Don Berwick on Principles & Values

Son of a Connecticut doctor; attended med school in Boston

A: That's right. I grew up in a small town in Connecticut called Moodus. My father was a G.P. in the town. He made house calls, delivered babies--did everything. He did fluoroscopy in his office. He rounded out every day of my young life at the hospital 17 miles away--a real old-style G.P.

Q: And then you went off to Harvard for college and medical school. And you also have a master's degree in public policy from the Kennedy School, and you trained in pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital. Is that right?

A: Yes. I actually did a year of internal medicine first, at Massachusetts General Hospital as a medical intern. I loved that, but I always had a special place for kids in my heart and decided to switch to pediatrics, and so I completed my training at Boston Children's Hospital.

I believe steadfastly in the separation of church and state

A: "We are a nation built on religious tolerance, and I believe steadfastly in the separation of church and state."

Basic values: justice; equity; fairness; respect; compassion

I believe that sound governmental action needs to rest on a foundation of shared values. The values that I trust most, and that will characterize my administration as Governor, are the following:
• Justice: a commitment to transparent, accountable processes.
• Equity: opportunity for all, regardless of race, religious belief, gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, or gender identity
• Fairness: view immense disparities in wealth and income with skepticism
• Respect: duties to each other, including future generations and strangers
• Compassion: not a luxury, but a core value for proper government.

OpEd: "The second most dangerous man in America"

"The foundation of leadership is more values than strategy," said Berwick. "When the values are right and goals are bold, people want to do well. I will be the same in the corner office."

Berwick stressed his work in non-profits, where he studied other organizations and what makes them work better. "The most important decision an executive makes is who he or she selects to carry out the agenda you agree on," said Berwick. "My management style is to seek out the best people."