Begin with WE

Set against a list of traits often used to describe many workplaces, including indifference, lack of engagement, self-doubt, and fear, this book begins with a run of first-person-plural commitments: doing the right thing, owning mistakes, lifting one another up, pushing each other, and caring about the smallest details. Kyle McDowell, whose work centers on leadership, looks at what drives dysfunction inside organizations and identifies a self-centered outlook as a major cause.

In response, he presents a framework of ten principles, called The 10 WEs, which he treats as the foundation of his own leadership philosophy and as the groundwork for a culture built on excellence. His approach works from the inside out, aiming to develop leaders who act with courage, think in terms of the group rather than the individual, and understand that a team's combined effort matters more than any one person's contribution.

Written as a practical handbook, the book is intended for those who want to turn hesitation into optimism and dread into a sense of purpose, and who want to build more authentic leaders and stronger teams.