How to Turn Your Values into Actions as a Leader with Kyle McDowell - Episode 367

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What if you didn’t have to choose between achieving results and being the kind of leader you truly want to be? 

In this episode of Dominate Your Day, I’m joined by Kyle McDowell, bestselling author of Begin with WE and creator of the Ten WEs framework. After nearly 30 years in corporate leadership, Kyle discovered that traditional leadership models often prioritize personal success over team success—and that stated values mean little without behaviors to back them up. 

Kyle shares how a defining moment in his own career led him to create ten simple principles that help teams build trust, strengthen accountability, and create a culture of excellence. We explore what it means to lead authentically, embrace challenges, and put people first without sacrificing performance. 

We also discuss why ego can get in the way of effective leadership, how leaders can create space for their teams to contribute, and why connection—not command and control—is the key to better outcomes.

Top 3 Takeaways 

1. Values mean nothing without action.  

Build your culture around observable behaviors, not just words on a wall. Your team is watching how you respond when things get difficult. 

2. Authenticity builds trust.  

You don’t have to perform a version of leadership you think others expect. Be human, own your mistakes, and create an environment where people feel safe to speak up and challenge one another. 

3. Measure outcomes, not busyness.  

Challenge the meetings, habits, and activities that don’t move your team toward its goals. Focus on meaningful results and the relationships that make them possible.  

Episode Minutes: 

• Minute 5:00 - What the Ten WEs are 
• Minute 19:00 - Why "we challenge each other" is the hardest to live 
• Minute 28:00 - Advice for younger leaders: get things done and connect with people's "why"  

Links + Resources from This Episode: 

• Get a copy of Kyle’s book, Begin with WE: Ten Principles for Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence 
• Learn more about Kyle’s work at kylemcdowellinc.com 
• Connect with Kyle McDowell on LinkedIn 
• Take the free 3-minute Authentic Imprint™ Assessment 
• Get a copy of Dana’s book, The Internal Revolution: Lead Authentically and Build Your Personal Brand from Within  
• Learn more about The Strengths Journal 

About Kyle McDowell 

For nearly 30 years, Kyle McDowell held some of the highest leadership roles in Corporate America, leading organizations of more than 15,000 employees and managing multi-billion-dollar businesses. Yet after decades of success, he came to a sobering realization: titles don't create great leaders, values alone don't change culture, and strategy means little without principles that guide behavior. 

He developed The 10 WEs—ten simple, non-negotiable principles that define how exceptional teams think, lead, and work together. Those principles became the foundation of his Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller, Begin With WE: 10 Principles for Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence 

He doesn't speak from theory. He speaks from experience. 

After leading through mergers, turnarounds, explosive growth, and some of the most demanding leadership challenges in business, McDowell understands what separates organizations that merely perform from those that thrive. 

McDowell equips leaders with practical, immediately applicable tools that replace command-and-control leadership with trust, clarity, and shared ownership. The result? Accountability becomes an act of respect, silos disappear, and performance accelerates. 

Culture doesn't change because people know what matters. It changes because people know what's expected. 

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