What is a BAD Apple? By Rodger

What is a BAD APPLE?

(Article written for the CCRA Conference) 

By: Rodger Campbell

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BAD equals success. Success is what we are all after.  Success in life, in love, in business and everything we do. Success is rooted in accomplishing the basics.  We must crawl before we walk, and walk before we run. (Even a marathon!)  Fundamentals are keys to success in sports, in life, and in business. I enjoy watching and playing basketball.  I’ve noticed something that is true for basketball and all team sports; the most successful teams are not always the one loaded with great talent.  The teams, which maximize the talent and skills available, accomplish the most.  Hall of fame coach John Wooden has been quoted as saying; “Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.”  In order for us to be successful we must maximize what we possess.   We must be BAD! We should always be Building and Developing. Building indicates that we are constructing new areas or new environments, the creative part of success.   Developing is the enhancement of what is currently in existence or the maintenance portion of success.  We must be in a state of Building and Developing our capacity for success in three areas: 1) ourselves 2) those we care for   3) those we serve.   

Leaders build legacies, both personally and professionally. Our legacies flow from the well within each of us.   If the well is dry, we build a legacy filled with the dust of what could have been.  If it is full, our legacy is filled with life giving lessons.   Our legacy then flows to those around us.  Frank has shared his story of the race, but look at it another way.  He took time to build his body, he developed a strategy and challenged himself in such a way that others, like you and I, can grow from the lessons learned.   Take a moment and think about how you are growing?  Are we seeking new challenges professionally or personally?  Have we improved our individual capacity as a leader?   Are we managing the same way we’ve always managed?  Are we looking for new information to build?   Our legacy is being built not only by what we do, but also how we treat others. Only after we do some significant soul searching can we make the impact on others.

The best leaders are those who maximize the potential in front of them.   Coaches build capacity in their players.   They develop the individual players’ strengths in order to gain the desired results.  We must do the same.  Yes we must maintain an eye on the bottom line, and yes we must minimize our risks.  However, we gain the most out of individuals when they feel empowered, entrusted, and encouraged.   Can the people you lead say that you have invested in them with time and energy, not just a paycheck?  Building and Developing capacity in others is no easy task.  In fact it is the most difficult task.   Yet if we are not successful in building an environment for development of our employees, it will affect the people that we serve.

The fundamentals of any successful business venture are the same fundamentals of life; the way you treat people will determine how they treat you.  Daily we touch the lives of individuals with every look, glance, glare and conversation. Technology has improved our gathering of information, but it also has created a greater need for connection.  Customers are more critical than ever.  They are not just focused on the latest and greatest technology.  That is a given.  They are very critical of the care they receive.  Some may say it is an over sensitive generation, however, if they don’t enjoy the experience they will not purchase the product.   It is not just true of the products, but also of the personnel.  From the moment someone hits our doors they are sizing us up.  What is the experience of the customers the moment they hit your establishment or organization.   Do they feel something?  Is it positive? Do they want more?  We must build and develop the customer’s capacity for improvement through our products and services.

Yes these may be the basic items that everyone knows.  However, great teams don’t just show up on game day.  They are in the gyms running through plays in their heads, in the weight room pumping iron, in the film room watching every nuance of the game.   The great leaders know that games are won or lost in not executing the fundamentals.  In the daily grind, it is easy to lose sight of basics of caring for ourselves, our teams, our customers.  Yet these are the lifeblood of our existence. As we improve our selves, we improve the lives of those around us.   We must make sure that our well is full of life giving experiences, energy and endurance.  This will ensure that the proper legacy is crafted.  It’s not just about the accomplishment, but the process of how it was accomplished.   All BAD APPLES know that Building and Developing is a way of life.