INSPIRATION

Garry Ridge, WD-40 Company CEO and co-author of Helping People Win at Work, believes that “creating lasting memories in his staff’s minds every day” is key to the company’s success during his 22-year tenure.

Through two work experiences in his youth, Ridge realized that experiencing authentic connection, caring and trust in his workplace inspired in him an intensified dedication to a job well done.

Ridge believes a focus on the servant leadership principles of values, learning, teaching, growth, and community can lead to enhanced performance. He honed his focus on community studying Australian Aboriginales noting “a tribe is a group that endures over time. It is all about belonging.”

The WD-40 “tribe” principles center around honoring contributions as individuals without losing sight of the valuable, positive impact on the entire community.

Leadership is about LEARNING and TEACHING. We have no mistakes here, we have LEARNING MOMENTS.
-Garry Ridge

ACTION

❶ Be Open To Learning
Saying “I don’t know” might create a feeling of vulnerability, but it builds a culture of learning and teaching that is critical for both individual and team success. In Garry’s words: “Competence depends utterly on a leaders’ willingness to continue learning.”

❷ Communicate & Connect
Communicate clearly and often to build positive connections and a culture of mutual respect, where candor in discussing challenges and opportunities is rewarded rather than feared.

❸ Build Community
Work to create a sense of belonging- a mission of achieving common goals that results in each person on a team feeling both valued and valuable for their connection and contribution to the “tribe”.