The Seed
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a
successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.
"The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to
give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to
plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what
you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants
that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO"
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a
seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him
get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown .After about
three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds
and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but
nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others
were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt
like a failure. Six months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot. He just
knew he had killed his seed.Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to
grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought
their plants to the CEO for inspection.Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wifewas right. He took his empty pot to the board room.
When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty
pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for
him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and
flowers you have grown" said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed
the next CEO!" All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room
with his empty pot.
He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was
terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me
fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed
Jim told him the story
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then
announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive! His
name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
How could he be the new CEO the others said?
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a
seed.I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me
today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not
possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When
you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for
the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring
me a pot with my seed in it.
Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!" If you
plant honesty, you will reap trust
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap
later.
AVS Source:Internet
From India, Madras
456A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a
successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.
"The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to
give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to
plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what
you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants
that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO"
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a
seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him
get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown .After about
three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds
and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but
nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others
were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt
like a failure. Six months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot. He just
knew he had killed his seed.Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to
grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought
their plants to the CEO for inspection.Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wifewas right. He took his empty pot to the board room.
When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty
pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for
him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and
flowers you have grown" said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed
the next CEO!" All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room
with his empty pot.
He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was
terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me
fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed
Jim told him the story
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then
announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive! His
name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
How could he be the new CEO the others said?
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a
seed.I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me
today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not
possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When
you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for
the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring
me a pot with my seed in it.
Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!" If you
plant honesty, you will reap trust
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap
later.
AVS Source:Internet
From India, Madras
Your story is simply fantastic. Excellent. Hope to read more stories very soon. Honesty is still the best policy in life. When we are transparent and honest, my team members will develop a trust in us. They will simply and blindly trust us. And it is earned through years of hardwork and committment. It is the award that people can see but feel it. Intangible in Nature. So, we should be honest, speak the truth and create impression in the minds of team. Finally, we click victory.
What a great message. Stunningly beautiful.
Cheers,
Caron
From Nepal, Kathmandu
What a great message. Stunningly beautiful.
Cheers,
Caron
From Nepal, Kathmandu
Hi,
this is a very practical and touchy story for me. I personally believe that " Honesty is the best policy". I experienced a number of prove using this policy. I am very much inspired once again.
Thanks a lot!
Regards,
Abid.
Dhaka.
From Bangladesh, Dhaka
this is a very practical and touchy story for me. I personally believe that " Honesty is the best policy". I experienced a number of prove using this policy. I am very much inspired once again.
Thanks a lot!
Regards,
Abid.
Dhaka.
From Bangladesh, Dhaka
Re: Seed-A story about successor-AVS desk It’s wonderful, Excellent really amazing post Thank you very much Keep posting such wonderful stories Regards S.S.Rathore
From India, Bhavnagar
From India, Bhavnagar
Its really Awesome & if we implement Honesty in our professional lives surely we will make difference.
From India, Hyderabad
From India, Hyderabad
dear all, it is ok. but if another person also brings empty pot,what would be the reaction of CEO.
the another thing is CEO has given them all boiled seeds.
Jim has not complained about seed's incapability to grow. this means if future also he remains silent when systems will go wrong.
any way i enjoyed reading.
giridhar , hyderabad
From India, Hyderabad
the another thing is CEO has given them all boiled seeds.
Jim has not complained about seed's incapability to grow. this means if future also he remains silent when systems will go wrong.
any way i enjoyed reading.
giridhar , hyderabad
From India, Hyderabad
Nice story but the CEO is wrong in selecting JIM. Jim didn’t check his seed, for that his seed will never grow. But the others checked it and tried to improve their seeds to reap good crop.
From Saudi Arabia, Dammam
From Saudi Arabia, Dammam
Dear All
I read the story, it was awesome. it is true that honesty is the best policy. i am a firm believer of that. but i have question to be answered in an honest way. is it possible to be honest in all the situation? do we not lie sometimes to save others?
friends i am really interested to see your views on the question posted above? and to know your honesty level?
i may rank myself @ 50 to 60% out of 100%. how about you? please share
I read the story, it was awesome. it is true that honesty is the best policy. i am a firm believer of that. but i have question to be answered in an honest way. is it possible to be honest in all the situation? do we not lie sometimes to save others?
friends i am really interested to see your views on the question posted above? and to know your honesty level?
i may rank myself @ 50 to 60% out of 100%. how about you? please share
This is good example of honesty but looks very simple because in today’s corporate world you have to be opportunist to be successful. What happens in the story is correct but seems to be a gamble... CEO kind of roles can't be decided with a signal and non-related examples.. it should be done with best of at least five examples with different kind of goals....
rest is ok but don't go by just one mind ........today’s world is very complex where one has to chooses one way from two ways where both are correct.. so chose always which one is better.
From India, New Delhi
rest is ok but don't go by just one mind ........today’s world is very complex where one has to chooses one way from two ways where both are correct.. so chose always which one is better.
From India, New Delhi
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