Building People-Centric Cultures and Coaching Leaders with Garry Ridge, Former CEO of WD40

Andy Storch recently welcomed Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40 Company and internationally known “Culture Coach,” back to the Talent Development Hot Seat Podcast. Garry has dedicated his career to championing leadership practices that create safe, empowering, and high-performing cultures, earning WD-40 Company a reputation as one of the most engaged workforces worldwide. Drawing from his new bestseller, Any Dumbass Can Do It, Garry offered practical, hard-earned wisdom on cultivating organizations where people feel valued, connected, and eager to give their best.

Here are actionable insights and specific steps you can use to boost employee engagement and leadership effectiveness in your organization.

Center Culture Around Belonging, Value, and Connection
Garry’s core philosophy is simple but profound: when people feel safe, valued, and connected, they deliver their best work. Start by focusing on behaviors and systems that reinforce every employee’s sense of belonging. Build recognition into daily routines to help people know their contributions matter. And create an environment where values both protect individuals and set them free and not trap them in red tape.

Model Coaching, Not Managing
One of Garry’s most important lessons: “You manage your bank account; you coach people.” Shift your leadership language and identity from ‘manager’ to ‘coach.’ Encourage everyone leading teams to see themselves as coaches responsible for helping others win, learn, and grow. Garry even replaced the title “manager” with “coach” at WD-40 Company, transforming relationships and mindsets throughout the organization. Empower leaders to ask, “How can I help you succeed today?” rather than just tracking tasks and outcomes.

Turn Mistakes Into Learning Moments
Psychological safety and innovation both flourish when failure is seen as a learning opportunity, not something to hide or fear. Garry established the “Learning Moment” at WD-40: every setback or surprising outcome became a chance to share openly, examine what happened, and extract lessons for everyone’s benefit. Embed this approach company-wide and encourage leaders to model vulnerability by admitting when they don’t have all the answers.

Beware of “Soul-Sucking” Leadership Traps
Much of what undermines culture and performance comes down to unintentional behavior. Garry warns against the “soul-sucking CEO” archetype; leaders who micromanage, resist feedback, prioritize ego over empathy, or create fear-based cultures. Many of these habits, Garry points out, are unconscious. Use 360-degree feedback tools and self-reflection to build leadership awareness, and coach leaders to recognize the impact of their behaviors, not just their intent.

Equip Leaders for the Journey—Not Perfection
Leadership, Garry insists, is a journey, not an innate talent. “I just completed my 25-year apprenticeship in leadership,” he jokes. Organizations must support new leaders with robust development, especially when promoting high performers into people management roles. Coach leaders on fundamental skills: how to set expectations, create accountability, foster trust, and actively seek feedback. Emphasize the need for both “a heart of gold and a backbone of steel”—balancing compassion with tough-minded clarity.

Use Language and Rituals to Anchor the Culture
Words shape mindsets and mindsets shape behaviors. Clarify, codify, and reinforce the culture you desire with intentional language and shared rituals. At WD-40, the “Maniac Pledge” empowered every employee to take personal responsibility for asking questions, sharing information, and refusing to fall into the blame game. Publicly celebrate those who embody your values, and regularly revisit team commitments to keep them alive and meaningful.

Fight Micromanagement with Clarity and Accountability
Micromanagement is consistently cited as one of the most demotivating leadership behaviors. Garry highlights two solutions: first, teach leaders to invest their energy in enabling (not doing) the work of their teams which means more time spent teaching and coaching, less time interfering. Second, be crystal clear on what success looks like (“what does getting an A look like here?”), so everyone knows what they are accountable for and how to win.

Celebrate Development even if People Move On
Some leaders resist investing in talent for fear that stars will leave. Garry’s response: “If people move on to a better life, congratulations, you’ve done what you should as a human being.” Coach managers to embrace a growth mindset, knowing that the benefits of developing people (in performance, loyalty, and reputation) far outweigh the risks of stagnation or disengagement.

Prioritize Connection in a Changing World
Remote and hybrid work are here to stay, but human connection cannot be abandoned. Garry encourages regularly bringing people together in person when possible to foster belonging and alignment. As technology and AI accelerate change, free people from repetitive work so they can focus on high-impact, creative, and meaningful contributions.

Practice Radical Self-Awareness and Presence
Finally, Garry emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and emotional self-regulation for every leader. Carry reminders (“Am I being the leader I want to be right now?”) and pause to reset before each interaction. Your presence matters as much, or more, than your words. Don’t let stress or “leftovers” from past meetings negatively affect the next person who needs your support.

Building a vibrant, resilient culture is not about perfection or grand gestures. As Garry Ridge’s experience proves, it’s about simple, intentional actions repeated with care, humility, and consistency. By focusing on belonging, coaching, learning, and connection, you can transform your workplace into one where people (and business results) truly thrive.

Be sure to listen to the full episode on the Talent Development Hot Seat Podcast!

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