The Question That Builds Great Leaders with Rick Rando

A small moment. A simple decision. But it set off a chain reaction that led to building one of the largest martial arts schools in the country.

So what changed? And what’s the one principle behind it all?

Let’s break it down.

In my recent conversation with Rick Rando on The Learning to Lead Show, he shared a story that stuck with me.

At nine years old, Rick lost a battle… to his six-year-old sister. She had just two weeks of martial arts training.

That was enough.

Sitting in the backseat of a car, he had a realization:

“If I don’t learn what she’s learning… I’m going to lose every time.”

That moment didn’t feel like leadership. It didn’t feel like a defining life decision.

But it was.

Because that one choice turned into:

• 40 years of discipline

• An 8th-degree black belt

• A business with 70+ team members

• And a culture that outlasted competitors—even through COVID

And when I asked him what really made the difference…

It wasn’t talent. It wasn’t luck. It was how he thinks.

Rick said something that hit hard:

“The most dangerous phrase in any organization is—this is the way we’ve always done it.”

And the antidote?

One simple question:

“Can this be done better?

At first, that sounds almost too basic.

But when you really apply it…

It becomes a filter for everything:

• Every system

• Every hire

• Every conversation

• Every standard

Most leaders improve once. Great leaders never stop improving.

Here’s where Rick took this to another level—and where most people fall short:

Early on, Rick made a mistake a lot of leaders make:

He built his business around what worked for him.

Late classes. Rigid payment schedules. Long sessions.

It all made sense… to him.

But not to:

• Busy parents

• Kids with short attention spans

• New students who felt overwhelmed

Everything changed when he started asking:

“What does this look like through their eyes?”

That one shift improved:

• Retention

• Experience

• Growth

One of the hardest lessons he shared:

He tolerated toxic behavior early on… because he felt like he “needed” certain people.

But here’s what he realized:

“What you condone, you endorse.”

That means:

• If you ignore it → you approve it

• If you allow it → it becomes culture

This is where leadership gets uncomfortable.

Because holding the standard might mean:

• Hard conversations

• Letting people go

• Choosing long-term culture over short-term convenience

When COVID hit, 50% of martial arts studios shut down.

Rick’s didn’t.

Not because he reacted faster…

But because he was already prepared.

He had:

• Systems for communication

• Systems for training

• Systems for adapting

So when things changed…

He didn’t panic. He pivoted.

Most people wait until there’s a problem to build systems. By then, it’s too late.

This part stood out the most.

Rick doesn’t see leadership as authority.

He sees it as a responsibility.

His mindset is simple:

• Find the need

• Fill the need

• Serve your people

And here’s the key:

He serves the people who serve the customer.

That ripple effect builds:

• Loyalty

• Ownership

• Culture that lasts

Rick borrowed a concept from Disney called “plussing.”

The idea: Not just doing something well… But always asking:

“How do we make this a level 10 experience?”

That’s where the magic happens.

Because most people:

• Get something working

• Then protect it

Rick:

• Gets something working

• Then challenges it

Over and over again.

Leadership doesn’t break down in big moments.

It breaks down in the small things you ignore.

• The systems you delay.

• The standards you bend.

• The questions you stop asking.

And it improves the same way:

One better question at a time.

So here’s the challenge this week:

Look at one area of your work or life…

And ask:

“Can this be done better?”

Then actually do something about it.

Make sure to catch our conversation on this week's episode of The Learning to Lead Show:

What You Condone, You Endorse with 8th Degree Blackbelt Rick Rando