“For anyone, hoping to make impact, you have to be able to look at your job through the lens of being in service of the organization you are working for and the society that you are living in.”
Anna Klein, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs and Global Communications at the Estée Lauder Companies; embodies what it means to be an Impact Executive as she drives positive action toward purpose and progress.
Through her current role, Klein offers a unique perspective into the dynamics of a predominately female-run organization. Through the Estée Lauder Companies, Klein is able to help promote female leadership, in a dynamic and diverse company that leads with values.
While she leads in various ways throughout the company, Klein highlights that she still faces conflicts in identifying as an executive due to pre-existing notions of what a proper executive looks and acts like. This executive mold restricts organizations to leaders with specific backgrounds and sets of experiences, inherently limiting the vision and progress that is possible through diverse leadership. To combat this, Klein suggests a complete “disruption in how women and people rise within an organization” to enable access and opportunity to those who have not previously had a seat at the table.
In the context of the experience of women within the private sector, Klein reflects on her own struggles in proving herself through the lens of hard work and bringing to light similar feelings that many women face within the corporate world.
However, she firmly believes that having courage and finding the right balance plays a large role in what it means to be an Impact Executive and enabling innovative solutions.
As we look towards the next generation of Impact Executives, Klein maintains that you have to shift your perspective to being in service for the organization you are a part of, the society that you are living, and the courage to ask questions.
You can watch the full interview here.