Good Apples, Bad Apples.

I had a chat with a friend recently and this subject came to my attention. Moody boss for the past one month, not attending meetings, being not responsible and does not motivate colleagues. Do you have experience working with someone like this?

I asked myself this interesting question. Are good apples better than bad ones? I don’t think so. It depends how you are going to use the apples. Let me elaborate on that.

If an apple is going rotten, instead of throwing it away, you can store it in your compost bin. In due time, it will become useful to rejuvenate soil and be nutritious for plants. Good apples, of course, will be a pleasant experience for you. It’s nutritious, edible and will fill in your taste pallets. So, what is the difference then? One is edible and the other is not. However, both remain nutritious. One being consumed, and the other is recycled. You get my drift?

If someone is called a rotten apple, it’s because they are seen on the surface level. In general, they still have values within them that becomes beneficial. Unfortunately, due to their inability to interact well, they cave in to their superficial nature. When they are too absorbed in doing this, they fail to realize the ‘animosity’ they have created amongst their peers. Sometimes, they remain passive and being someone not appreciate for their work.

Remember when I spoke about arrogance? This plays a greater role in the character of a rotten apple. Most of the time, their skill base is strongly at work, that the enterprise they work with may deem them to be indispensable. This gives them greater confidence in what they do and unfortunately, their character did not improve anyhow, since ignorance has crept deep into their daily behavior.

Let me say this. No one is indispensable within an organization, however good or highly skilled you are. You may just drop dead the next day, it will be a momentary shock, but the organization needs to run continuously. Why? Because it is an independent entity. With or without you, it will need to operate, be successful and profitable. If you are a sole-proprietor and running a small business, in your death, your family may need to wrap the business up. When there is no one else is involved in your small business, it becomes no longer feasible to operate unless the employees offer a management buyout.

In a well-managed business, it will always be able to operate in your absence. This means, you can take a short holiday when it becomes highly due, and you do not need to call every other day to make the next decision. Only then, you have shown yourself to be a successful entrepreneur, making the business a benefit to all, not only to yourself.

If you have rotten apples within your organization, firmly decide what to do with them. If they are moldable and able to be a team player, then it is good for them. Otherwise, remove them from your organization. Bad and rotten apples within your organization will regenerate more of the same, if you are not being careful.

You decide on the path you wish to execute. If you are an individual or someone managing an organization, then you know what you need to do. I have made it plain and simple without being over-complicative. There is always a solution when you look for it. Sometimes, it will not be favorable to some, but for the majority, it works.