Garry Ridge has taken a different approach to leadership. Photo: Supplied.
Bruce Kasanoff describes the refreshing approach of a successful company leader who was happy to admit that he wasn’t the one with all the answers.
Have you ever met a chief executive who aspires to be the dumbest person in the room? I have.
My friend Garry Ridge, the former chair and chief executive of the WD-40 Company, has built an extraordinary career on this counterintuitive philosophy.
His new book, Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It, came out in March and it unpacks this refreshing leadership approach that’s the polar opposite of what we typically see.
”The moment you think you’re the smartest,” Garry (pictured) told me, ”You stop learning – and that’s when growth and innovation die.”
In a business world full of leaders desperate to appear all-knowing, Garry has deliberately positioned himself as the student rather than the sage.
This attitude has nothing to do with false modesty or self-deprecation. It is strategic brilliance.
How does he accomplish this? By leading with questions instead of answers. By listening more than speaking. By creating spaces in which people feel safe enough to contribute their best thinking.
Garry says leadership isn’t about being the smartest, “it’s about surrounding yourself with great people”.
During his 25 years leading the WD-40 company, Garry transformed the organisation’s culture by embracing the wisdom of Aristotle: ”Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”
The results speak volumes – not just in business performance, but also in creating a workplace where people genuinely want to be.
The traps that snare most leaders – ego, insecurity, the pressure to have all the answers – don’t catch Garry. Instead, he embraces vulnerability, stays fiercely curious, and defines success by how much his team grows.
Best of all, he speaks and writes like the down-to-earth human being he is. His books are easy to read, while still sharing genuine wisdom.
The next time you find yourself inching towards having your ego control your behaviour with others, try Garry’s approach instead. Ask a genuine question. Listen deeply to the answer. Be willing to learn something new.
Sometimes the smartest move is choosing to be the dumbest person in the room.
Bruce Kasanoff is the founder of The Journey, a newsletter for positive, uplifting and accomplished professionals. He is also an executive coach and social media ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. He can be contacted at kasanoff.com. This article first appeared at kasanoff.com.
