Welcome back to the Purpose Summit Series on Stories from the River! In the fourth episode of the series, host Charlie Malouf welcomes Garry Ridge, the former president and CEO of WD-40 company for 25 years. Garry shares insights into his leadership journey, beginning with how he got the attention of the CEO of WD-40 after singing a song during a memorable bus tour, which he, unfortunately, didn't sing on the pod! He reflects on his approach to leadership, emphasizing the importance of creating a workplace where employees feel they belong, matter, and can make choices. Garry discusses his philosophy on learning from mistakes, building a positive culture, and the core values of WD-40, including the unique approach to employee engagement and long-term company sustainability.
Garry Ridge also shares details about his books, such as Helping People Win at Work, The Unexpected Learning Moment, and Tribe Culture, which focus on coaching, learning moments, and fostering a tribe-like culture within organizations. He discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as an unexpected learning moment and highlights the importance of real-time employee feedback through platforms like HeartCount to create a positive work environment. Garry's message revolves around the power of leadership in shaping company culture, encouraging leaders to prioritize creating a workplace where employees thrive and feel valued, ultimately contributing to the organization's success.
Book 1: Helping People Win at Work-Co Author: Ken Blanchard - www.amazon.com/Helping-People...
Book 2: The Unexpected Learning Moment - Lessons in Leading a Thriving Culture Through Lockdown 2020 - www.amazon.com/UNEXPECTED-LEA...
Book 3: Tribe Culture: How It Shaped WD-40 Company - www.amazon.com/TRIBE-CULTURE-...
Book 4: Any Dumbass Can Do It - Coming Soon March 2025
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger - www.amazon.com/Tribe-Homecomi...
W-D 40 Website - “Our Culture” - www.wd40company.com/our-tribe...
Garry Ridge’s Website: The Learning Moment - thelearningmoment.net/
HeartCount - An Employee Experience Platform You Can Count On - heartcount.com/
Linkedin: Garry Ridge | LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/authwall?trk...
00:00 Introduction
01:28 Culture in organization
03:10 Helping people win at work
04:22 The Learning Moment
05:05 Tribe culture
07:32 Leadership at WD40
09:45 You can't microwave culture
10:29 Purpose of WD40
13:20 Garry's Purpose Summit talk
14:48 Get in touch with Garry
15:17 Conclusion
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