The Master has no mind of his own
He works with the mind of the people

He is good to people who are good.
He is also good to people who aren’t good.
This is true goodness. 

She trusts people who are trustworthy.
He also trusts people who aren’t trustworthy.
This is true trust.

The Master’s mind is like space. 
People don’t understand him.
They look to him and wait.
He treats them like their own children.

Chapter 49 is a great compliment to the previous post on Chapter 27. If you recall, 27 talked about the importance of not having ‘fixed plans’, therefore having no intention upon arriving and in thus adhering to Wu Wei (non doing). The idea here is that when fixed plans are present in the mind, then the path to those fixed plans becomes similarly fixed, and this selfish mindset ignores the ‘mind of the people’. The collective mind of the people is the Tao of the school, and it needs to be felt and listened to before any action is taken. Collaboration is the DH best tool.

A Division Head must trust all constituencies as well. Delegate to your team, listen to their ideas, allow them to lead along side you. Don’t be hungry for power, don’t be protective of your leadership. Flatten the structure, elevate teacher leaders and allow them to flourish. Their wins will be yours as well, and ultimately (and most importantly) will benefit the students in your care.

Finally, be good to all. With your team, be kind in the face of inevitable criticism. Meet stubbornness with kindness and meet kindness with public gratefulness. With students, play no favorites, make it a point to connect with every child in your care, and finally get to know them and listen to their stories.

If faculty and students trust you, if they are empowered by you, then they will believe in you and they will look to you, and wait.

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