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Toxic leaders kills cultures
Are YOU the Soul-Sucking CEO?
What if the biggest barrier to growth in your company… is you?
In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Garry Ridge — former CEO of WD-40, Top 10 USA Today bestselling author, and one of the most grounded, wise leaders I know.
Over 25 years, Garry scaled WD-40 into a $3.6 billion global powerhouse — not through ego or control, but by building a culture of belonging, learning, and trust.
We dive deep into what most leaders get wrong about company culture, how to recognise (and eliminate) toxic behaviours, and why servant leadership is the most powerful leadership style for scaling a business and empowering teams.
You’ll hear:
JOIN the waitlist to get early access to our community for CEO's and founders that want to scale fast and exit fast.
Join here: https://forms.gle/qKBPJG59hArpPtgi6
This episode is a leadership masterclass — whether you’re a founder trying to scale, an executive looking to exit, or someone building a company where people love to work.
Grab a pen. Take notes. Rewind it. This one’s worth listening to more than once.
Breakdown
00:00 Introduction to Leadership Insights
05:01 Garry Ridge's Journey to CEO
10:27 Mental Resilience in Leadership
12:43 Tough Leadership Decisions
15:50 Creating a Culture of Belonging
18:13 Identifying Toxic Culture
21:06 The Role of a Leader as a Coach
23:09 Defining Success and Winning
24:30 Leading with Vulnerability and Clarity
27:21 The Smartest CEOs: What They Get Wrong
29:21 Identifying Gaps in Leadership
30:19 Building a Global Company Culture
31:28 Navigating Tough Times with Transparency
35:24 Dealing with Cultural Outliers
36:40 Starting to Build a Positive Culture
37:42 The Journey of Leadership and Learning
40:31 Reflections on Leadership Journey
43:20 Final Thoughts and Leadership Tips
🙏 How To Support The Business Strategist 🎙️
If this is the first time you’re listening congrats, if you like today’s episode please subscribe, listen and leave a review on 👉 Apple, Spotify
ABOUT THE GUEST
📘 Don’t forget to check out Garry’s new book Any Dumb Ass Can Do It and take his “Dumbass Quiz” at TheLearningMoment.net
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge
ABOUT THE HOST
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong
Learn how to scale fast by taking the business growth quiz: https://howtogrowabusiness.scoreapp.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By Adam Strong
4.9
2828 ratings
Are YOU the Soul-Sucking CEO?
What if the biggest barrier to growth in your company… is you?
In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Garry Ridge — former CEO of WD-40, Top 10 USA Today bestselling author, and one of the most grounded, wise leaders I know.
Over 25 years, Garry scaled WD-40 into a $3.6 billion global powerhouse — not through ego or control, but by building a culture of belonging, learning, and trust.
We dive deep into what most leaders get wrong about company culture, how to recognise (and eliminate) toxic behaviours, and why servant leadership is the most powerful leadership style for scaling a business and empowering teams.
You’ll hear:
JOIN the waitlist to get early access to our community for CEO's and founders that want to scale fast and exit fast.
Join here: https://forms.gle/qKBPJG59hArpPtgi6
This episode is a leadership masterclass — whether you’re a founder trying to scale, an executive looking to exit, or someone building a company where people love to work.
Grab a pen. Take notes. Rewind it. This one’s worth listening to more than once.
Breakdown
00:00 Introduction to Leadership Insights
05:01 Garry Ridge's Journey to CEO
10:27 Mental Resilience in Leadership
12:43 Tough Leadership Decisions
15:50 Creating a Culture of Belonging
18:13 Identifying Toxic Culture
21:06 The Role of a Leader as a Coach
23:09 Defining Success and Winning
24:30 Leading with Vulnerability and Clarity
27:21 The Smartest CEOs: What They Get Wrong
29:21 Identifying Gaps in Leadership
30:19 Building a Global Company Culture
31:28 Navigating Tough Times with Transparency
35:24 Dealing with Cultural Outliers
36:40 Starting to Build a Positive Culture
37:42 The Journey of Leadership and Learning
40:31 Reflections on Leadership Journey
43:20 Final Thoughts and Leadership Tips
🙏 How To Support The Business Strategist 🎙️
If this is the first time you’re listening congrats, if you like today’s episode please subscribe, listen and leave a review on 👉 Apple, Spotify
ABOUT THE GUEST
📘 Don’t forget to check out Garry’s new book Any Dumb Ass Can Do It and take his “Dumbass Quiz” at TheLearningMoment.net
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge
ABOUT THE HOST
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong
Learn how to scale fast by taking the business growth quiz: https://howtogrowabusiness.scoreapp.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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