How to Build a Culture of Excellence with Kyle McDowell

The Best You Interview Series – Interview #130

Welcome to The Best You Interview series where I’m joined by interesting people for interesting conversations about interesting things!

After nearly 30 years climbing the corporate ladder, Kyle hit a wall. That reckoning became the catalyst for something far more powerful than any career milestone he’d achieved.

Kyle walked away, embarked upon deep self-reflection, and returned with a principle-based leadership framework that would become the foundation of his bestseller, Begin with We.

This is a conversation about ditching the iron fist, building real standards, and creating the kind of environment where people don’t just comply – they own it.

Perfect for: Anyone who leads a team, runs a business, or simply wants to show up better – at work and in life.

Your transformation: Kyle’s 10 We principles aren’t theory – they are hard-earned lessons from three decades in the trenches – this conversation brings them to life with honesty and real-world examples.

Key takeaways:

  • Excellence starts with doing the right thing, always – even when no one is watching and especially when it’s hard
  • Leaders set the tone by example, not by title
  • Saying what you’ll do and then doing it builds trust behind the scenes
  • Challenging each other – diplomatically and grounded in data or experience – is what separates excellent teams from mediocre ones
  • Obsessing over the details signals how much you care about the people you serve

What’s the one ‘We’ principle that resonates most with you right now?

You can see more from Kyle here: