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 boardroom. 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 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!’
End of story.
I have read variations of this story credited to anonymity but in terms of lesson is worth repeating specially in a country like ours that need to be reinforced with lessons on virtuous leadership.
Scriptures say whatsoever you sow you shall reap.
Plant honesty and reap trust.
Plant goodness and you reap friends.
Plant humility and reap greatness
Plant perseverance and reap contentment
Plant consideration and reap perspective
Plant hard work and reap success
Plant forgiveness and reap reconciliation
Plant faith in GOD and reap a harvest.
I guess the question is what are you planting now?
Thanks bro, very interesting !
Thanks+Best regards
wow… what a superb example of man’s honesty a dignity which are rare nowadays
Thanks… I have been craving for inspirational and spiritual stories.
You are always inspirational indeed bro Francis! God bless you always and more power!
Thank you for your timely article, Francis.
I first heard you speak when I was a college senior in St. Theresa’s, way back in 2000. I have just barely survived a major career shift, by going after my passions. I am glad I’m still able to read your thoughts through your blog (and mailing list). It has been hard adjusting to a new work culture and even more difficult to stick to honesty, goodness and being kind, especially in the face of dealing with oh, let’s just say, “challenging” people. Thank you for being my invisible mentor. May the world continue to inspire you.
Wow, what a great story!! This is very inspiring thanks for this post.. God bless you more…
Thank you so much! Again your article inspired me to muse about values that will be like my compass. God bless you Sir!
a story like this is a real testament of our honesty and humility put in to the test…
wow very timely how i wish ed can read this article for him to enlighten. thank you for this post
Your article teaches me to be courageous despite the difficulties in life.
Sir Francis,
Kudos on your very inspiring article !!! … Very heartwarming… it humble and guide me to be stand on the virtue of honesty and integrity..
Maraming salamat po…
God bless you always, Sir…
John
Inspiring as usual.
Great story to share with my Beijing team.
Jim should take the initiative to investigate the science behind the seed so he would know before that the seed is impossible to grow. Nice article, Francis.
i have read some of ur works and the name Francis Kong remained i my mind. You have inspired me a lot. Im a banker and a fisher…. fisher of man… I’m part of Davao- Federation of Archdiocesan Youth Groups and Ang lingkod ng Panginoon. ur writings inspired me lot and it helped me deal w/ life and w/ other people. And I feel more confident whenever I am challenged in my service. thank u sir francis!
sir,
really inspiring article!!! reminds me of my father… after reading the story i suddenly felt very proud of my parents! thanks!!!
Sir, thanks for another inspiring story.
I am no executive. I am just a humble secretary. Your stories inspire me. I may not to be a great executive, but I could be a great secretary.
This is story is inspiring encouraging and a lesson to me that honesty for sure reaps trust. It proves how much we can acquire when we are honest with the little things in life that sometimes seem not to matter. May God help me to be as honest as Jim.
Thank you lots and God be with you!
wow! thanks a lot mr. francis! it’s been a struggle for me trying to live with integrity. i had quite a lot of failures and all of them happened when i forgot to keep the integrity.
thanks
gid
Hi Francis,
Awesome, truly inspiring. More blessings and grace for you and your family. Your thoughts keep on inspiring people to be better and better each passing day. May God guard your heart and mind and continue to plant in you positive influences that you can share to your readers.
-Alex
This is a wake up call! Call a spade a spade and not a big spoon. Face your fears.
sir very inspiring and timely. now a days we need well principled men- honest and full of courage. We need “living fish to swim against the current.” God bless!
Isn’t it like those pastors who plant artificial growth in their churches?
Or ministers who plant artificial success into their pots of ministries?
Let us just be honest and faithful in doing the work of the Lord and wait for Him to give us real growth and success for His glory.
Thanks to Sir Francis!
Nice article Sir Francis! This is a very very good example of how honesty and integrity works! For the retiring CEO, honesty and integrity are two of the best qualities that the next CEO should possess for the company to become successful.
In times when Results are the only thing that counts, we sometimes forget our principles and Integrity. I remember my high school days when my class mates use to copy answers from our “class nerd” and they even get higher scores than him. Thanks for reminding me about this.
’twas A great reminder for the readers to be honest and plant goodness, that somebody will reap betterment,, I as a student,, it must be practice so that in the field of real world that awaits, we could be equipped,, and will reap a good harvest., and is a weapon in the ‘battlefield’.-Good Day-
ive read this story in a news paper two months ago
It’s might such an inspiration that others need to do. 🙂
Dear Sir,
It was a realization. Honesty is at times set aside in favor of self interest. It is true, because of greediness, because of power and popularity, because of ungodly desire, truthfulness and honesty is forgotten, we tend to do everything just to get what we want. How I wish the leaders of the country will be able to read this and be able to realize something not for themselves but for the people.
dear francis,
i always read your column in the phil star and you always inspire me with your great message and i learn a lot from you, and this story really a great reminder that everyone should be honest and thats what this country leaders dont have and its a sad reality. how i wish all government official take a lesson from you so they will change for the better of our country.
dear francis,
i always read your column in the phil star and you always inspire me with your great message and i learn a lot from you, and this story really a great reminder that everyone should be honest and thats what this country leaders dont have and its a sad reality.
I heard this story from a priest. I was really amazed with the outcome of such task. Could you imagine that the poor one was proclaimed to be the next CEO. Honesty really does something that people can hardly imagine… My as well the cliche “The truth will set you free”. The pauper was freed from poverty because of what he showed and manifested before the former ceo…
The corporate jungle is fierce and unforgiving. These urban warriors do whatever it takes to succeed, even with dirty tricks. Just when you thought you can hide from dishonesty, this ostrich syndrome mentality unfolds right before your eyes in a conspicuously ridiculous fashion. Shame on us.
this is a great and an inspiring story..
who knows that the one who taught that he was a looser would become a CEU…
people really should not doubt honesty…
Honesty will do you no harm it may hurt your pride sometimes but it will really set you free! God Bless you sir!
a great and inspiring story! I should share this one!
great story sir!! +1 “the truth will set you free”.. that the real attitude of a great CEO and leader.
This is incredibly inspiring. Thank u so much Sir Francis.
perfect story sir frans!tahts really GREAT.i should also share this one,.godbless and more power to you sir
Hello Francis! Among all your articles, this one is the most memorable and striking to me. A solid integrity is one of the greatest assets that any person could have to do very well in all areas of life. Great work! You are a channel of God’s blessings!
What inspiring story Sir Francis!
Great story…..may i use it in our school?meron po kaming orientation for freshmen students…..in our college..in pamantasan ng cabuyao…God speed
one of the best as well..
honesty and humility is really everything..
cheating is a no no..
=)..
my favorite book from my favorite author
Very nice story indeed. Honesty is always the best to be.
How I wish every government official in the Philippines are honest.
It’s a very nice story. for the success in life, we must be honest in all things.
a beautiful story indeed…read a fairy tale version of this (prince & princess stuff..hehe) and shared it to my gr3 class..the value of honesty and integrity…..thank you for sharing it here 🙂
Now that we have a new president, who seems to be on the right track in being sincere and honest, probably, a president who is uncorruptible.
Let’s now all be honest and do our part in sacrificing for the betterment of a new Philippines.
This is a great story, may i asked your permission to share this with my sales team.
Regards,
Cris
by all means Cris.
hi Francis, what a wonderful story.I think this is your real life story. I’d read so many stories like this but yours is so great. full of values. Can I invite you as a speaker for leadership training?
Thank you Ma. Teresa,
I do leadership training on a regular basis both for public and more so for in-house requirements. Feel free to touch base with my associate Ms. Rara through her landlines: 7275692 / 7270291 or email: fjkassistant@yahoo.com.
thanks you so much for considering me.
Francis
Hi Mr. Kong..I really like this story..Our professor told this story yesterday.
Thank you and please send my regards to your professor as well.
It is a enjoyment to read your blog. The brief page style is really my type. Most important is your articles, fantastic!
Good day, I love this story. I had a printed copy of it and post it on my small business. It really inspire me every time I read it. =)
thank you so much.
excellent story.. a great lesson to learn!
thank you.