In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman of WD-40. In the conversation, Garry Ridge shared his origin story and how a quote from the Dalai Lama helped him focus on organizational purpose. Next, Garry explained his why and the how behind making WD-40 an organization where people can contribute, learn something new, and ultimately go home happy. Then, Garry Ridge shared the leadership wisdom he has gained from Ken Blanchard and Marshall Goldsmith and his focus on creating a ripple effect of happiness. Garry Ridge also laid out the leadership practices and approaches that led employee engagement at WD-40 to reach 93.5%, with 98% of the people working at the company loving to tell people they work there and 97% trusting or respecting their boss. Finally, Garry Ridge talked about the importance of strategy and the most critical element in leading an organization to achieve its strategy and succeed.

Some highlights:

- How Garry Ridge ended up as CEO of WD-40

- The importance of authentic purpose in building a global brand

- Creating a culture of engagement and accountability at WD-40

- The role of coaching in the organization

- Garry Ridge on leading WD-40 from a market cap of $300 million to over $2.5 billion.Timestamps

- Hierarchy of values and how best to use them in decision making

- How to embed organizational values

- Garry Ridge on his approach to succession planning at WD-40

- Building a culture that outlasts you

- The difference made by leadership

Mentioned:

David Ariosto

The AI-powered Podcast Player