At the former May Department Stores Co., once a powerhouse department store operator until it was bought by Macy’s in 2005, Lefton worked with the top executives for more than 25 years.
“He impacted our total lives,” said Michael Gould, the former chairman and CEO of Bloomingdale’s. “He had a genuine understanding of people, incredible insight and a bedside manner that was disarming. Bob just didn’t make us better executives — he made us better people. He made us think differently, in a collaborative way. It didn’t matter to him if you were a buyer or a CEO, Bob had the ability to develop you professionally and distilled complicated things in the most understandable ways.
Leonard Lauder, chairman emeritus of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., characterized Lefton as “the go-to person for so many people in the cosmetics industry. People who knew him had such admiration for him. He was always able to give the right advice, and be there for anyone who needed him. Anytime I had a little bit of difficulty I had a conversation with him.”
Lefton earned his Ph.D. in psychology at Washington University in 1958. Upon graduation he cofounded Psychological Associates Inc. with Vic Buzzotta. Initially a clinical practice, they soon realized many of the principles they were using were relevant to businesses. They understood that empirically validated measurements and an emphasis on objective, observable behavior can lead to greater business results.