A Bit of Optimism The Culture That Converts Even the Biggest Cynics with former WD-40 CEO Garry Ridge
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Nov 25, 2025 Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40, shares his extraordinary journey from a traditional manager to a culture-driven leader. He transformed WD-40 into a place where employees thrive, focusing on purpose and psychological safety. Garry discusses the importance of creating a loving work environment, even amid chaos. He emphasizes values over command, coaching over managing, and the role of incremental change in building a strong culture. The conversation reveals how engaging employees leads to lasting success, making leaders rethink their approach to workplace culture.
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Leader Change Starts With Self
- Garry Ridge shifted from “be brilliant, be brief, be gone” to servant leadership focused on belonging and learning.
- He argues authenticity and changing yourself first are core to building a low-fear culture.
Culture Requires Daily Consistency
- Design culture as values plus behavior times consistency, not a one-off event.
- Invest daily in consistent behaviors to make culture durable and real.
People Multiply Strategy
- The will of the people times strategy equals outcome; engagement multiplies any plan's impact.
- Prioritizing people, purpose, values, and learning raises execution dramatically.
