The torch is passed on, and the forest is established
In the foundation's top-floor conference room, known as the "Beginning Heart Hall," a delicate meeting was underway. This wasn't a formal board meeting, but rather an informal "future outlook" seminar. Besides Li Xiaoyu and several core members, the attendees included a dozen energetic young faces from various project sites around the world.
Nila, from the Inuit community in the Arctic, was the first to break the mild atmosphere of the discussion. She had just spent three years promoting "polar healing," a method that combines ancient tribal rituals with modern psychological assessments, to the entire Arctic region.
"Secretary-General Li, fellow seniors," Nila said, her English cadence distinct, her gaze fixed squarely on Li Xiaoyu. "I believe the Foundation's strategy for the next decade should be a complete shift toward decentralization. We should no longer be a 'brain' issuing commands, but rather the 'soil' nourishing the nodes."
Her words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake. A senior member in charge of global resource allocation frowned slightly. "Nila, a unified strategy and standards guarantee the Foundation's efficiency. Wouldn't excessive fragmentation lead to chaos and a waste of resources?"
"Chaos may be the beginning of vitality," Cheng Han, who has shed his youthful immaturity and now leads the Pathfinder Lab, said. "Look at the successful projects we've incubated internally. Which one was born under strict processes and standards? They all grew up on the margins, in a 'wild' way."
When the edge of the new generation meets the harmony of the old system, the sparks of collision illuminate the way forward and also burn the inertia.
Li Xiaoyu listened quietly, not rushing to express her opinion. She observed these young people, whom she had nurtured or whose talents she had enabled through the platform she had built. They were clear-minded, confident, and even a bit aggressive. No longer content with simply executing, they began to question, challenge, and attempt to redefine the foundation's future.
This brought her relief, but also a subtle mix of emotions. She knew the time was ripe for the most difficult decision she had to make.
After the meeting, she remained alone in the "Beginner's Heart Hall," where photos of the foundation's history hung on the walls, from a small office of three to the grand occasion of the global summit. Her gaze finally rested on the photo of Mo Xiaoyu handing her the notebook. The hope and trust she felt at that moment seemed like yesterday.
It's time.
She launched the long-planned "Torch Plan" - not to find a single "successor", but to select and train a "joint leadership team" who can jointly lead the future of the foundation.
The selection process itself is a deep interrogation of the foundation's core values.
The first round, a global audition and recommendation process, received over 200 applications. The judging panel consisted of Li Xiaoyu, Moyu (as a consultant), two external experts, and two employee representatives.
The second round involved scenario simulations. In a complex case simulating a global crisis, the candidates demonstrated distinctly different styles:
Nila demonstrates remarkable cultural sensitivity and community mobilization skills, always finding bridges between ancient wisdom and modern needs.
Cheng Han embodies technological insight and the courage to break through. He dares to propose disruptive technological solutions and is capable of building a team to realize them.
Luca from Europe (the creator of "Aura") has demonstrated his ability to build systems and manage compliance. He can transform sparks of innovation into sustainable, scalable and robust systems.
A local leader named Kadir, who has been working in Africa for many years, has demonstrated unparalleled resilience, down-to-earth wisdom and a deep understanding of grassroots needs.
They are all excellent, but no one person can single-handedly encompass all the dimensions of leadership that the Foundation needs today.
A true leader is often not a perfect individual, but a puzzle piece that can complement each other.
The crucial third round involved individual conversations between Li Xiaoyu and each finalist. Her final question to each candidate was, "If you were in charge of the foundation's future, what do you think we should most uphold, and what should we most break with?"
Nila's answer: "Adhere to the respect and learning of diverse cultures and break the condescending attitude of 'experts'."
Cheng Han said: "We must stick to our original aspiration of using technology to empower humanity and break the bureaucratic habit of stifling innovation for the sake of security."
Luca believes: "Adhere to professional rigor and integrity, and break the compromise with geopolitics or improper capital for the sake of expansion."
Kadir said firmly: "We must always stand by those who need help the most and break down any 'castles in the air' that keep us from the earth."
Their answers allowed Li Xiaoyu to see different aspects of the foundation's soul, and made her more convinced that a single tree cannot support a forest, but many trees make a forest.
However, when the final plan was submitted to the board of directors, she encountered the strongest resistance.
"Joint leadership? That's too idealistic! How can we ensure efficient decision-making?"
“Will the decentralization of power lead to infighting and competition for resources?”
"Xiaoyu, what you need is a strong and single leader who can inherit your mantle, not a committee!"
Facing these doubts, Li Xiaoyu showed unprecedented determination. She played a video clip showing the candidates going from heated debate to final collaboration in a simulated crisis.
"Look at them!" Li Xiaoyu pointed at the screen. "They're not fighting for power, they're solving problems together! Yes, individually, each of them has 'flaws'. Nila might not be tactful enough, Cheng Han might be too radical, Luca might be a little conservative, and Kadiel might lack a global perspective... But together, they can complement and balance each other, forming a more resilient and vital leadership core!"
She looked around at each board member and spoke calmly but forcefully, "The Foundation is no longer a small ship, but a fleet. We no longer need a single captain, but a command system that can guide the different ships to sail together in complex sea conditions. What we want to pass on is not the style and path of a particular individual, but an ecosystem that allows leaders of diverse talents and backgrounds to stand out and work towards a common mission!"
The highest level of inheritance is not to copy, but to inspire; not to pass the torch, but to ignite more fires.
The board was eventually persuaded by her.
The appointment ceremony took place not in a grand banquet hall but in the atrium garden of the foundation's headquarters, where sunlight streamed in through a glass dome. Li Xiaoyu announced the inaugural team of "Joint Secretaries-General," consisting of Nila, Cheng Han, Luca, and Kadir.
She didn't stand on a high place, but stood shoulder to shoulder with the four of them.
"Today, I'm not handing over responsibilities," her voice came through the microphone, clearly reaching the ears of every foundation member attending the meeting online or in person. "I'm sharing our mission. From today on, the future of the foundation will be driven by this more diverse and stronger heart."
She turned to the four young people and pinned an open-ring brooch, a symbol of the foundation's philosophy, on their chests. "Remember, you are not a 'committee,' you are a 'community of life.' Your differences are not a source of division, but a source of strength. Argue, clash, and then, create a future that our generation can't even imagine."
Nila stepped forward on behalf of the four people. She didn't say too many words of thanks, but instead held up a potted moss plant that could grow tenaciously in the Arctic permafrost.
"Teacher Li, colleagues," she said, her gaze sweeping across the room. "The four of us are like different plants, hailing from different soils and climates. But we promise that, like this moss, we will remain closely interdependent, growing together in the forest that is the Foundation, and supporting a new sky for even more souls in need of shelter."
The applause was thunderous. Li Xiaoyu watched from the audience, tears glistening in her eyes, but a smile of relief played on her lips. She knew she had succeeded. She had not only found a future for the foundation, but more importantly, she had built a leadership development system capable of continuous self-renewal and self-evolution.
The torch has been passed on, not just one, but four vibrant flames. And she firmly believes that this "green forest" she, Moyu, and others have nurtured will usher in an even more lush and vibrant future. After all, the best way to pass on a legacy is to let the forest grow on its own.
“The best way to pass on a legacy is not to select a successor, but to cultivate a forest where more leaders can grow naturally.”
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