A Seed

A successful businessman was growing old. He decided to recruit a CEO ( Chief Executive Officer) to his company. He had many employees. Some work hard. Some are intelligent. Some are creative. But the businessman wanted to recruit an honest person as the CEO of his company.

He called all the executives and arranged a formal meeting.

He said, "It is time for me to choose a CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. Today I am going to give a SEED to each and every one of you. It is a very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here after one year, with what you have grown from the seed. Then I will judge the plants that you bring. I will select the best plant. Then I will make the person, who grew that best plant, as the CEO of this company.

Jim was also an employee in that company. All employees were given seeds including Jim. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil, and compost, Then Jim planted the seed. Every day, he used to water it and watch the pot.

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. There was no development from the seed in Jim's pot. 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, there is nothing in Jim's pot. He understood he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but Jim had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues. However, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil. He was still expecting a plant.

Finally, one year finished. All the executives brought their plants to the businessmen of the company.

Jim told his wife "I don't want to take my pot to the company. Everybody will laugh at me when they see my empty pot."

But his wife said "Don't worry. You did your best. You did not do anything wrong. Just take the pot to the company."

But Jim felt sick to his stomach. It was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life. But he wanted to follow his wife's suggestion. 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. There he saw many pots with beautiful plants and trees. Some are very tall. some plants have beautiful flowers.

Jim put his empty pot on the floor. All the executives saw Jim's empty pot and they laughed a lot. A few felt sorry for him.

The businessman came into the room. Everybody became silent. He greeted everyone with a smile.

Jim just tried to hide his pot in the back. He felt shy to show his pot to the businessman.

The businessman said "Oh wonderful. You grew plants wonderfully. I appreciate you. Today one of you will become the CEO of this company."

All the executives felt happy.

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 fire me. Maybe I will lose my job"

Jim came in front of the businessman. He asked Jim" What happened to your plant? where is your plant? Why did you bring an empty pot? "

Jim bent his head down with shyness. He told the whole story to the businessman.

The businessman asked everyone to sit down except Jim. Then the businessman announced to the executives, "Behold. Jim is the CEO of this company from now onwards.

All the executives were confused. They started discussing with one another about the decision of the businessman.

Jim was also confused. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't even grow his seed.

"Jim did not grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO?" the executives asked.

Then the businessman said, "One year ago, I gave everyone a seed in this room. 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. They can never grow. Because they were dead seeds.

All of you have brought me trees and plants and flowers. I gave you seeds. They did not grow. Then you bought new seeds and planted and grew them. But Jim did not behave like all of you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my dead seed in it. Honesty is one of the topmost qualities in a human being. Jim has honesty. He is sincere. He is trustworthy. Therefore, I'm appointing Jim as the new Chief Executive Officer of this company".

Then all the executives felt shame. Finally, they congratulated Jim.

A man of honesty can win the hearts of people.