A story about honesty..

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 
> > * 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 you 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 
> will reap later. 
> > Think about this for a minute.
> > 
> > 
> > If I happened to show up on your door step crying, would you 
> care? 
> > If I called you and asked you to pick me up
> > because something happened, would you come? 
> > If I had one day left to live my life, would you be part of 
> that last day? 
> > If I needed a shoulder to cry on, would you give me yours? 
> > This is a test to see who your real friends are
> > 
> > or if you are just someone to talk to when they are 
> bored.