BUSS 5069 WORKPLACE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

ASSIGNMENT: CASE STUDY

Getting Started

Topic and planning

Case study – weighting 50% of the assessment for the course.

These guidelines are to be read in conjunction with the Course outline and Course Learnonline
site information. Read this information carefully.
Start planning your assignment in week 1.

The case study is based on the change in culture to a learning culture in WD-40, specifically their
CEO Garry Ridge.

Word length: 2,500 – 3,000 words.

Due date: 22nd April 2022.

Case study – WD-40 and the development of a learning culture: “When was the last time you did
something for the first time?”

WD-40 - it’s an almost universally known brand and core product. Their core product is synonymous
with being used to stop hinges squeaking, or loosening rust affected nuts and bolts. While none of us
really think about it, it’s the sort of product that almost every house will have a tin of – either in a
shed, or under the laundry sink, or tucked away at the back of the cupboard underneath the kitchen
sink. Every home mechanic reaches for the can if there is a nut or bolt they can’t undo. Indeed, it
was once noted that 4 out of 5 U.S. households had a least one can, let alone the amount sold to
workshops, construction and mining companies.

However, that success meant that WD-40, as a company, was very much a one-trick pony, with
almost all its revenue from a single product and no imperative or need to innovate or progress.
However, as time progressed alternatives to WD-40 began to emerge: spray lithium grease, RP7, and
other generic penetrating oils started to show that reliance on a single product was dangerous, and
would see WD-40, as a company, highly vulnerable into the future.

This was the situation in the late 1990’s, when Garry Ridge took over as CEO of WD_40 Company.
Ridge had been employed at the company for over 10 years by the time he was appointed CEO.
Consequently, he was familiar with the culture of the organisation. However, holding a Master’s

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degree in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego, Ridge was convinced that the
company both was vulnerable, but also had the potential to grow. As Ridge says, he “…wanted to
move from a U.S-focussed business to a growing global business”
(https://www.i4cp.com/productivity-blog/its-all-about-the-people-a-conversation-with-wd-40-ceo-
garry-ridge).

In order to achieve this, he realised the culture of the organisation needed to change. Ridge notes
that WD-40 needed, “…a culture that had values that safeguarded our tribe [WD-40 Company’s
term for its talent] while giving them freedom. What became clear to me was that
micromanagement would not work. Micromanagement is not scalable. We had to create a
culture that gave people freedom & direction.” 

More specifically, Ridge was aware that the bedrock of such a culture was one that championed
and emphasized learning – a dynamic culture focused on moving, challenging and innovating.
Such a culture is one that takes risks, and accepts each failure as an opportunity for learning. As
Ridge notes (Taylor, 2016):

“We had such huge growth opportunities,” he told me, “but people were afraid to step out of
their roles. The fear of failure is the biggest fear in the world. We had to go from failure to
freedom.”

Ridge’s commitment to this philosophy, and the importance of developing a learning

organization, is evidenced in WD-40’s statement on its website (https://wd40company.com/our-
tribe/learning-teaching ):

“WD-40 Company is committed to the ongoing development of its tribe.  We strongly believe
in strengthening our tribe from within. Building a deep bench of great talent and future
leaders is one of our strategic drivers and it’s critical to our continued success. All tribe
members interested in learning and growing have access to comprehensive development
and training programs, formal educational support, and coaching”.

What is key here is that, beyond commitment, WD-40 states that ALL tribe (staff) members
interested in learning and growing are supported in a variety of ways. In addition to formal
training and development, formal educational support and coaching are also provided. Indeed
Ridge places this as critical to senior management to champion, with WD-40 again stating on the
same webpage as before: The number one responsibility of our tribal leaders is to share knowledge
and inspire ongoing learning (https://wd40company.com/our-tribe/learning-teaching )

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Ridge further unpacked reasons why people in organisations, good, committed staff, may be
reluctant to learn and try new, novel, creative or innovative approaches. Ridge suggests that
people are concerned about failing or making mistakes, which prevents them from trying new
things and learning. Ridge sought to change this mentality by changing how a mistake or failure
was viewed at WD-40. Rather than seen as a failure, Ridge refers to these as “learning moments”,
which can be positive or negative outcomes from any situation. Critically, Ridge emphasizes that
these moments need to be shared openly and freely within the organization, so all can benefit
from the moment and learn from it. To allow for this, Ridge goes to great lengths to ensure his
staff (or tribe members) are safe to have these learning moments – to experiment. This leads to
personal learning and growth, and grow at the organizational level when their findings are
reported back to all staff. Thus learning is championed and WD-40 with Ridge at its helm “walks
the talk”, of committing to support innovation and learning, even if the outcome is not positive
because, no negative outcome is truly negative, as it leads to learning and greater knowledge and
development across the organization.
This approach is emphasized at the leadership level, as well as the general staff level at WD-40.
Ridge leads by example, stating that openness to learning requires the leaders themselves to
acknowledge their need to learn.

Ridge noted that one of the most crucial turning points in his own career was when he realized
he didn’t have to KNOW everything as a CEO – that there were staff who were more
knowledgable in many areas than he was, and that he could learn from them. This had two
notable benefits, according to Ridge – firstly, he could relax and be free to learn, to pick up new
ideas, approaches and information, and that he COULD make mistakes and that’s OK, as long as it
stimulates learning. Secondly, he suggests that a leader at any level that can acknowledge that
they don’t know something, creates vulnerability. And that vulnerability allows them to learn,
rather than have all the answers. Further it allows other staff to teach the leader, which further
perpetuates a culture of learning and growing across the entire organization. Ridge notes this is
particularly apparent currently. As the speed of technological change has increased, it is often the
leaders, or the tribal elders in Ridge’s vernacular, that have the potential to learn more from the
younger employees.

Ridge is also aware of the “paradox of expertise” - that the most successful companies and
individuals often fail over time as they have become so good at what they do, that they often
can’t see new possibilities, potentialities or opportunities. Kodak, who filed for bankruptcy about
a decade ago, are an example. After developing the digital camera in 1976, Kodak ignored it,
feeling that traditional film would always dominate the market. Likewise, Blockbuster video
turned down an opportunity to purchase Netflix. A few years later, this market leader too was

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bankrupt. Accordingly, Ridge is aware that the best leaders and organisations are the most
virulent learners, constantly wanting to learn, develop and improve themselves, their staff and
their organization. (Taylor, 2016).

Ridge notes this, stating:

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. (https://www.risingms.com/wd-40-learning-maniac-lessons-from-a-learning-obsessed-
culture/)

Ridge notes that “I want people to be inquisitive, I want people to ask questions and take chances. My
job is to create a company of learners. I like to ask my people and myself, ‘When’s the last time you did
something for the first time?’”

So has this learning approach paid dividends? Today WD-40 sells its products in over 170 countries,
sales in Europe alone are bigger than the company’s total sales when Ridge took over, and it has
launched a collection of new brands and products, diversifying its portfolio and expanding its market
research. The share price has nearly tripled since 2009 and its market value is approaching $1.7billion.

There is more to this success story than simply learning and development. Still, perhaps doing
something for the first time has benefits.

References used in this case study:

I4CP website: https://www.i4cp.com/productivity-blog/its-all-about-the-people-a-conversation-

with-wd-40-ceo-garry-ridge Accessed online February 24 th 2021.

Rising website: https://www.risingms.com/wd-40-learning-maniac-lessons-from-a-learning-

obsessed-culture/ Accessed February 26 th 2021.

Taylor, W. C. (2016). “Simply Brilliant: How Great Organizations Do Ordinary Things in Extraordinary
Ways”, Portfolio, U.S.

WD-40 website: https://wd40company.com/our-tribe/learning-teaching/ Accessed online March

1st 2021.

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CASE STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Organisational Learning is defined as “the process of creating, sharing, diffusing and

applying knowledge in organisations” (Saks & Haccoun, 2010, p35). Based on the case
study, as well as background research on WD-40 you have carried out, how do believe
WD-40 meets (or doesn’t meet) this definition? Use theory to provide rationale and
explanations for your answer.
2. Learning can occur in both formal and informal ways. From your research on WD-40 and
Ridge, identify TWO formal and TWO informal ways you feel learning may be occurring
for the ‘tribe’ in WD-40.
3. Explain how WD-40 and Ridge’s approach to organizational learning meets (or doesn’t
meet) the features of instruction and the work environment that facilitate learning and
transfer of training (Noe, 2020, p.177). Rather than go through the list in its entirety, I
want you to identify at least ONE feature that Ridge’s approach facilitates or meets, and
ONE feature where you think Ridge’s approach to creating a learning culture may fail to
facilitate learning and transfer of training.
4. Conduct further research into Garry Ridge and WD-40. Consider how WD-40
operationalises their learning into an integrated systems approach (also called a multi-
level systems approach). What features of their learning embed learning at all levels
(organisational, group and individual). Is this process one-way or two-way?

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 Some general guidelines

1. Read the Course outline and the sample case study.

2. Read the library help on the Course site. Go to ‘MyCourse Library’ in the ‘Essentials’
block then select ‘Workplace Learning and Development Assignment’ from the
‘Assignment Help’ tab.

3. Email me if you have questions.

4. Answer the case study scenario questions in essay style, that is, in full sentences with
references. It is not a report.

5. Your writing needs to draw on the information in the case study and the discussion
should include course concepts and theories. Don’t make the mistake of discussing
concepts in general without connecting with the case study scenario. At least one
“quotation from the case study” should be included in each answer. Likewise this
case study WILL require you to do some more background research on WD40 and
Garry Ridge.

6. Avoid using the 1st person where possible, that is, rather than ‘I will conclude based
on the previous discussion ..’, write ‘this discussion supports the conclusion that …’

7. When quoting or referring to the case study, use the abbreviation (CS) as the
reference. For example:
The organisation places an increasing emphasis on developing leaders who ‘can think
creatively and problem solve under pressure’ (CS) and therefore they have
implemented an approach that builds …. No page number is required for the case
study reference.

8. Your essay must be well referenced, with quality academic references, such as the
texts, as well as the background references for WD40 you will required. A list of
recommended readings is provided below in addition to those in the eReadings list
on the Course site and the Course Outline.

9. The Assignment Feedback form provides important information about assessment

criteria and should be uploaded with your assignment as a cover sheet.
10. Criteria for assessment are included in the Course outline …

Recommended references for the Case Study Assignment

(10-15 references in the reference list and used in the discussion
Required to be eligible for a passing grade)

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References:

Aguinis, H & Kraiger, K 2009, Benefits of Training and Development for Individuals
and Teams, Organizations, and Society, Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 60, pp.
451–74.

Biech, E 2014, ASTD handbook: the definitive reference for training & development
(2nd ed.). ASTD Press, USA. (Week 3 eReadings)

CCH IntelliConnect 2020, Learning and development, CCH Australia, (Week 1

eRreadings) This is a quirky database but worth persisting with as you drill down into
topics and sub-topics:
Start by clicking on Employment and HR section, the click on
Australian Master Human Resources Guide, 10th Edition (online book), then select
20. Learning and Development and several topic chapters will appear.

Garvin, DA, Edmondson, AC & Gino, F 2019, ‘Is Yours a Learning

Organization?’, Harvard Business Review, pp. 86–93. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bth&AN=139817344&authtype=shib&scope=site (Accessed: 20
August 2020)

Noe, RA 2020, Employee training & development, 8th edn, Irwin McGraw-Hill, New
York, NY, textbook available in library as an Ebook (Chapters 1 and 2).

Saks, A & Haccoun R, 2016, ‘The training and development process’ chapter 1 in
Managing Performance Through Training and Development, Nelson Education, 7th
edition, Toronto, Ontario: Nelson Education. (ebook online)

Saks, A & Haccoun R, 2016, ‘Organizational Learning’ chapter 2 in Managing

Performance Through Training and Development, Nelson Education, 7th edition,
Toronto, Ontario: Nelson Education.

And your further research using the readings and library resources.