About Us - NLT


My Members Area		My Leadership Training		PBLT Project Ideas		My Project Portfolio		Network W/Members		Store

About Us

Download NLT Student Manual

Welcome

The National Leadership Team, much like training in the martial arts, is a vehicle for experiencing personal growth, real leadership, and helping you realize your potential through real life experiences. The NLT started with a group of martial artists seeking balance in their training in today's world. Training in the Martial Arts, throughout history, has been much more than physical combat and physical mastery. Martial arts training has been a path for developing compassion, understanding, empathy, peace, and a vehicle for becoming a better person. This is the foundation from which the NLT has grown from. This is the area that you will be focusing on in your leadership training. The NLT will help you develop into a compassionate, powerful human being. Kano, Funakoshi, Bruce Lee, and Ueshiba were all great fighters and famous masters of the martial arts, but they were also very well known for their ability to lead. Leadership is at the forefront of the martial arts training. The NLT is simply a vehicle to experience Leadership through community activism and experiential based training.

We're On A Mission To Record
1,000 Community Projects!
How will we do this? One ACTION at a time.
Your Next Project Counts!
Are you going to watch us... or JOIN US?

Join our community of National Leadership Team members who are enhancing their lives and furthering their education through community activism, environmental self-defense, peace education and personal development. Track your progress, create your Leadership Project Portfolio to gain credibility and experience as a leader, and share your projects with others.

WHY 1000 PROJECTS?
1000 is a starting point for making a statement. 1000 is something that we as a team can be proud of. 1000 gives us the credibility and social proof that we are people of ACTION and are truly making a difference. With 1000 projects recorded, you will have done your part and built your own PROJECT PORTFOLIO (of 5-10 projects) that is worthy of recognition. When the team hits 1000 projects, the members of the NLT will have learned something very REAL about LEADERSHIP. When the NLT hits 1000 projects, we will reset our goals higher and continue on our Journey.

The Power Of Being On A Team of Winners
With a team, you'll be able to leverage the experience of those who have come before you. You'll be able to meet friends and inspirational 'heroes' and role models that you can follow. With a team, you'll have access to a group of like minded individuals on the same mission as you: TO BUILD SOMETHING MEMORABLE AND WORTHWHILE WHILE LEARNING REAL LEADERSHIP.

As a member of the NLT, your PBLT training will require you to conceive of, plan, and LEAD a community service project (or several) of your choosing to demonstrate character, leadership ability, and commitment to community. You will begin to build your own Project Portfolio which you can use for a lifetime of success. This is the #1 way to learn real leadership, through experience and real action. Leaders are never born, they are created through adversity, positive experiences, and practice.

So Exercise Your Leadership Muscles,
Build Your Project Portfolio
and join the NLT today!

Become A Member &
Start Building Your
Project Portfolio

Master Tom Callos (6th Degree Black Belt) is the original visionary of the Project Based Leadership Training idea. Head Coach of The Ultimate Black Belt Test.
www.UltimateBlackBeltTest.com
www.TheNewWayNetwork.com
"I subscribe to the great karate master Gichen Funakoshi’s definition of the purpose of martial arts training: "The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants."

From a self-defense perspective, I hold the opinion that more people will be hurt by either their inability to exercise effective leadership, or by suffering the pain of serving under ineffective leaders, than will ever be hurt by a kick, punch, or throw. So, as a master teacher of the martial arts, I naturally gravitate towards offering lessons that address many of the character traits, habits, and beliefs of people universally recognized as leaders. Along with a wicked front kick, I would, if I were a talented enough teacher, work to instil the kind of patience and courage in my students that Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated when he led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom around the world."

Mr. Gary Engels (3rd Degree Black Belt) is the Creator and Head Coach of The National Leadership Team Project.

"The National Leadership Team was originally designed to challenge and motivate martial artists across the nation to demonstrate REAL Leadership through taking ACTION in their communities, it has since evolved to include non-martial arts groups, organizations, and schools who are interested in global change and who believe that ONE PERSON, through Leadership and Positive Action, TRULY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE."

"With the National Leadership Team, students (young and old) are happy to complete and track their progress as they complete the leadership challenges and complete and track their community action projects. Our NLT students are highly motivated to help others, learn leadership, and improve the world around us. We've found the best way to motivate them to complete the Leadership Challenges and complete their leadership projects is through the use of the Belt Rank System (similar to our martial arts ranks) and the creation of their own Presentable Project Portfolio that they can use for a lifetime of success. Students can use this Project Portfolio to demonstrate to others their ability to lead a group to success, gain credibility through previous leadership experiences, and set themselves up for success in any future endeavor."

"Leadership is the most sought after skill in the world, it is the most precious commodity on earth. EVERYONE is looking for real leadership to follow. From our experience, most people are willing to help with your YOUR PBLT PROJECTS, they are just waiting for a LEADER (you) to ask them to join you and show them where to go. This is your chance, your opportunity, to follow the heroes and leaders before us who weren't afraid to do what is right in order to make a real difference in our world."

A Note To All Martial Artists Participating In The NLT

There’s Much More To Martial Arts
Than Kicks, Punches, and Grappling...

"Martial Arts Training is about perfecting character. Without altruistic training and philosophy, martial artists are just brawlers. Without compassion, martial artists are just street fighters learning to beat each other up. The National Leadership Team is about taking the lessons we learn in our martial arts leadership programs and applying them to real world projects and goals. The experience is everything. This experience creates leadership. "

With the NLT, you are now a part of a group of martial artists on a mission. You will begin to learn real, true, un-fakable leadership through action based/experience based/project based leadership training. The NLT will focus on helping you develop compassion and leadership through project based leadership training. In fact, we are on a mission to complete 1000 recorded community projects on our website achieved across the nation. We need your help to accomplish this WOW goal.

Why Do Martial Artists Need To Do Rak’s
And Community Projects?

Martial artists throughout history understood that the Martial Arts were about much more than punching and kicking. Kano, Funakoshi, Ueshiba, Bruce Lee, and others were all known as brilliant martial artists, but more importantly they were known as amazing human beings. They were powerful and compassionate leaders who we respect to this day because of their ability to take action on the things that are important to them.

NLT students are making a stand for “martial artists”. Tom Callos was quoted as saying, “Whenever I say 'martial arts,' I think 'life,' and whenever I say 'martial artist' I think, 'human being.'" So in reality we are training in the martial arts not to become only great fighters, but to become amazing human beings. Our mission for the martial arts community is to raise a new type of martial artist. As our master instructors taught us before we were born, physical self defense is only one aspect of the martial arts.

Martial Artists are leaders who are passionate about Random Acts of Kindness for others (which is self defense against cruelty and injustice). Martial Artists are compassionate human beings who are passionate about community involvement and projects that make a difference (which is self defense against low self-esteem and non-action). Those who practice Karate, Kung-Fu, Taekwondo, etc... are not only great at the physical techniques and fighting aspects of their arts, but are also Black Belts at goal setting and achieving (which is self defense against mediocrity and lowered standards).

This is what the martial arts are about at a core level.

When we started in the martial arts we wanted to learn self defense, discipline, confidence, leadership, physical coordination and skill. We learn kicks, punches, locks and throws to practice and acquired these skills. Physical techniques are one vehicle to practice. The NLT is the other vehicle. In fact, it’s the Ferrari sitting in the parking lot. It’s useless unless you get in, turn the key, and step on the gas. You are the only variable. No one will ever give you "leadership". Leaders are never born, they are always created through real life
experiences, lesson, and projects that teach us at a core level.

Welcome to the NLT.

Learn About All Of Our Membership Options

Here's What Our Members Are Saying

"I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful impact you've had in Walker's life... He looks up to you [and the others in the NLT] with great respect and works hard on the leadership program goals you've established together. Thanks again and keep up your great work.

- Dana McMullin
(Walker's Mother)
Walker is a Quest Student.

"Since starting my Leadership [NLT] Journey, I've gained a new self image though goal setting, personal development, and body re-shaping and lost 50lbs. "

- Jen Stough
Leadership Journey Student

"The Leadership Quest Program has done a fantastic job boosting the confidence of my son. He feels more comfortable and self assured than he has ever been in the past. Abbott has also developed greater strength and flexibility through goal setting. I highly encourage others to join this program!"

- Michelle Veldhuizen
(Abbott's Mother)
Abbott was a Quest and
is now a Journey Student.

"Thank you very much for your support and your leadership program. You have helped me turn a timid child into the starts of a leader."

- Shelly Kasprzyk
(Jessica's Mother)
Adventure Student

"Great job with the program! Will is in the best shape (physically) and his self confidence is at a all time high! This NLT was just thing he needed to rise to the next level in his training"

- Kathy Sheeley
(Will's mother)
Will is a Quest Student

"Clara's experience with the Leadership Quest Program has been very positive. Although we can see some very positive changes in many ways, there was one incident that spoke volumes to us; we had spoken to Clara's current teacher during open house and she was telling us how much Clara participates in class and raises her hand all the time. Until she set that goal, every teacher prior had told us how quiet and reserved she was!"

- Tami Schroeder
(Clara's Mother)
Clara is a Quest Student

"...Its been amazing to watch our youngest daughter transform from a shy 5 year-old to a confident 9 year old. She has experienced the satisfaction that comes with overcoming one's fears to achieve your goals.
We have also witnessed a remarkable level of focus and determination in our older daughter. She has become goal oriented and has worked very hard for her multiple achievements...
We are very pleased with the [NLT] Leadership Program. Not only does Mr. Engels teach the skills needed to advance in martial arts, through this website and this program, he is helping to mold our children into responsible citizens. His leadership program focuses on the development of positive character traits through lessons involving goal-setting and community service projects... The Leadership Program comes highly recommended by all members of the Raykovich family!"

- Tom and Susan Raykovich
(Nikki and Jessie's Parents)
Nikki and Jessie are both
Leadership Quest Students