Letter to Inspire

We often receive thank you letters from the people we speak with and work with. When we get these letters they inspire us to continue doing what we do. We know our words are helping people build and develop. We know our words and actions are providing people with BELIEF, ACTION and DETERMINATION.

(Name has been changed for privacy reasons)

Hey Frank and Rodger,

I wanted to say thank you for the leadership retreat today. I know it was supposed to remind us of why we are leaders and how we influence others, but it reminded me of so much more.
I am senior and my best friend graduated last semester. It has honestly been pretty miserable here for the past month. Your leadership retreat made me realize, it's miserable because of me.
I forgot how easy it is to smile and to laugh and to be silly. You guys really have a way with words. Your lessons were felt today. They gave me back the little bit of spunk I was missing for awhile there.
I honestly thought going into it, oh boy, another person preaching.
However, you didn't preach. You taught. You reminded. You impacted. You gave me back my value.
So as I sat here and wrote down a grocery list, I remembered the littlest things and the major things, and I just wanted to make sure that a thank you to the both of you was included.

Thank you for helping me find the BAD in me again,

Susan

DEAR APPLES....

We often receive letters from people who participate in our shows. We like to share some of the really inspiring ones from time to time.

Here is one that was recently sent to Frank.

Dear Frank

 

    You may rememer me from the FCCLA Conference that you attended in November. I was in the front row on your right, tall, wore a white shirt. It's been awhile and even with the time I've had, I'm only half way through your book. However the impact that it has had on me this semester in school is astronomical. Before I was a student who was always told that I had potential; but my grades didn't reflect it and now that is not the case. You have been a Great insperation to me and every chance I get, I read as much of your book as I can. saddly that isn't often with the schedule I keep.

    Senior year is rapidly coming to a close and though I still have a few months I am trully uncertain of what it is I want to do after I graduate. Too many things interest me to be able to choose what I want to persue. Currently im writting a novel to see if I like writting. My Beleif is that I can create worlds with my imagination. It plays a big role in my life and never shuts off. My actions have been to search and look into the things that inerest me and help me move forward. And my Determination is helping me get through my Busy Schedule and not go bananas, but I still feel like I am missing something.

 

I was also wandering if you were doing anymore workshops in the Pheonix area.

 

One B.A.D Apple 

 

We'll be keeping in touch with this BAD Apple! Feel free to write us anytime....

 

Frank@badbadapples.com  or Rodger@badbadapples.com

The PIG Test

When we travel around the country, we often do a series of "Attitude Adjustment Exercises." The exercises or games are great visual learning tools for our programs.

One of the favorite exercises we do is called "The Pig Test." It's a great ice breaker and a great way for people to learn about themselves.

Frank first took the test almost 20  years ago. Now it's something we share with people around the world.

We've decided to share the test on our blog. Take the test and when you're done, feel free to share it with others.

Enjoy the PIG TEST


Step #1
Please draw a PIG on the paper provided!


No rules, no limits! You can drawn anything! This test is about you.

 
Step #2
Where did you draw your pig?

- If your pig is at the top of the page, you are positive and optimistic!

- If your pig is in the middle of the page, you are a realist!

- If your pig is at the bottom of the paper, you are suspicious and have a likelihood to behave
   negatively.


Step #3
What direction does you pig face?

- Does your pig face left side of the page?

  You believe in traditions. You are friendly. You are good at remembering dates
  (birthdays, homework, anniversaries,etc)

- Does your pig face right side of the page?

  You are creative and active. You don’t have a strong sense of family. You have a hard time 
   remembering dates.

- Is your pig looking directly at you?

You are direct, enjoy playing devil’s advocate and neither fear nor avoid discussions

Step #4
How much detail did you put into your drawing?

- Do you have a lot of details?

  You are organized, methodical, cautious and  distrustful.

- Few details?

   You tend to be emotional and naive (easy to trick/influence), you care little for details and are a
   risktaker.

Step #5
How many legs did you draw?

- All 4 legs showing


  You tend to be secure, stubborn and stick to your ideals.

- Less than four legs?

 (You like ham!)

  You tend to be emotional and gullible. You also care little for details and are a risk taker

Step #5
Did you draw ears?

- How big are your pigs ears?

   The size of the ears show how good a listener you are. The bigger the better!

Step #6
Did you draw a tail?

- Does your pig have a tail?

  The length of the tail indicates the quality of your relationships. The longer the better.

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BAD BAD Apples Facebook Page (Click Here)

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Thank you Pitt-Bradford

This past weekend, we hit the road for Bradford, Pennsylvania. We visited the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to with with Residence Hall Assistants (RAs), sorority students and student leaders for a Leadership retreat.

We enjoyed our time sharing the BAD BAD Apples Philosophy. One of the best moments was seeing the advertising on campus! The BAD Apple picture above was all over campus and priceless!

Thank you Pitt-Bradford! We have new advertising ideas now! You are all BAD Apples!

What is a BAD Apple? By Rodger

What is a BAD APPLE?

(Article written for the CCRA Conference) 

By: Rodger Campbell

.           

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.