Posted on Centerlines Blog on Oct. 18 by Aneil Patel
Garry Ridge, president and CEO of WD-40 Company, gave an insightful speech on ten traits of leadership. Before we move onto the leadership tips, let’s leave you with a few interesting facts…did you know apart the conventional use of WD-40, folks spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain. Also, did you know that WD-40 is used by more people than …dental floss!

Ridge stressed we continue to fly through some choppy weather, and need to identify where the “alarm bells” are going off within your organization. Leadership needs to help people understand what is expected of them according to Ridge. Leadership always involved people, value the gift of resistant and be prepared to give feedback. Leaders excise good judgment and never…waste a good crisis and rise above. Leaders move forward, pay attention to detail and are dependently. Successful leadership speaks only if the other person was in the room and don’t forgot leadership leakage can be a killer in an organization. Leaders are “champions of hope”, they gather all the facts, then make their point of view and opinion.  

“You need to build trust” Ridge outlined his ABC trust model: A - able to demonstrate competence, B - believe in honesty, value and fair practice, C - connected, invest in your people and communicate. “I hear what you say, read what you write, but I believe what you do. Leaders have to do what they say.”

Just like someone once said you don’t’ have an opinion without statistics. WD-40 conducts a bi-yearly employee global survey. The number one rating was 99 percent of employees felted that they are treated with respect and dignity. Close behind were 98.8 percent employees believed that their supervisor shows them respect and allows them to opinionate their views freely. This truly underlines the achievement WD-40 has taken to establish cultivate learning culture based on thier cooperate values.