August 11, 2026
Episode 200: How to Build an Enduring Company through Times of Uncertainty with Garry Ridge
In a time when uncertainty is a constant, how do you build a company that lasts? To celebrate the 200th episode of The Future of Teamwork, Dane Groeneveld welcomes Garry Ridge back to the podcast to answer that question. Garry Ridge is the Chairman Emeritus of WD-40 Company, founder of The Learning Moment, and author of Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It: Learning Moments from an Everyday CEO of a Multi-Billion-Dollar Company.
Garry breaks down why leaders need to stop thinking like managers and start thinking like coaches, and how this can transform workplace culture. Together, Dane and Garry explore the four foundations of exceptional teams: belonging, mattering, continuous learning, and coaching. Garry then explains what leaders often get wrong about culture change, and why defining “winning” for your team and following the will of the people are paramount. He also explores why creating feelings around shared memories of work can be a key to building culture that many leaders miss.
Finally, Garry shares this inspiring excerpt from Out of the Maze, a follow-up to the book Who Moved My Cheese?:
“The way out of the maze: Notice your beliefs. A belief is a thought that you trust is true. Don’t believe everything you think. Sometimes facts are just the way you see things. Let go of what isn’t working. You can’t launch a new quest on old baggage. Look outside the maze. Consider the unlikely and explore the impossible. Choose a new belief. Changing what you think doesn’t change who you are, and there are no limits to what you can believe. You can do, experience, and enjoy a lot more than you think you can.”
Whether you’re a new or veteran leader, this episode is a goldmine of leadership lessons.
🔗 Connect with Garry Ridge on LinkedIn
🔗 Learn more about The Learning Moment
🔗 Listen to Garry Ridge’s last episode on The Future of Teamwork Podcast
How to Build an Enduring Company through Times of Uncertainty with Garry Ridge
Guest Bio
Garry has 25 years of experience as Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program.
Garry’s philosophy on company culture is based on Aristotle’s quote – “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” Turning that into action, he believes that all leaders can create a workplace where you go to work each day, make a contribution to something bigger than yourself, learn something new, feel safe, are protected, and are provided freedom by a set of values and go home happy!
He is passionate about the learning and empowering organizational culture he has helped establish at the WD-40 Company. In 2009, he co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard outlining his effective leadership techniques, titled “Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy Called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A.” A native of Australia, Mr. Ridge holds a certificate in Modern Retailing and a Master of Science in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego.
Key Takeaways
00:00 Welcome to the Future of Teamwork Podcast
00:37 Meet Garry Ridge
02:01 Uncertainty Is Normal
03:26 Lonely Leaders
05:53 Four Culture Pillars
06:42 Coach Not Manager
08:47 Define Winning Clearly
11:04 Will Times Strategy
12:13 Culture Takes Time
13:13 AI Fragmentation Tax
14:08 Manage Agents Coach People
16:25 Facts, Fiction, Opinion
17:49 Myths and Beliefs
19:10 Out of the Maze
21:08 Invest in People
21:49 Learning That Sticks
23:19 Feedback Tools Trap
23:32 Feedback With Care
23:47 Quarterly Coaching Check Ins
25:16 Ego and Short Term Pressure
26:45 Building an Enduring Company
28:03 Talking Culture with Owners
31:51 Pods and Mobs
34:27 Values-Based Partner Choices
39:01 Feelings and Memory Locks
44:32 Awareness and Intention Coaching
45:26 Key Takeaways and Farewell
47:54 Episode Disclaimer
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