William Lauder Leadership Lessons: Communication, Curiosity & Compassion

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with William P . Lauder, a renowned business leader, educator,and philanthropist. William serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), a globalpowerhouse in prestige beauty whose portfolio includes best-in-class brands such as Estée Lauder, Jo Malone London, Kilian Paris, La Mer, Le Labo, and Tom Ford. Throughout his nearly 40-year tenure,

William’s name has become synonymous with brand-building and innovation; he pioneered the ree-standing store retail model, and helped found one of the first-ever natural brands, Origins, in 1990.

He follows in the tradition of his grandmother, Mrs. Estée Lauder, who founded the company in 1946.In the 79 years since, ELC has earned too many honors to list. But William was particularly proud to  accept the 2024 UN Humanitarian Award on the company’s behalf, which recognized their commitment to sustainability and the advancement of women. William is known for his extensive philanthropic and educational efforts.

He is Chairman of the Board of the Fresh Air Fund; Co-Chair of the Boards of Directors of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation; and  advises several organizations advancing access to health care and economic opportunity. He also makes time to teach an award-winning MBA class at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, his alma mater. During our conversation, William shared many widely applicable leadership lessons he has amassed throughout his career. Here are three that left a deep impression on me: 

1. Honor the past, transform the future. In a rapidly changing world, everyone must learn toadapt. But creating meaningful change does not require us to leave everything behind. Great leaders, William shared, distinguish between “roots and anchors. ” Roots are the values that keep us grounded; anchors are old ways of thinking that hold us back. We must continuously cut our  anchors—while always staying true to our roots.

2. Multiply yourself. Even the most accomplished leaders can’t do everything on their own. We should all be teachers, coaches, and mentors who multiply ourselves—our knowledge, our skillsets, and our experience—by trusting and empowering those around us. In William’s words:  “Good leaders find opportunities for growth. Great leaders find opportunity for others to grow.”

3.Never stop learning. William’s late mother, Evelyn Lauder, taught public school in New York—and went on to formalize the culture of learning across ELC that remains in place today. From an early age, she instilled in William the importance of watching, listening, and asking what new ways of thinking will allow us to evolve. 

The answers to these questions are constantly changing; we, in turn, must constantly be learning. It is a principle William continues to share with leaders across the organization, providing tens of thousands of employees with world-class educational opportunities.

There are several other lessons on life and leadership that William shared during our conversation. But to him, many can be boiled down to three key leadership qualities: communication, curiosity, and compassion. Great leaders, William shared, treat these three values as an ongoing commitment—honing, prioritizing, and practicing them each and every day.