David Rubenstein Shares his Lessons in Leadership

On Friday, March 2, over 100 leaders gathered for an extraordinary Lessons in Leadership to hear insights from renowned financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein.

David is the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms.  Since its founding in 1987, Carlyle has grown into a firm managing $174 billion from 31 offices around the world. In addition to leading the Carlyle Group, David has been the President of the Economic Club since 2008.

The conversation, moderated by Richard Bynum (’13) proved not only to be a master class in business and philanthropy but a captivating glimpse at a leader, who implements humor in humanity in his practices.

“I suspect that leaders are born and made, it’s a combination of both…People who are great leaders are those who have a sense of social responsibility and a degree of humility.” -David Rubenstein 

In an engaging conversation with the audience, Rubenstein shared with LGW Members, his tips on how to persuade people and be successful in business. 

1) Learn how to community orally 

2) Know how to write 

3) Lead by example 

4) High degree of ethical commitment 

5) Have a desire to make money for the right reasons 

Many in Rubenstein’s position would be content with, achieving success exclusively in the business sector.  However early on, David had additional philanthropic goals that over time would contribute to his legacy as a leader in the realm of patriotic philanthropy. Watch his Ted Talk here.

“The origins of the word philanthropy mean loving humanity, so you don’t have to be a rich person to do it by giving money away. You can all do it by your contributions to the community” -David Rubenstein

Mr. Rubenstein’s community engagement reaches across multiple organizations and institutions representing the arts, education, and advocacy. Read his bio to absorb the full spectrum of his Board involvement. 

In addition to his achievements in finance and philanthropy, David is also the host of his own show, in partnership with Bloomberg. In “The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations” David travels the country talking to leaders to uncover their stories and their path to success. Each episode features an interview with one business leader. Previous guests include Colin Powell, YoYo Ma, and Oprah Winfrey. 

The LGW network was genuinely captivated by the conversation. We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Rubenstein for giving his time and expertise to our membership. Click here to view some pictures from the event.

The Lessons in Leadership series is one of the many ways LGW seeks to connect the region's brightest and most dynamic leaders. The next session will be held in May. 

Watch the complete conversation with Mr. Rubenstein here.