Dr. Michelle Johnston welcomes the legendary Garry Ridge to the Seismic Shift Podcast for a conversation filled with wisdom, humility, and tangible leadership tools. As the former CEO of WD-40 for 25 years, Garry shares how rethinking leadership through a servant lens created seismic results—both in culture and in the bottom line. Garry shares how servant leadership, purpose-driven values, and a culture of belonging transformed a legacy company into a global success story. He explains how redefining leadership roles from "manager" to "coach," embedding purpose into decision-making, and investing in people-first culture led to 93% engagement scores and a 10x market cap increase. Now in his next chapter, Garry reflects on his legacy, his book Any Dumbass Can Do It, and his mission to help leaders embrace humility, connection, and courage. This episode is a masterclass in values-based leadership. Whether you're a CEO, team lead, or just starting out, this episode will equip you to lead with more purpose, courage, and connection. Garry’s approach proves that when people feel like they belong and know their work matters, business transformation naturally follows.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introducing Garry Ridge
01:30 WD-40: From legacy brand to global leadership example
03:00 93% employee engagement: What drove it?
04:30 Why WD-40 eliminated the word “manager”
06:30 Culture equation: Values + Behavior × Consistency
08:00 Redefining company purpose as creating lasting memories
10:00 Value-based decision-making in action
12:30 How values protect and set you free
14:00 Purpose, values, and trust across global teams
16:00 You don’t manage people—you coach them
18:00 Building a Leadership Academy for real development
20:00 From micromanaging to empowering
22:00 Culture embedded in bricks and mortar
23:00 Happy people create a happy world
24:00 The deeper meaning behind Any Dumbass Can Do It
26:00 Marshall Goldsmith’s advice that sparked the book
28:00 Preparing to leave with purpose and legacy
30:00 Garry’s coaching pillars: Care, candor, accountability, responsibility
31:00 Final call to action: Lead people to the best version of themselves
Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Heart's On Fire
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