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The Miles to Zen Podcast with Shannon Miles Halliday
Conversations through curiosity, creativity & connection.
Welcome to Miles to Zen, a podcast that celebrates life's delightful twists and turns, no matter where you are on your journey. I'm your host, Shannon Miles Halliday, a follower of curiosity, a mom, a wife, a former corporate executive, a creator and a connector. This show is your companion for navigating the beautifully messy adventure of life. Each episode invites you into heartfelt, inspiring, and expansive conversations, diving into topics like self trust, big moments and big decisions, navigating day jobs and finding purpose, and how can we thrive. You’ll feel uplifted and even enlightened each week as we share stories, and insights that spark your own ideas as well as conversations that offer completely new perspectives.
The Miles to Zen Podcast with Shannon Miles Halliday
The Inner Work of Leadership (That Builds Billion-Dollar Companies) A conversation with Garry Ridge
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Host Shannon Miles Halliday welcomes Gary Ridge, former CEO and chairman emeritus of WD-40 and author of Any Dumb Ass Can Do It, to discuss how he helped build a global, highly admired workplace culture rooted in trust, psychological safety, and learning from mistakes. Ridge explains the “dumb ass” (donkey) metaphor for steady, humble leadership; his move from Australia to the US; and the influences that shaped his people-first approach, including mentorship from Ken Blanchard and friendship with Simon Sinek. He outlines how hierarchical, clearly defined values empower decision-making without “quacking up the hierarchy,” why leaders should be learners, teachers, and coaches rather than managers, and how culture drives engagement, performance, and long-term business results. He shares lessons on addressing harmful behavior quickly, accountability through coaching, and his current purpose helping leaders build cultures of belonging.
00:00 Meet Gary Ridge
01:30 Podcast Welcome
02:44 Any Dumb Ass Can Lead
05:04 From Australia to WD-40
06:16 Quotes That Changed Him
07:06 Back to School as CEO
08:14 Early Influences and Work Ethic
10:32 Becoming Friends With Simon
13:16 Escape Toxic Cultures
15:39 Tribes and Belonging
19:25 Ducks, Decisions, and Values
21:50 Making Values Real
25:09 Why Hierarchical Values Win
27:21 Leadership Is Always Showtime
27:45 Leader Confidence Signals
29:10 Asking for Help Wins
30:03 Managers vs Coaches
32:26 Servant Leadership Is Hard
33:59 Culture Drives Results
36:04 Boards and Engagement Metrics
38:21 Stopping Toxic Behavior Fast
41:51 When People Aren’t a Fit
45:29 Purpose and Mirror Work
48:02 Full Plate Leadership
49:15 Final Wisdom and Farewell
Connect with Garry Ridge at The Learning Moment: https://thelearningmoment.net/
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Created by Shannon Miles Halliday
Original music by Anna Wawrzyniak: www.annawritesmusic.com
See you next week!