Terry Newell is currently director of his own firm, Leadership for a Responsible Society. His work focuses on values-based leadership, ethics, and decision making. A former Air Force officer, Terry also previously served as Director of the Horace Mann Learning Center, the training arm of the U.S. Department of Education, and as Dean of Faculty at the Federal Executive Institute. Terry is co-editor and author of The Trusted Leader: Building the Relationships That Make Government Work (CQ Press, 2011). He also wrote Statesmanship, Character and Leadership in America (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013) and To Serve with Honor: Doing the Right Thing in Government (Loftlands Press 2015).
The courage to disagree, based on moral principles, with the prevailing and strongly held views of others is a test of character.
Accepting imperfection in our selves and others can be a gift.
We’re genetically primed to pay attention to “Breaking News” - what’s prominent or unusual, but that can block careful thought.
The Constitutional and historical barrier separating the military from partisan politics is weakening. Strengthening it is essential for preserving our democracy.
Eleanor Roosevelt held no official government position yet used the force of her character and values to force the nation to face its promised commitment to racial equality.
The nullification of federal laws is a dangerous tool which threatens our national union.
I underline certain passages in books as I read. Some are appalled by this desecration, but hear me out!
Americans who divide themselves from their countrymen for selfish interests, ideology and political gain ignore our founders hopes, weakening the national union on which our freedom depends.
Moral courage in service to saving human lives is the mark of an exceptional public servant - and a remarkable human being.
Not a failure of military and economic power, Afghanistan is more about sloppy thinking among American policymakers.
We’re not as rational as we think. Knowing that should make us more humble and can make us better thinkers too.
The power of statesmanship increases when leaders can marshal the power of brevity in what they write and say.
In defending British soldiers after the Boston Massacre, John Adams put his reputation on the line because he loved his country more than his career.
We don’t always see ourselves with the clarity that others do. Being open to what they see can improve our relationships.
On the surface, lotteries to encourage COVID vaccination seem like a great idea. Below the surface, it’s useful to raise some questions.
America must reckon with the history of those who were denied freedom in 1776 and redress the persisting evils of slavery and the decimation of our Native American population.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen demonstrated the power of statesmanship in advocating for the right of gay and lesbian Americans to serve in their country’s military with pride and support from the nation they defended.
Majorities may pass voting laws, but when those laws are unjust, the winners of elections forfeit the legitimacy to govern.
I’ve had limited success as a gardener, but my garden has had much success in teaching me about how to nurture plants - and people.
The Constitutional Convention in 1787 did not produce a perfect document. It is our job to continually improve the union of the states - and they gave us that challenge.
