People First Leadership Lessons for building High-Performing finance teams from one of the TOP 10 Most Admired CEOs in the world, Garry Ridge
In this episode of FP&A Tomorrow, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes Garry Ridge, former CEO of WD-40 Company and a globally recognized leadership coach, to discuss how company culture and employee engagement can drive business success. With his extensive experience building a culture of trust, respect, and belonging, Garry shares how FP&A professionals can align financial strategy with a purpose-driven organizational culture. From leadership to mental health in the workplace, Garry’s insights provide valuable lessons for creating thriving teams and lasting business impact.
Garry Ridge is a purpose-driven leader, coach, and global keynote speaker. As the former Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company, Garry led the brand to become one of the world’s most trusted names, achieving over 90% employee engagement and consistent shareholder growth. Known as The Culture Coach, Garry helps leaders create values-driven workplaces where learning, innovation, and connection fuel success. He is the author of Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It and co-author of Helping People Win at Work with Ken Blanchard.
Expect to Learn:
The connection between company culture and business success
How FP&A can guide strategy while fostering engagement
Why servant leadership is key to unlocking innovation
Practical advice on building a workplace of belonging
The importance of "learning moments" in continuous improvement
Here are a few quotes from the episode:
"Great FP&A looks like a road map to a destination that’s directionally very concise and understandable." - Garry Ridge
"If only a small percentage of your organization is passionately working on executing your strategy, you’ll get limited outcomes." - Garry Ridge
"If you want to create a high-performing culture, focus on building trust, respect, and belonging." - Garry Ridge
Garry Ridge offered a powerful vision for the future of leadership and organizational culture, one where trust, respect, and belonging are the foundations of success. He emphasized that great leaders are not just managers, but coaches who inspire their teams to thrive by focusing on values-driven cultures. From building employee engagement to navigating mental health challenges, Garry’s insights provide actionable guidance for leaders looking to create work environments where people feel valued, connected, and empowered to contribute to a greater purpose.
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In Today’s Episode
[02:51] - Introduction of Garry Ridge
[05:35] - All Models Are Wrong, Some Are Useful
[07:18] - Creating Memories with WD-40
[12:48] - The Consequences of Ignoring Culture
[24:29] - Reactions to Going Back to School as CEO
[29:44] - Making "Are You Okay?" Meaningful
[32:27] - Embracing Vulnerability as a Superpower
[35:13] - Curiosity as a Business Partner
[42:29] - Parting Advice for Improvement
[59:47] - Final Thoughts and Wrap Up
Full Show Transcript
[00:01:31] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Hello everyone. Welcome to FP&A tomorrow, where we delve into the world of financial planning and analysis, examining its current state and future prospects. I'm your host, Paul Barnhurst, aka The FP&A guy, and I'll be guiding you through the evolving landscape of FP&A. Each week, we're joined by thought leaders, industry experts, and practitioners who share their insights and experiences, helping us navigate today's complexities and tomorrow's uncertainties. This week, I'm really thrilled we have a special guest with us. We have Garry Ridge, who's joining us on the show today. Garry, welcome to tomorrow.
[00:02:08] Guest: Garry Ridge: Hey. Good to be here. Thank you for the invite.
[00:02:11] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah. No thank you. I love the day. I love the Australian accent there. I know you grew up in Australia, so I love it. All right. So, Garry, I'm going to just give a quick, bio background on them. And then I'm going to turn some questions over to him. So we got to hear from him a lot today. So from his book I learned that Garry likes to introduce himself when giving speeches as consciously incompetent, probably wrong and roughly right.
[00:02:39] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I've thought about leaving.
[00:02:40] Host: Paul Barnhurst: It was there, but I was worried the audience might stop listening and wonder who this guy is if I didn't do a more formal bio. So he gave me the one from his website. So here's that bio. Garry Ridge is a purpose-driven leader, coach, and global keynote speaker dedicated to building workplace cultures where people thrive. As chairman and CEO of the WD-40 Company. For 25 years, he transformed the brand into one of the world's most trusted names, earning recognition as one of Inc. Magazine's World's Top ten CEOs. Under his leadership, WD-40 company achieved over 90% employee engagement and consistent shareholder growth through a culture of trust, respect and belonging. He is known as the Culture Coach. Garry empowers leaders to create values driven workplaces where learning, innovation and connection fuels success. He is the visionary behind The Learning Moment, a platform designed to help organizations build cultures that inspire contribution and growth. He's also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego, and he has taught corporate culture in the Master of Science and Executive Leadership program. He is the author of the USA today bestseller Any Dumbass Can Do It. And coauthor of Helping People Win at Work with Ken Blanchard. His work shares practical lessons on leadership rooted in his belief. Pleasure in the job cuts. Perfection in the work. Today, Garry coaches executives and organizations worldwide, helping them cultivate workplaces of belonging where love, forgiveness, and learning drive engagement, happiness, and a greater sense of purpose. I love the background. Garry. Great bio and thanks for letting me read that. So I'm going to ask our first question. Then we'll get into a few others here. But this is more FP and A before we get into culture, because we're going to mostly talk about culture. Do you know what great FP&A look like to you as a former CEO? When you think of FPGA, you know, budgeting and forecasting and that support you need from that group, what does it look like when they're doing a great job?
[00:05:02] Guest: Garry Ridge: It looks like a road map to a destination that you know is not necessarily 100% correct, but directionally very, very concise and understandable.
[00:05:19] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I like that you're the first one that's explained it that way, and I love that. So great FP&A really helps you make sure you have that roadmap that can help guide you even though you know it's not going to be exact, but it's achievable.
[00:05:32] Guest: Garry Ridge: It's probably wrong and roughly right.
[00:05:35] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah. As I like to say, one of my favorite quotes, George Bach says all models are wrong. Some are useful.
[00:05:41] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah.
[00:05:42] Host: Paul Barnhurst: There you go. You know, you want to make sure it's useful. My wife said I had to ask you this question. You know, the other day. Give. Give some context. She could hear our swing set her daughters all the way across the yard. She could hear it swinging, and it wasn't. Hey, you need to go take care of that squeak, or you need to go get some lubricant. Honey, where's the WD-40 and go use it. How do you guys create such an iconic brand that when people think of a squeak, they think of something that needs lubricant? They often don't think of lubricant. The first thing that comes to mind is I need WD-40.
[00:06:17] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, you know, there's a couple of things. Firstly, if you think about WD-40 and our purpose as an organization, we didn't say we're in the squeak business. We said we're in the memories business. We existed to create positive, lasting memories, solving problems in factories, homes and workshops around the world. We solved problems and we created opportunities. Being a problem solver really gives you an identity and a memory. So the products, an honest product, it's ubiquitous, it's usually readily available and it creates positive outcomes for people, so they tend to remember it. So, you know, we've spent 75 years in the US building that brand. And that's why it's the, you know, the name of first choice. You know, go get the WD-40. And it's interesting you said it on the can. It actually doesn't say lubricant. It actually says stop, squeaks.But we don't.
[00:07:12] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I didn't notice that.
[00:07:14] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah.
[00:07:15] Host: Paul Barnhurst: That is funny. And I love how you shared your guys' purpose. You know, reading that in your book of creating memories. Right. That's not something people think of when they think of something that stops. Squeaks. Right. So how do you come up with that idea that the WD-40 could create memories? I'm just kind of curious. How did you make that connection?
[00:07:36] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, our end users really told us that, you know, when we when we would talk about the product, people would say, I remember when I remember when I was a young lad working in the fields with my grandpa, and he would use WD-40. I remember when, you know, I was working with my son on his bicycle with WD-40 and so, you know, and users actually were the ones who really convinced us that that's what was important to them. And our second value at the company was we existed to create positive, lasting memories. So we embedded that in our behavior. Any time we looked at an innovation in our delivery systems or in our product. The first question we would ask ourselves was what positive, lasting memory will this create? And if we didn't answer that question, that thing never went any further.
[00:08:29] Host: Paul Barnhurst: So what positive, lasting memory will this thing create? It was kind of a guiding question for everything.
[00:08:36] Guest: Garry Ridge: For example, you know, when we did when we developed our new delivery systems, you know, we went from that little red tube that was taped on the can many years ago to what we call easy reach, which is a flip up, a delivery system to then one called, Smart Straw. You know, again, those were developed because our end users told us that if we made it easier for them to use, that would create a more positive memory than having to find that little red cube.
[00:09:06] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah, I remember I bought some. I remember how long ago it was. But going into the red two, one of these times when I bought one, I can very distinctly remember that memory of, oh, now it's, you know, kind of flip up.
[00:09:17] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:09:19] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Next question. I mean, obviously, your book, your leadership, you're a culture guy through and through. You look at it, you know, strongly believing that leading starts with company culture, kind of. How did you come to that conclusion? Because I think there are definitely leaders out there. I don't think I know, having worked at some companies, that it doesn't start with culture. What made you decide that that was really the key to unlocking, you know, business success.
[00:09:46] Guest: Garry Ridge: We can write the best strategic plan in the world. We'll get a lot of help from our FP&A friends to do that. But if only a small percentage of your organization go to work every day and are passionately working on executing against that strategy, you're going to get a limited outcome. For example, let's write a strategic plan. We'll take it to a smart professor. He says 70 out of 100 for your strategic plan. But if only 30% of your people are engaged in working towards that. 30 times 70 is a number. But if you can create a culture where 80% of your people or greater are going to work every day making a contribution to something bigger than themselves, learning something new, they're protected and set free by a compelling set of values, and going home happy 80 times 70 is a much bigger number, so success is the will of the people. Times the strategy. And when we started to focus on servant leadership and the aspects of creating a high will of the people, it was pretty obvious that the outcome was going to be much higher and it was much higher.
[00:10:58] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I'm not surprised. I mean, I worked at a company where the culture was absolutely horrible. That's the best way I could put it. I, you know, saw some things that were unfortunate to happen. And now the turnover was huge. So you never had well trained people. You didn't have engaged people. I literally had a VP tell me about this first company I ever worked at, where he walked into a meeting and the others were talking about their job interviews in the room with each other.
[00:11:25] Guest: Garry Ridge: Wow. That's brain drain, right? I was talking to a leader the other day of an organization, and we were kind of you kind of having a friendly debate about the importance of people and engaged people. And he was kind to me about it. I said, look, here's a test for you. I want you to send everyone in your organization home for a month and tell them to take the month off and tell me at the end of the month, how much did you achieve in your business? And the answer will be nothing because it's all about the people. But in reality today, if you've got employee engagement of around 30%, which means only 30% of your people are engaged, 70% are actively disengaged or disengaged, they're actually not being sent home, but they're sitting and quitting their job. So isn't it worth spending some time, talent, and treasure on turning that 70% into 10%? So 90% of the people engaged? Oh. Oh, yeah, that's probably worth thinking about.
[00:12:30] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah. You know, when you said that, you know, 70% are basically quitting in their chair. I recently heard this new term. I think it's a gens. The term quiet quitting. Yeah, as they call it, which, you know, is kind of what you're talking about there in some ways.
[00:12:44] Guest: Garry Ridge: Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely.
[00:12:48] Host: Paul Barnhurst: So I'm curious, we obviously talked about getting more production from the 100%. What happens beyond that when leaders do not start with culture, you know, kind of long term, because we've seen some companies that I would say probably don't have healthy cultures, may have charismatic leaders that put products first or profit, and they've been successful for probably a pretty good time. So kind of what's your perspective on that?
[00:13:12] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, a couple of things will happen. Number one is if you have a low engagement in the organization, I can just about guarantee you that your cost of employee is a lot higher because you can pay people to be in a culture where they feel uncomfortable, but you can only do it for a certain period of time. Eventually they'll lead. So, you know, people go to work and say, well, why do you go to work at that company? Well, they pay me a lot, but I hate going there. But I'm going to deliver. And the other thing that happens is when you hit hard times, if you don't have a strong culture, that's when you're going to get hurt the most. You know, when we went through Covid, when I was still leading the organization, we went in with a very, very strong culture. We came out with an even stronger culture, and we had one of the best years in the company's history because, you know, people felt safe. They weren't worried about, you know, am I going to lose my job tomorrow? They were still and in fact, a lot of people said they were enjoying being part of the operation because it gave them hope for the future. So, you know, when things are going well, things are going well, that it's when the going gets tough. The tough have to get going.
[00:14:37] Host: Paul Barnhurst: You have to have engaged people to believe in what they're doing and feel safe in the environment.
[00:14:44] Guest: Garry Ridge: Absolutely. Absolutely.
[00:14:46] Host: Paul Barnhurst: And that, kind of that kind of leads to really what your book talks about. Right. Your book's title is everybody can see in the background there if you're watching this on video. If not, I get to say it again because I like the title. Any dumbass can do it. Obviously that grabbed some attention. It's not the typical title, you see. People look at it and go, okay, is this just kind of you're just trying to get my eyeballs here or what's going on? So what inspired you to choose that title? And kind of is there a certain message you're sending with that title?
[00:15:19] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah. So let me first say that the word ass and this is not reflecting on anybody's posterior or bottom. It's ass meaning, you know, silly donkey. And the reason I have the title is I believe that. And I proved it because I am the dean of democracy. That is if you understand the elements that need to be in place to build a good culture, and you consistently execute those elements over a period of time. Anybody can build a great culture. The challenge that I hear from some elitists is, well, you know, this is all about the soft stuff. This is not soft at all. I mean, this is hard. If it was easy, we would have organizations with much better cultures, but because it's hard and you have to work at it every day. Then, you know, there's not so many of those great cultures. So the trick is understanding the elements and then executing on them. I consistently have a friend of mine. He owns a chain of Ashley Furniture stores. Out in North Carolina. He's got a great quote. He says a culture is not a microwavable event. It takes a crock pot approach. And that is so true.
[00:16:43] Host: Paul Barnhurst: So a culture is not a microwavable event. It takes a crock pot approach. Makes a lot of sense, right? So many people think I throw out values and I can create a culture so much more than that from what you're saying.
[00:16:55] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah. And a lot of people think we'll just bring in one training program and sprinkle some fairy dust over the organization. And guess what? We're going to be able to build a great culture. Well, it is a lot more than that.
[00:17:07] Host: Paul Barnhurst: You know, and it's funny when you mentioned it hard, I've never been a huge fan of the term soft skills. Obviously I use them, but I've always thought it's much more human skills is the way I kind of think about a lot of those soft skills. So I thought it was interesting when you mentioned there's nothing hard about it. And, you know, along those lines, I'm going to assume, Obviously, from what you said, you're a big believer that leadership skills are something anyone can learn. It's not a we're not, you know, just born with it. There may be people born with the tendency, but all of this is learning.
[00:17:40] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah. I'm, you know, in the work that I do now in my coaching work, the thing that's very apparent is that a lot of leaders are not aware of how their leadership behavior impacts those they have the privilege to lead. So in my coaching work, the first thing we do is we go through a process of identifying what are the leadership attributes or behaviors of the leader. And once you kind of say to a leader, you know what your team says, you're a micromanager. You don't listen, you know, you, you blah blah, blah, blah. They go, oh, really? And if they tell you that, believe me, it's true. So why don't we work on the fact that you're going to stop being a micromanager? You're going to, you know, actually become a better listener. You're not going to say, yeah, no, but or however all the time. And it's like, wow, I didn't realize how my behavior was impacting others. And it's so true. You know, if you're going to build a great culture, you have to have a people first mindset. You've got to be a coach, not a manager. And, you know, you manage your bank account and you manage inventory. But our job as a leader is to coach those we have the privilege to lead, to win in the game we've defined as being successful. That's what we've got to do.
[00:19:10] Host: Paul Barnhurst: FP&A guy here today, I want to talk about the certified corporate FP&A professional, or the FPAC, from the Association for Financial Professionals. I am often asked what makes the FPAC unique. And I respond by saying it's the only FP&A program that is a credential versus a training program with a certificate. Three key differences include. The FPAC requires work experience to enrol in the program two. The FPAC exam is closed-book and administered at a testing centre. Three to keep your credential current, you have to do continuing education hours. I went through the program a few years ago, and it was a great learning experience. Not only did I learn a lot studying for the exam, but I am grateful for my membership in AFP for the networking opportunities and the opportunity I have to continue to learn through events and resources provided by AFP. If you're serious about building your career in FP&A and want an FP&A credential, I recommend looking into the FPAC program. Head on over to my website to learn more. And if you sign up for the program, don't forget to use my code to receive a discount. Those codes are the TheFPAGuy-FPAC – Exam $150 discount, and TheFPAGuy-FPACEPP – Exam prep platform $100 discount. Again, head on over to my website for those codes and to learn more.
[00:19:10] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I love how you talk about lead. One of them just reminded me, and I have it somewhere on my desk, but I can't see it at the moment. So one of the best training I ever attended was a Boy Scout training for a kind of weird badge of leadership. The one thing they taught while working with the boys. They called it the edge principle and it really applies to teams. When you first work with someone, you have to explain things right. New task, whatever it might be. Then they get to the level where you're demonstrating, and then they get to a point where you're just guiding them. You might need a little help, but the goal is always to get the team. I think this applies to culture, whatever it is, to get to the point where you're just enabling them, you're removing the roadblocks, supporting them as a person and watching them achieve what they're capable of.
[00:19:54] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, exactly. And you know, if we think about a coach, firstly, a great coach is committed to helping the person get an A. The book I wrote for Ken Langer with Ken was, and I'm not here to mark your paper. I'm here to help you today. A great coach is brave. They don't protect their own comfort zone at the expense of someone else's growth, so they're willing to redirect the play. They know the game and what it takes to win. They are never a great coach, never run on the field and steal the ball. That's where micromanagement happens. And a lot of leaders do that. They spend a lot of time on the sideline watching the play. They add value to the player with feedback on how to improve and improve the play. They never go to the podium and steal the prize. You know, a lot of bad leaders take all the glory. And the other thing that's important is they spend a lot of time in the stinky locker room. And what I mean by that, they get their shoes dirty. They're with the people on the floor in the organization getting out of that corner office where corporate royalty lives. You've got to get with the people, listen to the people. You'll solve all the problems in your organization. And I identify all the opportunities in your organization. If you listen to the people who are actually doing the work.
[00:21:19] Host: Paul Barnhurst: It's amazing. The value is when you open up and listen. I love that there's so much you can learn from others when you're willing to.
[00:21:26] Guest: Garry Ridge: Absolutely. That's why I used to say, as you are, you know, I'm probably wrong and roughly right, and I need all the help I can get.
[00:21:35] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah, I love the humility there if I need all the help I can get. So, you know, I want to go back to the book a little bit. There's a lot of great learning moments. I'm still finishing it and reading it, reading some summaries of it and a lot, a lot of great material. But one thing that really struck out to me, you mentioned that when you were promoted to CEO of WD-40, that you, described your job as this your job was to not hurt those who came to work every day to build the future of the blue and yellow can with a little red top when you realize this. How did your role change? How did the way that you look at being a CEO kind of change with that? With that mentality.
[00:22:22] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, again, it changed from, you know, directing and and dominating to, you know, asking involving and including You know, it came from two things. I just after I became CEO, I was actually two years into my role. Believe it or not, I went back to school, I went to the University of San Diego, and I did a master's degree in leadership. That's where I met my mentor, Doctor Ken Blanchard, and I studied the attributes and the benefits of servant leadership, and I really believed in it. And that was triggered by two things that I had read. I'd read. And in the first chapter of the book, I think I talk about, you know, the flight that I was taking to Sydney from Los Angeles, and I was at 38,000ft somewhere over the South Pacific Ocean at 2 a.m. in the morning. And as you do when you travel a lot, you take stuff to read. And I read a quote that was attributed to the Dalai Lama. The quote was, our purpose in life is to make people happy. If we can't make them happy, at least don't hurt them. And I thought, wow.
[00:23:27] Guest: Garry Ridge: And then I read a quote from Aristotle, which was a pleasure. And the job was perfect. And when I put those two things together, it just made a lot of sense to me. I didn't know how to do it. And then I learned about this program. And when I went to an information session, you know, Ken Blanchard got up and he said, you know, most MBA programs get people in the head. We got to start touching the heart as well. And I said, wow. So now I am CEO of the US public company. And I went back to school. I wanted to confirm what I thought I knew and learn what I didn't know. And I took that learning and I took it into the organization. And that's how we created, you know, the elements that we put in place. You know, a people first organization, a clearly defined and authentic purpose, a set of values that protected people and set them free. Reducing fear by having learning moments, not failures. And then us being coaches, not managers, which is really the foundation that we worked on for 25 years.
[00:24:29] Host: Paul Barnhurst: You know, I'm curious, what did you have a lot of naysayers and stuff when you said you're going to go back to school? I mean, being a CEO is quite a full time commitment. So what was the kind of response you said when you went through this master's program in the evening?
[00:24:44] Guest: Garry Ridge: You know, I think most of it was you're going to do what I remember the first class that I went to when I met the other cohort members and we were all, you know, fairly experienced in some ways in our roles. I was the only CEO in the class, by the way. And everybody said, what are you doing here? You're already a CEO. I said, well, I've come to confirm what I thought I knew and learn what I don't know, so I can be even a better CEO. So yeah, I think. Oh, okay. But it really goes back to the point that we were. We're forever learners. As you know, one of the attributes of tribal leadership is to always be a learner and a teacher. And, and that's what we continue every day. Our job is to continue to learn and continue to teach.
[00:25:32] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I mean, lifetime learning, right? We hear that really is something we should strive for, not just to say and kind of speaking of that, you talk a lot about learning moments in your book, right? That's one of your key concepts in the book. And you talk about how 14 you implemented a philosophy called, don't make my paper, help me get an A to manage performance reviews. You may tell the story and the philosophy behind that to share a little bit of that approach.
[00:25:58] Host: Paul Barnhurst: And now a brief message from our sponsor, AFP. You know as well as I do, the world of finance is moving fast, and if you want to stay ahead, you need real insights. That’s exactly what you’ll find at the Association for Financial Professionals’ FP&A Forum, an immersive, three-day event built for financial professionals, by financial professionals. Last year, 96% of attendees joined to sharpen their FP&A processes, strategies, and stay on top of emerging trends. And this year, it’s even bigger. Experience unbiased, sales-free educational sessions, collaborate in 10 dynamic roundtables, test out the latest FP&A tools, and hear from powerful keynote speakers, tackling real-world challenges head-on. Plus, you’ll be networking with more than 500 of your peers, all in Indianapolis, March 23 through 25. So if you want high-impact insights without the spin, this is the place. Learn more at financialprofessionals.org.
[00:27:03] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah, well, I learned that in the program that I did. Ken Blanchard was a professor at a university. Maybe it was Cornell, and he used to give out the final paper for the class at the beginning of the class and, you know, the academic rigor there. And the administration said, what the hell are you doing? Blanchard gave out the final paper. He said, well, giving out the final paper and we're going to spend the next three semesters helping them learn the answers, because it's not about getting some a and marking someone's papers. It's about learning. And when I thought about, you know, review systems in most companies, the annual review is a real waste of time. You know, you sit down with someone once a year and you review their, their, their year's performance. And we kicked that out and we said, we're not going to do that. We're going to have an ongoing system where at the beginning of the year we agree. Meaning me being your coach and you being the person I have the privilege to lead. You know, what do I have 3 to 5 key goals that we want to achieve? You know, what are we going to measure? How are we going to act against our values? That means we're going to identify what an A looks like. And my job is not to mark your paper. It's here to help you get an A. So we're going to meet regularly at a minimum every 90 days. You're going to tell me how you think you're progressing towards getting that. And I'm going to help remove any roadblocks and, and bring any learning to you that we need. So at the end of the year, it's not like I call it that you remember the show. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Have you ever watched Gomer Pyle?
[00:28:45] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I think I did. Oh gosh okay okay yeah I think I do know I know what you're talking about.
[00:28:50] Guest: Garry Ridge: I used to call it a Gomer Pyle because he used to say surprise surprise. And really you know we didn't want Gomer Pyle. We wanted people to have the opportunity to improve during the year. Nothing worse than sitting down with someone and saying well, here's what happened during the year and here's a few things you could have improved on. And I would say, why didn't you tell me six months ago? And I could have, you know, helped you could have helped me improve on them, and I'd be better right now. So that's why we didn't mark my paper. Help me get an A.
[00:29:21] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I love it, and I like how you said we've all been there. You get into a performance review and they're telling you all these things that you need to improve. And you're like, why didn't you tell them? Why didn't we have this conversation earlier? I once heard it said, if you're telling someone for the first time in a performance review, something needed to be improved, you failed.
[00:29:38] Guest: Garry Ridge: You haven't done your job. Exactly, exactly.
[00:29:42] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah. No. And I think you nailed it there. So in the book, one of the things you talk about is encouraging your leaders to ask, are you okay? Which often comes across to some people is very trite. There's often no sincerity behind that. Kind of like that. How are you doing? And you could say whatever you want and they're like, that's fine. And they, you know, walk off to their office. So how did you one really get people to realize that meant something, and then maybe a memorable experience you have from asking others, are you okay?
[00:30:15] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah, I think asking are you okay is not just the words, but it's acting on that. And, you know, it's a bit like you're saying, have a nice day. Do you really mean it? Maybe not. So I think, you know, when you look at our values, we value creating positive, lasting memories. You know, we were living those all the time. So asking people, are you okay? Or what's getting in your way? and then acting on it, you know, when they told you, you know. Well, yeah, I'm, I'm not okay because of that. Then you build, you're building trust with them. So, you know, if you don't act on it, then people won't believe you. So we were able to build a culture where care was really important and we cared about our people. And, you know, we had instances where, you know, some of our tribe members, as we called them at the time, were going through, you know, terrible hero journeys with their families. And because we asked the questions. We found out what that was, and it actually caused us to bring something in the company, which was very beneficial. We brought in a program where we allowed people to donate their vacation time to somebody else. And we actually had a couple in the company. Both were working in the company whose daughter, actually, was a victim of cancer, and they had to take a serious amount of time off. And we went out and within like four hours, there'd been enough vacation time, Donated by tribe members to this couple that they could take many, many weeks off without losing any benefits to be able to be with with their child who eventually came through all that and is now a, you know, a 5 or 6 year old and continuing to grow and it's things like that's acting on. Are you okay?
[00:32:22] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah. That's living what you're saying. Make people donate that. I love that story that touches me. You know, when you see cancer, it's just, you know, I'm trying to help people there. So I really appreciate you sharing. That kind of touched me there. So, next question I want to ask in the book, kind of going back to that, you say you tell us that your mastery is your superpower. If you embrace it, can you help our audience understand what that means? Like, how do we embrace that superpower vulnerability?
[00:32:59] Guest: Garry Ridge: Admitting you don't know. Calling help from others. You know, again dumbass is your superpower. If it enables an environment where you're drawing the talents of others out, you know, not one of us is as good as all of us. And if you go into a room with all the answers, you're in the wrong room. so Thomas is vulnerable and being really authentic about the fact, like, you know what? I don't really have the answer to this, but I'm sure collectively we can work this out. So let's all be participants in this and let's all work on, you know, whatever we need to work on to, to find the best outcome. So mastery is a superpower.
[00:33:46] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I get it. I'm going to play devil's advocate a little bit. Not from my perspective, but society's. So often we hear you need to be strong. Don't show weakness. Show that you know what you're talking about and you're in charge. Why do you think we hear that so much? But the opposite is often what leads to the best results. Why? Why is there such a big disconnect?
[00:34:08] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, I don't say that the mastery is showing weakness. I think it's showing strength. You know, I think it's showing that you are able to admit what you don't know. So, you know, I think mastery is showing strength. I think the person who, you know, doesn't have all the answers but wants to make out that they do is really showing that, you know, there's a lot of insecurity within them. so I find it hard to, to think that, you know, being in that position is other than a position of strength.
[00:34:48] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Got it. And, and I agree with you. It just seems like, you know, a lot of society we get this idea of not being vulnerable and all those types of things. But the real strength comes from vulnerability.
[00:35:00] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah, and there's a difference between vulnerability and stupidity.
[00:35:06] Host: Paul Barnhurst: True.
[00:35:07] Guest: Garry Ridge: You know, I see a lot of stupid, stupid stuff.
[00:35:10] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Oh, I appreciate that. Okay. So I want to talk. This ties us into FP and A here when I asked my guess what is the number one thing professionals can do to be a better business partner? I'd say 30% of the time, maybe even more. One of the answers I get is one of the most common is to be curious. One even phrased it, and I love this as humble curiosity. I would love your thoughts on this. Kind of the whole idea of curiosity and why it allows. You know, finance people are just in general to be a better business partner.
[00:35:47] Guest: Garry Ridge: The best finance people I've worked with and I've I've worked with some of the best In our organization were the best because they got their shoes dirty. And they compared theory with reality. So, you know, they would be able to say, I believe this is what the future looks like. And I've tested it against the reality of today. So they get this shot. And I used to, you know, I used to mandate you go out in the field, ride with the sales guy, go sit in on a marketing meeting, go to, you know, do all that because I you you're not going to come up with a viable outcome just by looking at an Excel spreadsheet and crunching some numbers. You've got to be able to say, you know what? Why? Why would that be like that? Or, you know, if this is what I'm projecting, but I'm seeing this. Something's out of step here. I've got to know more about it. So get your shoes dirty. Understand the business, you'll be able to live the business from the front line and you'll be much, much more equipped to be able to be a better financial planner and be able to analyze the business, you know, in a really proactive and practical way.
[00:37:11] Host: Paul Barnhurst: So the best finance people take the time to really learn the business, to go out there and spend time with the people. You say going on the sales ride, going out to the factory floor, whatever it might be, and then they're able to bring the theory and reality together.
[00:37:27] Guest: Garry Ridge: Absolutely. And it's and and you, the best leaders, encourage them to do that.
[00:37:33] Host: Paul Barnhurst: No, we change. So speaking to this and I learned you know we struggled. I was a director for the first time. And I don't think we were doing a good job of onboarding our employees. And we completely changed it where the whole first week they went on a sales call, they talked to customer support. They talked to the product team and it was all about getting to know everybody in the business. Remember, we did that with a couple of employees and it was amazing how much quicker they ramped up. Then here let's show you our financial model.
[00:38:02] Guest: Garry Ridge: Yeah right. Well, again, I remember to note it wasn't only PHP and I, but in marketing, I remember sitting in a lot of marketing meetings where we'd be analyzing, you know, data and, and market share data and things like that. And something would come up and I'd say this, this product has X percent market share. And I'd and you know, I'd say, well, okay. Do you believe that? Well, yeah, the data says that. I said, okay, let's go out into the stores and you show me where that is on the shelf and tell me whether you now can validate that number. And I remember one instance, there was one number that came back, and I knew it was absolutely, for whatever reason, not truly reflective of the market. And I remember getting a bunch of our marketeers and I got a little mini bus. Come on, let's go. And we went out to a number. We just saw it and I said, I want you to go. We're going to go into each one of these stores, and you're going to show me that product on the shelf and, and verify what you think that data told you. We went in and I came in and said, well, we need to question that data now because reality is not reflecting the data.
[00:39:20] Host: Paul Barnhurst: That love that running, renting the bus and going out and doing the real world, the field work to validate. You can't always trust the data, just like you said. For sure. There are times you have to validate it and be like, all right, you know this data, is it? Are we sure it's right?
[00:39:37] Guest: Garry Ridge: Exactly.
[00:39:38] Host: Paul Barnhurst: So just have two more questions, and we're going to do a little bit of an FP&A section and to get to know you. So chapter 14, you titled Make your Workplace a mental Health Refuge. I love that title. You know, the idea sounds great. I've seen it. I've seen leaders that help, you know, with mental health, different things. I've had many experiences in that area. You know, so many people are struggling with life challenges. How did you really do that? What does it mean to make the workplace a refuge, particularly around mental health? Because that's something I've had other guests on. It's something I'm very passionate about. I've lost family members to mental health, and I would just love to know, you know, any kind of tips or thoughts of really how do you make that a refuge? I know culture is a huge part of that, but anything specific around the mental health side?
[00:40:26] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, I think it comes down to two things. You know, it's unfortunately in the non-work environment, which is something I can't necessarily influence. And in families and in societies, people don't feel like they belong and they don't feel like they matter. And what they do makes a difference. And I think that plays a lot into their emotional stability. You know, as soon as people feel lost and they don't feel like they belong, I think that's something that really, really plays on their mental health. So if we had an organization where people are treated like and feel like they belong, where what they do matters and you show them what matters. Then that builds their self-esteem. You know that I'm someone who's value. So in our organization, that was really important. There was an organization where people were treated like and and they belong and where what they did mattered and made a difference. And it was very, very strong in the organization. So I think that's important that we are able to create that environment.
[00:41:36] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah. So it sounds like the mental health refuge is really creating that environment where people feel like they're making a difference and they feel like there's value in the work they're doing. So they're in a positive mental state for that time. You can't control what's going on at home or what happened to their grandparents or any of those types of things. But you can at least make them feel like they belong, and they have value for that 8 hours or 6 hours or however long they're at work that day.
[00:42:01] Guest: Garry Ridge: Exactly. That they're treasured human beings. Everybody who comes to work every day is someone's treasured auntie, uncle, son, daughter, husband, wife or somebody else. And we wanted to feel like that. We treasured them at the company. We treated them, you know, with love and care. And that was important.
[00:42:20] Host: Paul Barnhurst: It makes sense to me. Thank you. Last question before we move into those exceptions, the FP and a section in the get to know you, I, what advice can you offer to our audience on things they should be doing look at in the workplace. Keep in mind this kind of an audience to make sure they are better tomorrow than today. Any kind of parting advice you'd offer?
[00:42:45] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, I'll give them a practical thing to do. Go to my website, the learning net. Take the dumbass quiz. You'll get your score of dumb ass, and I will then send you a playbook of four things you can start doing tomorrow within the department or organization that you operate in, to start building a great culture.
[00:43:10] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Great. That is great advice. We'll make sure to add that to the show notes. I'll ask our agency to do that. I actually took it this morning and I got to go back because for some reason, something happened with my computer and a hiccup. And so I need to go revamp the question that I spent five minutes on, and I'll just do it later. So it's still on my list. So I don't know how I got rated yet, but I have an idea I have room to improve. So yeah. All right. So this PHP and a section I modified a little bit. We have a couple questions I'd like to ask every guest, and I'd love to get your perspective because I think we'll be different than many. The first one is what do you think is the number one technical skill the professionals need to master?
[00:43:52] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, I think the technical side is their ability to navigate data I think is really important and in an effective way, I think is going to help them do that a lot too.
[00:44:05] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah. It's amazing how quick it is. I was talking to a guy today, and some of the stuff he was showing me for a new tool. I was just like, wow, that's really neat. What about the softer human skill that professionals need to master?
[00:44:19] Guest: Garry Ridge: They need they need they they need to have this the skills that anybody should have as a softer skill in leadership, which is, you know, respect for the people they work with, showing them care, being a, you know, a listener. Nuh. Humble. You know, just being a nice person.
[00:44:42] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Be a good person. I like that. And then if you could change one thing about the FP&A function or the department, you've dealt with many a budget, many a forecast over the years, I've found with FP&A and is there something you would change? What would it be?
[00:45:00] Guest: Garry Ridge: I don't know if I'd change, but I would certainly magnify what I talked about earlier, which is ensuring that we are giving them the opportunity to really get their shoes dirty and understand the business. And, and have that as a priority.
[00:45:19] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Really make it more of a priority that they get out there and learn the business. They get their shoes dirty. They're one of the teams versus a spreadsheet jockey, so to speak.
[00:45:29] Guest: Garry Ridge: Absolutely, absolutely.
[00:45:32] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Okay. And so this next section is just to get to know you, a section where you ask some fun, personal questions to get to know you a little bit better. Garry. So what's your favorite hobby or passion? What do you like to do in your free time?
[00:45:44] Guest: Garry Ridge: I think my passion is curiosity and learning, and I love teaching, so I, I, I think and the reason I love teaching is because you learn so much when you teach.
[00:45:55] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Got it. So you do a lot of teaching, a lot of learning. Are there any fun things you're learning about right now, like any kind of.
[00:46:03] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, I'm learning a lot about AI, which I think we all are. And I've learned a lot about, you know, the, the, the process of coaching because I've been coaching now for three years, which has been great. That's helped me a lot. So I think those areas are and then, you know, we travel. So I'd like to learn a lot about places we travel to and what's different about them.
[00:46:26] Host: Paul Barnhurst: So speaking of travel, if you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow on a trip, where would you go?
[00:46:31] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, that's a question I've been asked. You know, I've visited 76 countries in my time, and it's really hard for me to pick one that I'd say that's my favorite because each one of them has something special. Now, if I was really being indulgent, I'd be going either to my homeland of Australia or I go to Italy because I love Italy, but then I love India and China, and I love Spain and Germany. And, you know, there are so many wonderful things. You know, we just spent two weeks in Kauai. We have a place there. And I love Kauai. So, you know, I think every place has something special.
[00:47:12] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Yeah, there's something to learn everywhere you go. If there is one book you could recommend other than your own. For our audience to read, what book would you give our audience?
[00:47:24] Guest: Garry Ridge: Everything you need to know you learned in Kindergarten by Robert Forum. It's the best leadership book you'll ever read. Don't you know? Say please and thank you. Pick up after yourself. If you take those elements of that and turn it into leadership behavior. You've won.
[00:47:41] Host: Paul Barnhurst: It makes a lot of sense. If you could have any job in the world, either a specific job or a person's job for one week, what would you pick?
[00:47:52] Guest: Garry Ridge: The job that I had.
[00:47:53] Host: Paul Barnhurst: You think you're the first one to be given that answer. I love it. Is there someone or something? As you look back over your, you know, your leadership journey that has inspired you the most in your career?
[00:48:04] Guest: Garry Ridge: Oh, yeah, definitely. Ken Blanchard, the one minute manager. He's been my mentor for many years. He's the guru of servant leadership. Without doubt, he wrote the foreword to my book. Been a wonderful mentor to me and a wonderful person to have in my life.
[00:48:21] Host: Paul Barnhurst: I've read the one minute major. Great book. Right. Any. Before we wrap up, I'll just give you the floor. Anything else you'd like to say? Any thoughts you'd like to leave with our audience? I know we've talked a lot about culture and leadership, and he kind of final parted words.
[00:48:36] Guest: Garry Ridge: You can do it. Any dumbass can do it. If you understand that the principles are, what elements do you need to have in place? And are you going to be brave enough to consistently execute upon them? You can do it. And it's very rewarding. Very rewarding.
[00:48:53] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Well, thank you for that. And thank you so much for joining me, Garry. It's your real pleasure. I've been excited for this interview for a few weeks now. I really appreciate you carving out some time and coming on the show, and I love what you're doing to help people understand the idea of servant leadership. I've always been a huge fan of servant leadership and a believer that it is. It is the best kind of leadership. So thank you.
[00:49:18] Guest: Garry Ridge: Well, thank you and thank you for what you do. And to get the message out to, you know, specific areas of industry is so important. So you're doing the best work.
[00:49:26] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Well thank you I appreciate that. Last question if someone wants to get in touch with you, learn more about the things you're doing. What's the best way for them to do that?
[00:49:35] Guest: Garry Ridge: My website, https://thelearningmoment.net/any-dumb-ass-can-do-it/. And then of course, join me on LinkedIn. You can find me there. I post 2 or 3 times a week, sharing, learning. And then I also have the School of Dumbassery, which is a LinkedIn group. If you want to join the School of Dumbassery. You'll find that there as well. And I encourage other people to share their experiences for the benefit of all. So you know my purpose. I help leaders build cultures of belonging where love, forgiveness, and learning inspire a happier and more connected world. And that wouldn't be a bad thing.
[00:50:10] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Now, 100% agree it would definitely be a good thing. So thanks again, Garry, and I'm going to go join your School of Dumbassery on LinkedIn and make sure I'm connected with you because I love what you're doing. Keep, helping people be better leaders that are centered on servants and people first.
[00:50:27] Guest: Garry Ridge: Thank you so much for having me.
[00:50:30] Host: Paul Barnhurst: Thanks for listening to FP&A tomorrow. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a five star rating and a review on your podcast platform of choice. This allows us to continue to bring you great guests from around the globe. As a reminder, you can earn CPE credit by going to earmarkcpe.com, downloading the app, taking a short quiz, and getting your CPE certificate to earn continuing education credits for the FPAC certification. Take the quiz on earmark and contact me the show host for further details.