Sometimes leadership is planting trees under whose shade you'll

Hear the words of Jennifer Granholm, spoken with the vision of one who labors for the future: “Sometimes leadership is planting trees under whose shade you’ll never sit. It may not happen fully till after I’m gone. But I know that the steps we’re taking are the right steps.” In this saying lies the essence of selfless leadership, a reminder that true greatness is not found in immediate rewards, but in sacrifices made for generations yet unborn. The leader does not sow only for himself—he sows for the world to come.

The meaning of planting trees under whose shade you’ll never sit is profound. A tree, once planted, takes years—sometimes decades—to grow strong, to spread its branches, and to cast shade. The planter may never rest beneath it, but others will. So it is with leadership. The seeds of justice, reform, and progress often grow slowly, watered by time and nurtured by the hands of those who follow. The leader may not see the fullness of his vision, but his labor makes possible the flourishing of those who come after.

This truth is written in history. Consider the founding fathers of nations, who drafted constitutions and laws knowing they might not live to see their fruits. George Washington stepped aside from power, planting the seed of republican governance, knowing the tree of democracy would outlast him. Nelson Mandela, who suffered long years in prison, emerged not for his own comfort, but to plant the seeds of reconciliation, so that future generations could walk in freedom. In both, we see the wisdom of Granholm’s words: leadership looks beyond the present moment.

There is also in this saying a deep humility. For leadership is not about personal glory, but about right action. The leader may never hear the applause, may never taste the harvest, but still he chooses the path of service. This humility is the opposite of vanity, which seeks only the praise of today. The leader who plants for the future accepts obscurity, but his reward is immortality in the memory of those who benefit from his labor.

Yet this wisdom is also a warning against impatience. For many abandon the work when they do not see immediate results. They measure progress only by what they themselves can touch. But Granholm reminds us: the steps we’re taking are the right steps, even if the outcome lies beyond our lifetime. Progress is not always swift, but steady, and each right step prepares the way for a future we cannot yet see.

The lesson, then, is that we must embrace the long vision. Do not despise the small seeds you plant today because you may not enjoy their shade tomorrow. Act with faith that your efforts matter, even if unseen by your eyes. Every act of justice, every deed of kindness, every reform and innovation planted in good soil will one day bless those who walk the earth after you.

Therefore, beloved seekers, let your practice be this: plant generously, act justly, and labor with patience. Do not act only for yourself, but for your children, and their children, and for all who will walk beneath the trees you plant. Seek not immediate praise, but enduring impact. And remember always Granholm’s eternal truth: leadership is planting trees under whose shade you may never sit. To lead is to give of yourself for the unseen, to shape a future you will never fully know, but one that will carry your legacy in its roots and branches for centuries to come.