Leadership is really quite simple. You hire good people, provide them with resources and support and let them soar.
Is that so difficult?
Garry Ridge, long-time and now retired CEO of the WD-40 company, would agree. After all, the title of his new book, co-authored with Martha Finney, is Any Dumbass Can Do It! But, in deference to Garry, whom I call a friend, it takes more, much more. The subtitle of the book tells the real story — “Learning Moments from an Everyday CEO of a Multi-Billion Company.”
The learning moment
Eliminating fear is integral to building a strong culture. Rich Sheridan, founder of Menlo Innovation, a software development company, built his company by making it safe for people to make mistakes, learn from one another and build a successful product and, eventually, a great company.
Ridge and Finney write, “By redefining failure as an opportunity to benefit the entire tribe by the learning that results from that experience. Behold . . . the Learning Moment.”
Learning Moments become the key to unlocking the potential of individuals and teams by removing what so often holds them back — angst, anxiety and distress. Rather than punishing people for what goes wrong, turn the experience into a learning session. In this way, employees learn the why of mistakes and how to do it better the next time.
The key to learning is putting a methodology of how to learn into place. At WD-40, they call it the “Maniac Pledge.” It goes like this:
I am responsible for taking action, asking questions, getting answers and making decisions. I won’t wait for someone to tell me. If I need to know, I’m responsible for asking. I have no right to be offended that I didn’t “get this sooner.” If I’m doing something others should know about, I’m responsible for telling them.
Fundamental to this pledge is being candid with self and others, holding oneself accountable and taking responsibility. What connects these actions is a sense of caring about results and the people who produce them. The people quotient is the foundation of a successful organization.
The dumbass factor
As a native Australian, Garry has a gift for self-deprecation that comes from being from what was — I don’t know — the outcast colony of the British Empire. Garry views his “dumbassery” as his superpower — one that can be yours, too.
The key to being a dumbass leader is lack of pretense. Understand who you are, and never be afraid to ask questions. Because you ask questions, you invite people to educate you. When people know that their leader is someone who will listen, they are willing to share what they know. They are living and working in an environment of continuous learning — moment by moment, experience by experience, accomplishment by accomplishment.
The conceit of the book is that you cannot be a fool and run a company. What you really need to be is smart, but assume the perspective of someone who does not have all the answers. And that is not easy to assume when you are in charge. People look to you for answers. Consider how Aristotle framed this issue. “All knowledge should be subject to examination and reason.”
Your responsibility is to provide direction so that they can create their own “learning moments.” Let them “examine and reason” for themselves. That is the way to build a sustainable enterprise.
Action tips
An interesting feature in the book is the advice tips that close each chapter — “Best-Worst-First.” It’s a handy summary of what you can do to make a positive difference immediately. For example, in the chapter on creating a tribal culture where employees feel they belong, “Best” states that you should think of your workplace as a community. “Worst” is viewing your organization as individuals who do not interact. “First,” you must examine your workplace as the community that it really is and build from there.
It takes effort and commitment to build a strong culture where people truly feel they belong to something greater than themselves. And with guidance found in the wit and wisdom of Any Dumbass Can Do It, there is hope … and a way forward.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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