BE HONEST
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. 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. Then I will judge the plants
that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO”
One man named Joseph was there that day and he, like the other, 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.
Joseph 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 Joseph didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by, still nothing in Joseph’s pot. He just knew he had
killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, and tall plants,
but he had nothing. Joseph 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.
Joseph told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she
asked him to be honest about what happened. Joseph felt sick to his stomach;
it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life. He took his
empty pot to the board room. When Joseph arrived, he was amazed at the
variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful, in all
shapes and sizes. Joseph 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.
Joseph 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, CEO spotted Joseph at the back of the room with his empty
pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Joseph was
terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! May be he will have me
fired”.
When Joseph got the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed,
Joseph told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Joseph.
He looked at Joseph, and then announced to the young executives, “behold
your next Chief Executive Officer!” His name is Joseph; Joseph 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 Joseph, 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. Joseph 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 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 reap later.
© Don J.B Nyamunga
Girimori Catholic Parish
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. 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. Then I will judge the plants
that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO”
One man named Joseph was there that day and he, like the other, 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.
Joseph 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 Joseph didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by, still nothing in Joseph’s pot. He just knew he had
killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, and tall plants,
but he had nothing. Joseph 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.
Joseph told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she
asked him to be honest about what happened. Joseph felt sick to his stomach;
it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life. He took his
empty pot to the board room. When Joseph arrived, he was amazed at the
variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful, in all
shapes and sizes. Joseph 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.
Joseph 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, CEO spotted Joseph at the back of the room with his empty
pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Joseph was
terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! May be he will have me
fired”.
When Joseph got the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed,
Joseph told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Joseph.
He looked at Joseph, and then announced to the young executives, “behold
your next Chief Executive Officer!” His name is Joseph; Joseph 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 Joseph, 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. Joseph 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 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 reap later.
© Don J.B Nyamunga
Girimori Catholic Parish
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