It was after midnight when Kyle McDowell sat in a hotel room to prepare a leadership speech he was scheduled to deliver to the top fifty leaders of his organization the next morning. He didn’t realize what he was about to write over the next three hours, The 10 WEs, would change his life and go on to be the foundation for his first book, the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Begin With We – 10 Principles for Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence.
The ten principles McDowell wrote that night not only became the foundation for his life and leadership, but they also quickly became the cultural manifesto for the 15,000-employee, $6 billion program he led.
The WEs have been utilized as the catalyst and framework to transform bosses into authentic leaders, reshape corporate cultures and change the lives of so many once-apathetic workers.
McDowell’s book and his principles transform apathy and corporate disillusionment into optimism and fulfillment.
In an industry filled with self-proclaimed leadership experts and coaches, what is it about McDowell’s approach that’s different?
McDowell’s pioneering work is spreading like wildfire throughout corporate America. It led him to leave behind a very successful, decades-long career to create Kyle McDowell Inc., a coaching, consulting and speaking firm dedicated to improving organizations and transforming leaders through the power of ‘WE.’
“Most companies have a mission statement or corporate values. But rarely, if ever, do either compel the average worker to behave a certain way. And most of the experts in the field speak in such vague terms, it’s really hard to know what’s what and how to lead in a way that reignites the passion and purpose most of us had when we entered the workforce. When lived every day, The 10 WEs are a roadmap to excellence. They’re simple and resonate with people on fundamental levels,” says McDowell. “They apply to everyone, from the new intern to the seasoned executive in the corner office. I think that is what makes them so easy to be embraced.”
McDowell’s principles were born out of the necessity to lead well within his career, not a desire to sell books. For McDowell and the lives he’s changed, the proof is in the results. Far from academic, his principles provide a real-world, easy-to-understand and adopt framework for change that has inspired and transformed thousands.
“I still get messages on Instagram about how the 10 WEs changed people’s approaches to not only work, but to relationships and raising children,” he says. “It’s very humbling. I’m grateful for every opportunity to share, and to see the impacts play out in real life.”
Whether speaking at conferences or one-to-one coaching, McDowell is committed to helping others empower their teams. Ridding corporate America of its toxic ways is what he calls his “life’s purpose.”
“Kyle has a gravity that pulls in the audience and leaves them wanting more,” says former SVP at BlueCross BlueShield Robert Gofourth. “He was the keynote speaker at our annual leadership summit and his message was timely, powerful, and incredibly inspirational.”
Aaron Davis, the CEO of the Florida Agency Network also recently used Kyle as a keynote speaker at his firm’s annual conference.
“Hands down, he was the highlight of our two-day event. His energy, authenticity, and passion are contagious,” Davis shares. “His talk was the catalyst for a cultural change and we’ve incorporated his principles into our organization.”
From a tiny cubicle to becoming a USF graduate, Kellogg School of Management graduate and leader of thousands of employees at some of the world’s biggest companies – Kyle McDowell has never been satisfied with just success. He is passionate about empowering, inspiring and helping others achieve high performance with his principles for success.
BEGIN WITH WE | SPEAKING | COACHING
