182 Garry Ridge: The Hard Truth About Happy, High-Performing Cultures
Some leadership lessons arrive through strategy. Others arrive at 38,000 feet, reading a single sentence that reframes everything. For Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman Emeritus of WD-40, that moment sparked a radical shift in how he thought about leadership, culture, and responsibility. In his second appearance on The Unlock Moment, Garry returns to reflect on what he’s learned since stepping away from the CEO role … and what still matters most about leading well. In this conversation, Garry shares deeper insight into servant leadership, psychological safety, and why fear is the enemy of learning. He unpacks the real meaning behind his provocatively titled book Any Dumb Ass Can Do It, and explains why leadership doesn’t require brilliance - just care, consistency, and courage. This episode is a reminder that great leadership isn’t about control or charisma. It’s about how you show up and the environment you create for others to thrive.
The Unlock Moment: find your purpose for leadership and life · Garry Ridge
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Show Notes
Some leadership lessons arrive through strategy. Others arrive at 38,000 feet, reading a single sentence that reframes everything.
For Garry Ridge, former CEO and Chairman Emeritus of WD-40, that moment sparked a radical shift in how he thought about leadership, culture, and responsibility. In his second appearance on The Unlock Moment, Garry returns to reflect on what he’s learned since stepping away from the CEO role … and what still matters most about leading well.
In this conversation, Garry shares deeper insight into servant leadership, psychological safety, and why fear is the enemy of learning. He unpacks the real meaning behind his provocatively titled book Any Dumb Ass Can Do It, and explains why leadership doesn’t require brilliance - just care, consistency, and courage.
This episode is a reminder that great leadership isn’t about control or charisma. It’s about how you show up and the environment you create for others to thrive.
The Unlock Moment is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com Also discover his other podcasts, The Box of Keys and Unlock Your Leadership. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.