Kawalpreet Singh, who has facilitated studies of The Courage to Lead, said this about the first edition of the book: “The Courage to Lead has given me a sense of calm but rejuvenated my sense of internal revolution that I seemed to have lost in the rigors of daily life. In a more dramatic sense, I was like a Cheetah who would exhaust all energy chasing a mirage of a deer and then give up.  Now I feel like a Duck, calm above the water level and to the world but continuing to paddle below the water level to win against the flow of adversities.”

Maggie DiStasi said: “I had defined leaders only as CEOs and famous people who did great and public things with many followers.  The idea of leading my own life in the way that I want and need to was life-changing.” 

These two people and many others shared their thoughts on The Courage to Lead and advised the editorial team on changes needed in the 2nd edition to clarify concepts and make them more accessible.

The 2nd edition is being published because of the learnings and passion of ICA facilitators who have designed and led studies and courses on the book over the last 11 years.  A memorial fund set up in honour of the author Brian Stanfield in ICA Canada provided the funding needed to publish this edition.

I believe that Brian would be very grateful to all of these people for their passion and care for the 2nd edition.  The cover would surprise him. In certain chapters, he would notice structural changes that we have made but I believe he would still recognize this book as his own. Brian’s voice and personal stories have always been at the heart of The Courage to Lead and he continues to play that role.

We have tried hard to reduce the use of ICA jargon but I am sure you will still find some.  The 2nd edition includes recent stories about our earth and humanity’s role. With the help of John and Lynda Cock, we got permission to use a wonderful poem by Thomas Berry, To all the children, published in his book, The Great Work.

To the children who swim beneath
The waves of the sea, to those who live in
The soils of the Earth, to the children of the flowers.
In the meadows and the trees in the forest
To all those children who roam over the land
And the winged ones who fly with the winds,
To the human children too, that all the children
May go together into the future in the full Diversity of their regional communities.

It has been a privilege over the last five years, for me to work with the editorial team of Daphne Field, Duncan Holmes, Staci Kentish, Fred Simons, Derek Stachan and Virginia Varley on this 2nd edition. Kevin Balm, Mark Butz, John Epps, Jan Sanders and Elaine Richmond were very helpful to my own thinking regarding this book.  I also want to thank Ronnie Seagren and Brian Griffith for their editorial skills, Ilona Staples for her caring layout work and Bill Staples for working with the publisher.

ICA Canada looks forward to a book launch of the second edition on March 1st along with an art show.  We plan to have the book on Amazon shortly after that in paperback and e-book formats.  We would like to share it in some way at the ICAI conference and General Assembly in Nepal. The world is more ready for The Courage to Lead than it ever has been.  This book is an ICA gem of foundational wisdom from all of our work around the world.  May it become a friend.

Jeanette Stanfield is a member of ICA Canada