218: The Dean of Dumbassery - Garry Ridge

The Dean of Dumbassery Returns to The Leadership Enigma

In this energising episode, Garry Ridge, former Chairman & CEO of WD-40 (yep, that iconic blue and yellow can with a red top), returns to the Leadership Enigma – flying in from the West Coast to London just for this chat!

🔥 Garry shares powerful lessons from his new book “Any Dumb Ass Can Do It”, drawn from 25 years of scar tissue, leadership insights, and culture-first wisdom. As he says, “We sell memories, not just oil in a can.”

🧠 Key Takeaways:
💥 "Your product is not your purpose.”
Garry unpacks how purpose, people and culture drive long-term success.

📈 “Will of the people x strategy = output.”
It’s not just about what you do, but who’s behind it that matters most.

🎓 From VIP to PIP (previously important person):
Garry’s new mission is to pay it forward as the self-proclaimed Dean of Dumbassery – teaching, sharing, and helping leaders step up.

❤️ “Happy people make happy families, happy communities, and a happy world.”
Garry reminds us that leadership is personal. It’s about creating meaningful impact.

🧠 “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.”
At WD-40, leaders became coaches, not managers – and everyone was trusted to grow.

🪶 “Life is a gift, don’t send it back unwrapped.”
A rallying cry for leaders to embrace learning, take risks, and disrupt themselves.

🛠 Culture = (Values + Behaviour) x Consistency
WD-40’s secret? A strong values hierarchy – guiding decision-making, reducing churn, and building trust.

🚫 Bye-bye finger-pointing:
Enter the Maniac Pledge – an accountability manifesto that fuels empowerment across teams.

🤖 Beware of “Alec – the Soul Sucking CEO”
Garry’s pocket puppet helps expose the fear-based leadership we all need to leave behind.

📊 70% of employees feel disengaged. Garry says it’s time to flip the script – because leaders are responsible for creating cultures where people belong, matter, and have autonomy.

🧠 Learning moments are the game changers. Remember, WD-40 got its name after failing 39 times.

🌀 “Don’t make finite decisions in uncertain times – fly loose.”
Post-pandemic leadership needs agility, empathy, and clarity of purpose.

💬 Garry’s challenge to all leaders:
“My people are so excited to go to ______ today because we are going to ______ today.”
Fill in the blanks. What kind of workplace are you creating?

📚 Any Dumb Ass Can Do It is more than a title – it’s a call for humility, courage, and curiosity in leadership. Garry’s wisdom hits deep, and this episode is packed with practical, heartfelt, and hilarious truths for any leader looking to level up.

👉 Hit play. Get inspired. And remember: Profit is simply the applause for delighting your customers.
Get the book from Amazon
www.thelearningmoment.net/
The Dumb Ass Quiz: www.thelearningmoment.net/quiz/