Inspiring leadership, culture, and coaching
How would it feel if all your employees truly loved their job at your company? What if your entire team was dedicated to your company’s mission, vision, culture, and values?
These questions formed the foundation of a wonderful and impactful discussion that a small group of our EDC board members and investors got to have with retired WD-40 CEO Garry Ridge last month.
If you knew Garry when he was on our board or crossed paths with him over the years in San Diego, you know that he is relentlessly dedicated to people, culture, and continuous learning and growth. You feel it in every conversation you have with him and in every presentation you hear him make. Garry never viewed himself as a manager of people, but rather a coach who had the privilege of helping every team member he supported meet their true potential while finding joy and meaning in the work. And even in his retirement, Garry is still coaching and helping other business leaders grow to see themselves in new and different lights, and to find and embrace every learning moment.
As the summer months wind down, Garry’s words serve as a great reminder to make sure we are always putting the needs of our teams first, and that we are continuously challenging ourselves to live the missions, visions, and values we so often speak of—because “happy people create happy communities” right here in San Diego.
While our EDC board and executive committee do not meet in the month of August, we hope to see many of you at our Summer Bash on August 22 for an inspiring keynote from Vividion Therapeutics President and CEO Aleksandra Rizo, local drinks and bites, live music, and more than 350 innovators like you.
With gratitude,
Mark Cafferty
President & CEO
