Thought 51
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 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
youngexecutives. 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 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
Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap
later.
This is a test to see who your real friends are or if you are just
someone to talk to when they are bored.
Do you know what the relationship is between your two eyes?
Save the Earth. it's the only planet with chocolate! |
Thought 51
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