I was asked to write an article about success for a national magazine with my friend Rodger Campbell. We do a speech called "Are you a BAD Apple?" all around the country. We talk about success and how to achieve it. The magazine editors of College Store Magazine asked us to write about our program and what it means. We recently received copies of the magazine. Rodger wrote an article and I did too.
Are you a BAD Apple?
By Frank Kitchen
I recently completed my very first marathon. While running the un-godly distance of 26.2 miles, a lot of thoughts went through my head. “Why am I doing this?” “Where is the finish line?” “I have an article due for the CCRA Conference!” “How do I explain what BAD means?” While I was running the race I noticed 10,000 BAD APPLES surrounded me. We all had the same dream, to complete the marathon. We all had a BELIEF that we could finish without dying. We all took various ACTIONS to train for the race. When race day finally arrived we all had the DETERMINATION to fight through various mental and physically adversities to complete the race. We all rejoiced! We accomplished our goals and answered the question…..”Are you a BAD APPLE?”
“What does BAD APPLE mean? When I travel the country with Rodger Campbell; we are constantly asked that very question. There are two of us, so people usually get two answers. We both believe people and organizations are like apples. They have to ability to grow into something ordinary, rotten, or extraordinary. Our goal is for everyone to become extraordinary! In order to do this you must become BAD. Don’t worry CCRA delegates, being BAD is good. We invite you to come to our presentation to find out why it’s good to be BAD.
BAD means to have belief, action and determination. We all have dreams in our lives, but do we really believe they can come true? My dream was to run and complete a marathon. ONE MARATHON! In order for my dream to become reality I needed to believe I could complete the race. Without belief there is no action. A dream that doesn’t come true becomes a nightmare. Taking the first step to achieve a dream is the toughest part. You can only take that leap of faith when you truly believe.
Now that I believed, I needed to take action. My actions included: six months of training, consulting with running experts, buying the right equipment and putting down my non-refundable entry fee. As the race date approached, I started to have doubts. I considered changing my mind, until my last practice run. I ran over twenty miles with my girlfriend and I didn’t die! This marathon thing could really happen. I’m going to accomplish something extraordinary!
Race day arrived with a four o’clock AM beep beep beep from my alarm clock. I got up and got ready. Got my carbs, drank my fluids and took my ibuprofen. There was excitement as the race began. That excitement started to fade around mile thirteen. That’s when things really got tough. By mile eighteen I thought about quitting when my leg cramped up. The thought of not accomplishing my dream kept me going. I really didn’t want to have to run the race again. I mentally stayed determined. When muscles started to lock up, I found the first aid station to get treatment. When I thought I was the only one having issues, I looked around and saw hundreds of other people facing the similar difficulties. The torment bonded us. As the finish line approached, I had several friends there to cheer me on. That inspired me more. When I crossed the line the celebration and my retirement began! Bags of ice on my knees, ibuprofen in my mouth and thank yous to everyone who offered encouragement to achieve my dream.
. No matter what you or your organization want to accomplish; you must be BAD. First you must believe in the dream. Second you have to take the proper actions. Finally when the hardships arise you must stay determined to the end. Hardships will definitely test your beliefs. If you stay determined you can accomplish your dreams. We are here at the CCRA Conference to change attitudes. You can call us attitude adjusters! Attitudes are all about belief. One must believe in themselves. One must instill belief in others. Finally they need belief in the dream they want to become reality. When we accomplish our dreams, it’s more than ordinary. It’s special. We get sense of adulation and we can’t wait to conquer our next challenge. This is success! This is being a B.A.D. A.P.P.L.E!
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.
