The Thirteenth Seed
In indigenous agriculture, there is a teaching whispered from one season to the next: “Of the seeds you sow, one must not be for you.”
Plant Today, Nourish Tomorrow
Peter Comrie | Human Capital Specialist, Full Spectrum Leadership Inc.
Publisher | WBN News Okanagan & WBN News Winnipeg
In indigenous agriculture, there is a teaching whispered from one season to the next:
“Of the seeds you sow, one must not be for you.”
That one, the one you do not harvest, the one you do not eat, is known as the thirteenth seed.
It is planted not for nourishment, not for recognition, not for speed. It is planted for the future.
For those you may never meet.
For a time you may never see.
For a world you’ll have shaped, though you may not witness its bloom.
And in many ways, that’s what my life’s work has become.
Leadership That Outlives the Moment
As the Human Capital Specialist for Full Spectrum Leadership Inc., I have the privilege of walking alongside leaders as they awaken, not just to what they manage, but to what they shape. It’s not simply about performance. It’s about presence. About personal responsibility. About choosing, daily, to plant seeds of courage, clarity, and connection, even when the payoff isn’t immediate.
We coach leaders who are growing people, shaping culture, and trying, against the pull of distraction, to lead from values, not reaction.
In these moments, I often find myself asking:
“What part of this work is the thirteenth seed?”
And the answer is often this: It’s the conversation that lingers. The choice that wasn’t easy. The mentorship that takes root five years later. The word that turns into someone else’s truth.
This is leadership not as a strategy—but as a legacy.
Journalism That Honors the Future
As Publisher of WBN News Okanagan and WBN News Winnipeg, I carry a similar seed in a different soil.
We are working to reframe journalism as not just news for the moment, but as narrative stewardship for what’s next. We are sharing stories of innovation, resilience, and vision, not because it’s trending, but because it deserves to be remembered.
In a media landscape dominated by reaction, clickbait, and decay, we are choosing to plant seeds of trust.
Truth. Thoughtfulness. Possibility.
Every story we publish is a bet on the future. A belief that someone, somewhere, is looking not just to consume, but to be changed.
Clients Who Become Gardeners
Through decades of coaching and consulting with extraordinary clients across industries, I’ve witnessed this same truth:
The best leaders are seed carriers.
They are not just managing people. They are cultivating possibility.
They are not just solving problems. They are nurturing perspective.
And often, they are tired, not because they’re doing too little, but because they care so deeply about doing something that matters.
To them, I say this:
Keep planting the thirteenth seed.
Even when it goes unseen.
Even when the team doesn’t notice yet.
Even when the world tells you to measure only what’s immediate.
Why This Matters Now
We are living through strange times, disruptive, chaotic, and anxious.
The world seems to want us urgent, reactive, transactional.
But the thirteenth seed doesn’t live in that soil.
It asks us to lead long.
To live forward.
To serve generationally.
It asks us to remember that real leadership, real stewardship, is not about maximizing the quarter. It’s about enriching the next season, and the one after that.
A Quiet Call
So wherever you find yourself, whether coaching a team, designing a program, writing a policy, or simply raising a child, ask yourself:
“What’s the thirteenth seed here?”
What will I give away, with no expectation of return?
What will I say, build, or risk… that may take years to bear fruit?
Plant it anyway.
Because in doing so, you’re not just leading a team.
You’re not just growing a business.
You’re not just publishing news.
You’re nourishing a future you may never fully see—
but one that will remember you by the roots you left behind.
Let’s Keep Talking!
Peter Comrie
Co-Founder and Human Capital Specialist at Full Spectrum Leadership Inc.
Reach out to me at peter@fullspectrumleadership.com
Or connect with me here to book a call!
Reach me on Linkedin; https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercomrie/
We can also chat on Bluesky: @petercomrie.bsky.social
Tags: #LegacyLeadership, #RelationalLeadership, #HumanCapital, #TheThirteenthSeed, #LeadershipWisdom, #FullSpectrumLeadership
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