A successful businessman 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. Every day, 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 to his stomach; it was going to be the most embarrassing moment
of his life, but he knew his wife was 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, "This is your next Chief Executive
Officer! 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 asked.
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
possiblefor 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
Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust* If you plant goodness, you
will reap friends* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness* If you plant
perseverance, you will reap contentment* If you plant consideration, you will
reap perspective* If you plant hard work, you will reap success* If you plant
forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap
later.
Have The Best Father's Day Ever,
dan
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