Nov 20, 2018
We’ve got a dynamic duo joining
us today to talk about the epic partnership they share and the
culture they’ve helped build in WD-40 Company. Garry is the CEO and
Stan is the CHRO of this wildly successful organization. Today,
they share their stories about creating a unique and fulfilling
company culture, what it means to run a business with values at the
forefront, and emphasizing the importance of fun and meaningful
work.
- When
Garry became CEO, he realized micromanagement wasn't scalable. They
had to come up with a way of empowering people around a culture
that was very specific about what they wanted it to accomplish.
Coming from Australia, the concept of tribes was a perfect fit for
Garry. He wanted to encapsulate the qualities of an enduring and
positive place to work where people wanted to be and
stay.
- In a
tribe, you belong. Garry and Stan envision a place where you go to
work every day, make a contribution to something bigger than
yourself, learn something, feel respected, feel safe, and go home
happy. It’s working: the current employee engagement measure is at
93.3%, compared to the average 33%.
- Garry
shares that he and Stan share common beliefs in life: that they
have to be in a position to empower people to do good work, that
it’s all about people and helping them succeed and develop, and
that ego is not a positive place to be. Many leaders fail because
the ego eats their empathy instead of empathy eating their
ego.
- Stan
adds that another thing they share is the idea that leadership is
about serving the organization and its future. It’s not about you.
If you’re not the best solution for the need of the moment, you
should happily step aside for someone else who could lead better.
It's a function that needs to be done. It's not a prize, it's not a
place on a ladder, and it's not a right. It's a
service.
- Garry
talks about how a company culture is like a petri dish, and should
any foreign bodies get into that petri dish, he and Stan don't
allow them to impact the quality of the culture; they get them out
of there as quickly as they can.
- If
people are looking to work at WD-40 Company, the first thing that
pops up on the website is the company values. And they say: if
these don't align with you, don't bother going any further. There
are only two measures of values: you either live them or you visit
them. And we don't want a lot of visitors.
- Stan
and Garry share how they bring values to life at the WD-40 Company:
detailing what each one means so there isn’t any misinterpretation,
ranking and prioritizing them, and a values-based exercise Garry
uses to make decisions.
- A
supportive CHRO needs to understand the business and have complete
alignment with where the company wants to go. If you're providing
value in your role, if you understand the business, if you know how
to contribute towards that organization, strategy, and long-term
set of goals. If you know how to advise, then you won’t have to ask
for a seat at the table - people will drag you there.
- The
CEO, on the other hand, needs to think of themselves as the chief
people officer that others can follow by example. It means living
the values, living the culture, and adopting the role of an elder
and teacher. That cannot be delegated; the head of the company must
set that example.
- It’s
important to keep the business strategy and people strategy
synchronized, especially in an international company this big. This
cannot be managed through policy books; instead they’ve arrived at
a coherent set of principles, values, and philosophies, and then
delegate accountability for implementation to the regions. Garry
and Stan dive in to other practices they’ve developed and
maintained to cultivate a culture of mutual respect: reframing
mistakes as learning moments, a video series called “What were we
thinking?”, and a practice they call honoring the
absent.
Final thoughts
Stan says to other leaders of HR: if you're
complaining about not being at the table, then you're paying
attention to the wrong things. Be better, get better, be more
valuable, be a better advisor, a better business partner, and
honestly, quit whining. Go get it done.
Garry’s message to CEOs: you
will have a much richer, more enjoyable, and more fulfilling role
in an organization where you have people at the forefront,
improving themselves and their lives. That’s more important to you
than the 30-day result.
It is very possible for any
other organization to create a culture of fun and meaningful work.
It doesn't take anything except the intention to make real,
meaningful connections with human beings to jointly try to improve
their lives.
Ready to make your OWN transformation?
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transform our lives, whether personally, in business, or in the way
we lead others. Join Kevin for a 28 day sprint to transform your life!
Resources:
Garry Ridge
Stan Sewitch
WD-40 Company
Garry’s Blog Post
Helping People Win at Work: A
Business Philosophy Called "Don't Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A"
(Amazon)