The Courage to Tell the Bad News

A successful CEO was getting near retirement age and knew it was time to begin the selection process for a successor to take over the business.

He decided to use a unique selection process, however. He called all the young executives in his company together. He told them that he was nearing the end of his career and would soon step down. The young executives were surprised and disappointed. The CEO then said, "It is time for me to begin determining my successor. I have decided to choose one of you."

The other executives were shocked. The CEO 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 of the young executives named Chuck took his seed, went homeand told his wife. She helped him get a pot, add some good dirt, some plant food and he planted the seed. Every day, he watered it and watched to see if it had grown - it hadn't. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Chuck's never grew. Month after month, after all the watering, tending to the soil, and proper exposure to light, nothing happened. The other young executives continued to talk of their growing, beautiful plants. Chuck had a pot full of dirt.

Once the year finally went by, the CEO told the young executives to bring in the results of their efforts for review. Chuck almost didn't want to go in to work, but his wife encouraged him to bring in the pot, explain the effort, and be honest about the lack of results. When all the executives arrived in the Boardroom, each executive had a beautiful plant, and all were different sizes and beautiful colors. Chuck had a pot full of dirt.

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. "My, what great plants you have grown," said the CEO. He then looked quizzically at Chuck. "Everybody sit down, please - except Chuck," said the CEO. "What happened, Chuck?" asked the CEO. Chuck told his story. The CEO then turned to the others and said "Behold your next Chief Executive! His name is Chuck!"

What?

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 Chuck, have brought me plants. Chuck was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it."

How does this relate to the world of customer service? You can earn a great deal of respect for yourself, from family, and from those that matter most if you have the courage to be honest; have the courage to tell the bad news.