a good start and very beneficial). You need to go eyeball to eyeball with someone to get the full meaning of this. It’s not necessary to be an “expert” to teach.
Giving Back Brings Confidence
I am not covering the relatively obvious altruistic point of helping others. I’ll take that up in a future post. What’s not obvious is that most people that do share information (and I see this around the web a lot) don’t view themselves as teachers. They should. I don’t mean this as a way of demonstrating you superiority, just recognition to you that you have something to offer. One of the primary purposes of teaching is to build confidence in yourself and it’s a major part of why we do it in a martial arts context.
Advancing Your “Art”
The other major part of this is to further advance the overall body of knowledge of whatever topic you are discussing and to do it selflessly. In this sense you are sharing with others, just as much as you are teaching. We all see a lot of this around the web, notably in blogs with topics like how to sell, write better copy, do SEO, be a better cyclist – whatever your “art” is. Sharing Knowledge is one of the 6Elements, giving back to others through teaching. It’s connected directly to the tag line of this blog “Be Your Own Master” which is no accident.
Stop Learning and Start Teaching
A slightly provocative statement perhaps, I know. And I don’t mean “stop learning” literally – this is a life metaphor. I once had a PhD student that trained in karate with tell me he thought he needed to take one more class (he was an electrical engineer) in college before he felt he was sufficiently prepared to go out on his own. I told him to knock it off and not take the class and instead start teaching others. He didn’t need one more class, he just needed to get going. All I am saying is that if you are hung up on learning more, you probably should take a break and go out and teach something for awhile. Whether that is with a co-worker, a group of colleagues, or even just with your kids. This can be done subtlety; it doesn’t need to be framed as a way of your superiority over someone else. Share something that is important to you, why it is so and some steps on how to do it. You can also do this through your blog, and many do. That is a form of teaching but I really mean getting in front of others where you are put directly into a position of thinking through what you are teaching “on the fly”.
I’ll talk more about the mechanics of specific ways you can teach regardless of your situation in future posts. And a lot of this will deal specifically with teaching opportunities that present themselves in personal situations (read not through a blog).
If you are not teaching, you are not growing. You really need to teach. You can still learn by being a student to others, but taking a pro-active role in communicating concepts, ideas and methods really supports personal growth and development.
The actions we take in everyday life are no different than the ones Black Belts train by on a daily basis. You have an obligation to teach others. So tell me, are you teaching?
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Although I’m no martial arts person, I get what you’re saying here, Marc. It’s an interesting paradox, isn’t it, that when we teach we learn?
And for me the learning can be on a number of levels. By teaching, I deepen my own understanding of something. It also makes me more aware of what my view or position is on something, in light of my experience. And sometimes it challenges me to learn new things about myself as I search within myself for new or different ways to express something to ensure a learner understands me.
Thanks for an interesting post.
.-= Christine Livingston´s last blog ..How am I doing? =-.
Great observation Christine, it’s definitely a paradox. I have found on a personal level if I can’t explain it well, I probably don’t understand it to the level I need to.
I am so teaching now! And I totally agree, teaching is one of the best ways to grow and learn yourself. I often find that my knowledge of the topic I teach deepens tremendously after I prepared and presented it to others. Great post Mark!
.-= Lana-Dreamfollowers.com´s last blog ..you won’t love THERE if you don’t love HERE first =-.
That’s really great Lana. I find it pushes me to really understand what the subject material is. If you are not on your toes your students know it and that puts extra pressure to really master the topic.
Hi Marc – It seems like every time I learn something, I have this hankering to teach it. Like that’s how I really learn it, finally. That old saying, “you teach what you need to learn,” is becoming truer than ever for me. So I really appreciate this. Thanks!
.-= Patty – Why Not Start Now?´s last blog ..Meaning Mondays: The Clouds Edition =-.
Hi Patty – I wasn’t aware of that saying – thanks for the lesson!
Marc -
Wow – that is thought provoking. I think that teaching is often a very subtle art. I learn so much from others simply by watching what they do. Inspiring people tend to act in ways that others wish to emulate. I think that when you watch great teachers in action it actually creates a feedback loop – the teacher is learning, the learner is teaching. This is the ideal situation – to teach and learn at the same time. So I’d say, if you’re teaching, you are learning.
Phil
.-= Phil Bolton´s last blog ..Viktor Frankl – Lessons from a Concentration Camp =-.
Definitely Phil, learning and growing. The best teachers, and most successful people, do both. Thanks for stopping by.
Another great post Marc! Thank you
I think teaching is an important part of the learning process because it not only helps to cement you learning but also contributes back to others.
Sharing knowledge is the key to other people’s success and the more you can teach the more you can learn from it.
The idea of only being a expert to teach isn’t really applicable as you say. My 3yr old taught a friend at nursery how to do a jigsaw puzzle. It doesn’t make her a puzzle expert – but I would love to ride that cash cow! – it just means she’s sharing her learning as we all should do.
.-= Ben´s last blog ..It’s the little things that make a big difference. How do you flap your Butterfly wings? =-.
Ben – thanks. One of the inherent messages in the post is that anyone can teach. We actually put beginning students into teaching roles very early in their training process. You can’t learn it unless you start doing it right away, not something you want to start after training for 4 or 5 years and then going for your black belt. Your example with your daughter is an excellent one regarding the way we do it from a getting started perspective. I should have been more clear. Thanks for pointing this out.
Marc, a great post with an equally great message.
I studied an degree in engineering, after which I realised I didn’t fully understand a great deal of what I’d learnt. Yes, I knew what I’d been taught, however my understanding fell short. It was only when I moved into teaching that I began to understand what I’d been taught. When I had to relay the information to others!
When I realised what was happening, I adopted the same principle to my teaching and encouraged my learners to explain to the group what they were learning or had learnt.
Outcome: Great results
Regards
Paul
Paul – It’s great to see you apply the technique to your students. Thanks for sharing your story.
Re: “You can still learn by being a student to others, but taking a pro-active role in communicating concepts, ideas and methods really supports personal growth and development.”
I couldn’t agree with you more. Sometimes, you really do learn a lot by teaching a subject/concept to others. You definitely improve yourself in the process…
.-= Ricardo Bueno´s last blog ..Twitter For Real Estate at PWR =-.
Really true Ricardo, thanks for coming by.
Marc…great post…my martial arts example, to illustrate this point, came after I had earned my 1st black stripe on my white belt…big deal I thought….so in the Dojo warming up I was waiting for a brown or green to free up to ask them questions….the Sensei walked up and said “what are you doing?…you should be teaching” I laughed and said “who would I teach?”…he pointed to a brand new student wearing a white belt…he pointed at my stripe and said that I had an obligation to pass on what I knew…well…I knew the correct stance…how to hold my fist and deliver a blow…and the basic kata…I will never forget that lesson….you don’t have to be an expert to teach…and it forced me to really learn…thanks for the post Marc…
Hey Enrique,
Glad to see you here joining the conversation. That is such a great example, something I’ll include in my next post related to teaching techniques and where/how to do it. I had the same conversation when I was white belt with a stripe. It applies to anything really – so I guess you are the master
Marc
yes