Ready to build a culture that truly kicks ass and learn how not to suck at leadership?
In this bold, no-nonsense episode, former WD-40 Company CEO Garry Ridge – bestselling author of Any Dumbass Can Do It – shares his hard-won leadership lessons and infectious passion for creating an extraordinary workplace. Garry transformed WD-40 from a small business into a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse brand over 25 years, cultivating a culture where employees thrived, loved their work, and achieved extraordinary results. Under his people-centric leadership, WD-40’s market cap skyrocketed from $300 million to $3.6 billion, with employee engagement hitting an unheard-of 93% (compare that to a global average of ~31% – a crisis he calls “disgusting”). His secret? Embracing “learning moments” instead of failures and banishing fear from the workplace. This conversation is a masterclass in trust-based culture building, delivered with the humor, heart, and straight-talk you’d expect from the self-proclaimed “Dean of Dumbassery.” 😎
The Power of Dumbassery: Why Garry proudly runs a “School of Dumbassery” on LinkedIn (and why you never graduate from it – because the learning never stops). Discover how embracing humility and continuous learning can be a leader’s superpower, turning mistakes into “learning moments” that drive growth and innovation.
Managers ≠ Coaches: How WD-40 replaced managers with coaches to create a high-engagement coaching culture. Garry explains how simply changing that title from “boss” to “coach” (and backing it up with action) boosted trust and respect – 97% of employees said they respected their coach – because coaches focus on helping people win, not bossing them around. Learn how this shift increased psychological safety and performance across the organization.
Trust, Values, and “Learning Moments”: The inside scoop on building a trust-based workplace culture where psychological safety is paramount. Garry shares how removing the word “failure” and calling them “learning moments” eliminated fear and encouraged people to speak up and take risks. He discusses fostering belonging and tribal mentality (“tribe members,” not employees) and leading with a compelling set of values that “protect people and set them free.”
Leading with Heart (and a Backbone of Steel): Why servant leadership doesn’t mean being a pushover. Garry and the hosts explore the balance between being tough-minded and tender-hearted – having a “heart of gold and a backbone of steel,” as Garry puts it. He shares how values-based decisions and candid “caring confrontations” build trust over time, and why real leadership is “not a popularity contest, it’s a contact sport.”
Creating Legend-Level Culture: How Garry’s approach aligns with insights from leadership icons and influencers. Hear references to Ken Blanchard (co-author of Helping People Win at Work), the no-BS wisdom of Marshall Goldsmith, and the research of Harvard’s Amy Edmondson on psychological safety. This episode is packed with real-talk examples and visionary advice to help HR leaders and executives stop sucking at leadership and start building a culture employees can’t stop raving about.
Listen now and join us on the journey to a culture that kicks ass! For more great insights and episodes, visit our podcast homepage:
Podcast Homepage: https://stepituphr.com/corey-osityunleashed
Any Dumbass Can Do It (Garry Ridge): https://amzn.to/YourAffiliateLink
The Right Kind of Wrong (Amy Edmondson): https://amzn.to/RightKindOfWrong
Helping People Win at Work (Ken Blanchard & Garry Ridge): https://amzn.to/HelpingPeopleWinAtWork
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (Marshall Goldsmith): https://amzn.to/WhatGotYouHere
Garry Ridge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge/
School of Dumbassery (LinkedIn Group): https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14633002/
Power of Dumbassery Quiz (The Learning Moment): https://www.thelearningmoment.net/quiz
