by Edwin H. Friedman
“A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix” by Edwin H. Friedman will be published in February 2007 by Church /Seabury/ Morehouse Publishing Company. This new revised edition of the 1999 posthumously privately published manuscript will finally be easily accessible in a more readable form for a larger trade and professional audience at less than half the cost! Serving as co-editor with Edward W. (Ted) Beal, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Ed’s thinking and words so much that I feel like he has taken up residence in my mind and heart.
For the years I served as his adjunct faculty member, Ed was deeply engaged in working on this third book (following “Generation to Generation” and “Friedman’s Fables”), testing it with us and incorporating changes through our questions about leadership as a function of emotional systems. Many believed that “A Failure of Nerve” would be the crowning achievement of a brilliant mind and career. We were shocked when Ed died suddenly before completing the second half of the manuscript.
It was his widow, Carlyn Friedman, who kept that belief alive by recognizing the book as an important part of her husband’s legacy and committing herself along with her children Shira and Ari to bring it to the public. The growing interest since its first publication in 1999 demanded a second printing in 2003.
In 2004 I met Cynthia Shattuck now editorial director at Church Publishing when I was invited to keynote a West Coast conference on congregational leadership. She was intrigued with the story of “A Failure of Nerve,” especially its healthy “underground life,” and she was interested in bringing the book to a wider audience. I introduced her to Carlyn Friedman, and they began negotiations until a year later Carlyn’s untimely death placed her children in charge of Ed’s body of work. Both Shira and Ari were enthusiastic about the project and Cynthia Shattuck, whose understanding of our vision, extraordinary editorial talent coupled with her capacity for playfulness made her the best possible editorial director.
Ed was always aware that the original manuscript, even in it’s unfinished state, needed more work: cutting and polishing, reorganizing, checking historical references, removing redundancies and duplications, rethinking some shifts and emphases. Throughout the editing process we have stayed faithful to these principles. The original publication consisted of ten chapters written in two parts, but since the final chapters were unfinished, we decided to eliminate this division. The second half of the book is now three chapters in length with a short epilogue, and we have added to them material from the “unfinished chapter notes” originally situated at the end of each chapter. Finally, the copies of ancient maps originally in chapter I have been removed and we have slightly edited the text to make sure Ed’s points are still clear. The endorsements from members of the clergy and the fields of family therapy, political science and national health care enhance our excitement as publication draws near.
As in the original version, even though what he envisioned and described is not fully realized, we believe that “the big picture” does emerge. Ed Friedman’s character and wit shine through these pages, continuing to bring his original ideas, fresh insights, and new strategies to light. It has been an honor and privilege to work with Carlyn, Shira, Ari, Cynthia and Ted so that this important piece of Ed’s life work can reach a larger public on the tenth anniversary of his death.
Margaret M. Treadwell, L.I.C.S.W.
December, 2006