What if the secret to great leadership is realising it was never about you in the first place? In this episode of The Secret Life of Great Leaders, host Michael Bunting sits down with Non-Executive Director and Chair Greg Ridder to explore what it truly means to lead with values and why most leaders cannot articulate the very standards they expect others to follow.
Drawing on a 30-year career in the packaging industry and his current work chairing Life Without Barriers and Kogan.com, Greg argues that the real leverage in leadership comes from unleashing the strengths of others rather than relying on your own. Together, Michael and Greg examine why values-based leadership is rarer than it should be, how to move from unconscious habits to deliberate growth, and why the best thing any young professional can have is a great boss. They also explore the concept of vertical growth, the lifelong work of examining your own behaviour and adjusting it with honesty and humility.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why most leaders struggle to articulate their own values.
- How Greg developed his leadership philosophy across 30 years in corporate life.
- Why great leadership is about multiplying others, not showcasing yourself.
- The difference between low-road and high-road engagement with people.
- How to focus on strengths rather than weaknesses as a leadership strategy.
- Why vertical growth is a lifelong practice, not a one-time shift.
- What it means to lead with stewardship in mission-driven organisations.
- Why the best boss you never had matters more than any training program.
Greg Ridder is a Non-Executive Director and Chair with extensive experience across for-profit and for-purpose sectors. He currently chairs Life Without Barriers, one of Australia’s largest disability and out-of-home care providers, and Kogan.com, a publicly listed online retailer. His leadership philosophy centres on values, authentic presence, and the relentless development of others.
Episode Highlights:
- [00:00] Intro
- [00:32] Greg’s Background and Career Journey
- [03:04] For-Profit vs For-Purpose Leadership
- [05:10] What Values-Based Leadership Actually Means
- [08:15] How Greg Thinks About Showing Up
- [10:06] It’s Not About You
- [15:00] Finding and Leveraging Strengths in Others
- [21:00] Vertical Growth and Examining Your Own Behaviour
- [28:00] The Endless Work of Becoming a Better Leader
- [38:48] Why the Best Boss Matters
- [41:09] Closing Advice for Leaders at Any Stage
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