Seeds and Rocks: Cultivating Growth in Leadership and Mentorship

“Too many rocks, not enough seeds.”

My friend and mentor told me this recently while discussing what happens when an organization suffers from a leadership void. She went on to explain a lesson that had been passed on to her when she was in elementary school. The short version of the lesson is this:

Her teacher split the class into two groups. Each group was given a small bag of seeds, a pot, and potting soil. They were given instructions on how to plant and care for the seeds. The catch was, one group wasn’t given seeds at all—they were given a bag of small pebbles that looked like seeds.

Each group planted their seeds (or so they thought) and went to work tending them. They followed their schedule of watering, placing the pots in just the right spot to get the perfect amount of sunlight, and they eagerly waited for the seeds to sprout.

After a couple of weeks, the group with the real seeds saw the first sign of life. A little green sprout broke through the soil, a symbol of their efforts. Meanwhile, the second group saw nothing. Both groups continued to care for their pots, but the results were clear. Eventually, the group that had unknowingly planted pebbles gave up. Frustrated by the lack of progress, they stopped watering their soil, and in time, they didn’t even bother checking on it.

At the end of the term, the teacher finally revealed the truth. The second group never had seeds to begin with—they had been nurturing nothing but rocks. The lesson, as my mentor remembered it, was simple yet powerful: some people are like seeds, ready to grow when given the proper care. Others are like rocks—no matter how much attention you give them, they’re not open to growth.

How This Lesson Applies to Leadership

Obviously, this story isn’t just a creative elementary school teacher and the lessons she imparted—it’s a powerful metaphor for leadership and mentorship. Too often, organizations are filled with people who are like rocks: resistant to feedback, unwilling to adapt, and stagnant in their growth. Worse yet, they often believe they are fully formed, and that they don't need to grow. This becomes especially noticeable when these people reach positions of power within an organization. When this happens, the rocks take over and the organization becomes stagnant.

On the other hand, great leaders recognize who in their organization is a seed—ready to take on new challenges, willing to learn, and capable of growing into something more. They cultivate a culture where seeds can thrive, while also acknowledging that not everyone will be ready or willing to grow.

Here are some key lessons from this metaphor that apply directly to leadership and mentorship:

1. Not Everyone is Ready to Grow

As a leader, it’s important to understand that not everyone in your organization is a seed. Some people, no matter how much you invest in them, may not be open to growth. They might resist new ideas, dismiss feedback, or simply lack the drive to improve. This doesn’t mean they are without value, but it does mean that pouring too much time and effort into trying to change them can lead to frustration—much like the students who gave up on watering their pebbles.

The key here is discernment. A great leader knows when to invest in someone who shows potential and when to redirect resources toward those who are ready to grow. Recognizing who is open to learning and who is stuck in their ways is crucial for effective leadership.

2. Create the Right Environment for Seeds to Grow

Just like the real seeds in the story, people need the right environment to thrive. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to provide that environment—whether it’s through clear communication, constructive feedback, or opportunities for development. Water, sunlight, and attention are the equivalents of training, mentorship, and encouragement. If you create the right conditions, those who are ready will begin to grow.

However, it’s not enough to simply create the right environment. You must also ensure that people know how to take advantage of it. Just like the students who carefully followed the instructions to water and care for their seeds, team members need to be taught how to grow. This can come in the form of leadership development programs, mentorship, or consistent feedback.

3. Know When to Let Go

One of the hardest lessons in leadership is knowing when to let go—of people, of strategies, or of old ways of doing things that no longer serve the organization. In the classroom, the students who had been given pebbles eventually stopped tending to them because they realized their efforts were futile. While giving up isn’t always the answer, it is sometimes necessary when it becomes clear that growth isn’t happening.

As a leader, it’s important to recognize when someone isn’t going to grow despite your best efforts. Maybe they’ve reached their full potential, or maybe they aren’t interested in development. Either way, continuing to pour resources into someone who isn’t willing to change can hold back the rest of the organization. Knowing when to shift focus and energy is key to sustaining growth where it’s most needed.

4. The Role of Mentorship

In the metaphor of seeds and rocks, mentorship plays a critical role. Mentors, much like the teacher in the story, guide us in understanding what we need to grow. They provide wisdom, perspective, and support. Just as the students were given instructions on how to care for their seeds, mentors offer guidance on how to cultivate growth within ourselves and others.

A great mentor knows that while they can’t turn a rock into a seed, they can help those who are seeds thrive by offering the right advice, direction, and encouragement. They also know when to challenge mentees, pushing them to break through the surface, just like those first green shoots.

Conclusion

In leadership, it’s vital to understand the difference between seeds and rocks. Seeds, when nurtured, grow into something great. Rocks, however, remain unchanged, no matter how much effort you put into them. The lesson from my mentor’s elementary school days is a reminder that not everyone is ready to grow, and as leaders, our job is to identify those who are, provide the right environment for them to thrive, and know when to shift our focus from those who are not open to change.

In your own leadership journey, remember: focus on the seeds, and let the rocks be rocks. By cultivating a culture of growth and adaptability, you’ll foster an environment where the seeds of today can become the leaders of tomorrow.