05/26/2026
I failed a student by a half inch (twice) and people would say I am a stickler so lets talk about standards,
I have worked in a few places where people were not committed to getting better. Worse, they rallied against anyone trying to do better.
Now that I work for myself again, I have to choose every day if I am going to hold a standard or give someone a pass for convenience. I remember the anger, hostility, and poor treatment I have received in my past two positions for simply asking people to show up on time and do their part. I always keep that in mind when I have to choose to make a correction to someone. You never know how someone is going to react despite your intention to help them be better. On top of that, these people are paying me for a service, they are not employees being paid to perform a task. Would they not have stronger reason to be upset with feedback on their skills or resistant to positive coaching? Independent Instructors face the conveniece and keep the customer happy challenge every minute of class when people need to meet any standard past experiential.
I have met a lot of good instructors who do not cut corners. And fortunately, I have never met but only heard of the convenience and keep the customer happy instructors. Why haven't I met them? Because their students leave and come to me or someone else and we hear about it.
I get disappointed when I have a student retaking a class with me, taking a new class and realizing their last instructor failed to prepare them to the minimum standards, or those who were to feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. Im disapointed in the instructor, not the student.
A lot of these instructors do not last. Why? Well that brings me back to the customer not employee. Paying vs paid. These people are the embodiment of the NRA saying attitude is extremely important to train someone and these people paying to be there, especially in PA where there is no training requirement. They are paying for that service and they want their moneys worth!
Today, I had to do remediation with one of the students who had failed to qualify. They are not the first I have failed by a half inch. I tell each of them the same: It is not because I do not like them, but its because I also respect the people that passed by a 1/2 inch or showed up and smoked it. I want them to have the excitement like when the student passes by a 1/2 inch and the whole class cheers. I am putting off their goals, inconveniencing them, and potentially more cost to them (I dont re-charge for remediation). How are they supposed to take that?
Well, instead of death threats (yes, really), I am getting thank you notes, gift cards, and dinner. Honestly, spending time with a lot of these people is gift enough because they are positive and invested in their development. I realized thats the difference from my past colleagues, my students attitude to be better makes them receptive and yearning for that feedback and coaching. When they do not get it? They are going to go somewhere that expects them to get better and brings the knowledge and skills to do that.
