The Leader Who Is Hardly Known

By Steve Simpson. Taoist philosophy and text can have deep meaning for experiential educators because of their focus on natural spontaneity and unself-conscious learning and teaching. The Leader Who is Hardly Known is a series of essays, each beginning with a brief story focusing on the experiences and lessons of a teacher called "the Leader Who is Hardly Known." The stories are followed by Taoist quotes and the author's thoughts relating to the story. Written in an order that emphasizes personality traits that affect leadership, commonalities to experiential education programs, then the necessity of connection to the natural world, the essays contained are intentionally short and can stand alone for reference and guidance. The conclusion summarizes how the principles contained form a foundational philosophy for experiential education.