Experience the Best of Echeta!

A story narrated by Jean Claude Niyomugabo (@jcniyomugabo) on X.

A successful businessman, growing old, knew it was time to choose a successor for his company. Instead of selecting one of his directors or children, he decided to call all the young executives together.

Standing before them, he said, "It is time for me to appoint the next CEO. But I will not choose based on experience or seniority. Instead, I will give each of you a single seed. Your task is to plant it, nurture it, and return in one year with what has grown. I will judge based on your results and select the next leader."

Among the executives was a man named Johnes, who eagerly took his seed home. He excitedly told his wife the story, and together, they found a pot and compost and planted the seed. Every day, Johnes watered and watched for signs of growth.

Weeks passed, and his colleagues began discussing their plants—sprouts, stems, and even small trees. But Johnes’ seed remained unchanged.

Six weeks later, the conversations intensified—everyone seemed to have thriving plants, yet Johnes had nothing. He felt like a failure.

As the months went by, he continued to water and fertilize the soil, hoping for a miracle. But the seed never sprouted. He remained silent about his failure while others proudly spoke of their growing plants.

The Final Test

At last, the year ended, and the young executives gathered to present their plants to the CEO. Johnes was reluctant to go—how could he show up with an empty pot? But his wife urged him to be honest.

With a sick feeling in his stomach, he carried his empty pot into the boardroom.

There, he was shocked to see the lush variety of plants his colleagues had brought. Some were tall, some had flowers—all looked impressive.

As soon as Johnes placed his empty pot on the floor, his colleagues laughed. A few looked at him with pity.

The CEO entered, scanning the room. "What beautiful plants! Today, I will choose the next CEO."

Then, his eyes fell on Johnes, who stood awkwardly at the back. He signaled for him to step forward.

Johnes froze—this is it, he thought. He knows I’ve failed. He’s going to fire me.

The CEO asked what had happened. Johnes nervously explained that despite all his efforts, his seed never grew.

Then, the CEO smiled. He turned to the room and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, meet your next CEO—Johnes."

The Truth Revealed

Johnes was stunned. The room fell into shocked silence.

The CEO continued, **"One year ago, I gave each of you a seed. But what you didn’t know was that I had **boiled them—they were dead and could never grow. Yet, you all returned with flourishing plants. That means when your seeds didn’t sprout, you replaced them. All of you, except Johnes."

He turned to Johnes and said, **"This man had the *honesty and courage* to bring back exactly what I gave him. That is the kind of leader this company needs."**

The Lesson

"If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. Whatever you give to life, life will give back to you. Choose wisely what you plant today."