There would not be enough talent that's educated, developed and

Kevin Rollins, a leader who guided one of the world’s great enterprises, spoke with piercing foresight when he declared: “There would not be enough talent that's educated, developed and ready to take on the next leadership challenge, and it would cap our growth. Now we've put programs in place not to have that happen, but that could be a weakness.” In these words lies a timeless lesson: that the strength of any nation, company, or community does not rest merely in its present triumphs, but in the readiness of its future leaders. Without education, without development, without the cultivation of skill and wisdom, the flame of progress flickers, and growth meets its ceiling.

The ancients knew this truth well. In Sparta, every child was trained from youth, not simply for war, but for discipline, endurance, and loyalty. In Athens, the education of free citizens was seen as the lifeblood of democracy, for how could a city flourish if its people were ignorant? The lesson was plain: the future must be prepared long before it arrives. Rollins echoes this same wisdom—warning that if new leaders are not nurtured, the mighty structures of today may collapse under the weight of tomorrow.

History bears witness to the cost of ignoring this truth. The Roman Empire, in its later centuries, grew decadent. Its leaders relied on the strength of past glory but neglected to raise a new generation of wise and capable governors. Corruption festered, discipline waned, and the empire found itself rich in monuments but poor in leadership. Its growth was capped, its vision diminished, and its fall became inevitable. This is the very weakness Rollins speaks of: the peril of failing to prepare, the blindness of assuming today’s victories will last without tomorrow’s stewards.

Yet history also shows the power of foresight. Consider the vision of Napoleon’s École Polytechnique, established in revolutionary France. Though Napoleon himself was a man of war, he recognized that no empire could stand without men and women trained in mathematics, engineering, and administration. By founding schools to educate and develop talent, he built not just armies but institutions that would survive him. This is the essence of Rollins’s warning: a people that invests in growth through education and leadership cultivation safeguards its destiny.

The heart of his message is both humble and heroic. Rollins admits that a lack of prepared leaders is not simply an inconvenience, but a mortal flaw—a weakness that could undo the very foundations of success. Yet he also reveals a path forward: to put programs in place, to invest deliberately in the growth of others, to ensure that leadership is not a solitary crown but a shared inheritance. This humility is itself a mark of true leadership—for the wise leader does not only ask, How far can I go? but also, Who will carry the torch when my hand grows weary?

The lesson for us is clear: if you would build something that endures, do not focus only on your own greatness. Look to those who come after you. Train them, teach them, mentor them, and prepare them for the storms they will face. Whether in family, community, or enterprise, your greatest legacy is not your achievement, but the people you leave behind, educated and ready for their own leadership challenges.

Practical actions flow naturally from this truth. If you are a leader, create systems of mentorship and learning. If you are a worker or a student, seek not only to excel for yourself but to prepare for greater responsibility. Invest in your own education—formal or informal—and share your knowledge with others. Look always to the future, and ask: Am I planting seeds of leadership, or am I merely harvesting the fruit of today? For only in planting will the tree endure.

Thus, children of the future, take Rollins’s wisdom to heart: growth is capped when leadership is neglected, but it flourishes when new leaders are raised. Do not allow weakness to creep into your house, your company, your nation, by neglecting the education and development of others. Build not only for today, but for the endless tomorrow, and your legacy will not perish with you—it will live on in the hands of those who follow.