The Mary Kay Way

Posted by Rahna on July 31, 2008 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

I am just finishing reading The Mary Kay Way by Mary Kay Ash. I like to read, especially books about the titans of American Business. Mary Kay Ash was one of America’s premier women entrepreneurs and this book, originally released in 1984,  has been re-released in the celebration of the company’s 45^th Anniversary.  

In the book, she discusses timeless principles from leadership that are good for everyone to remember. Here are a few things that stood out to me: 

1.    Golden Rule Leadership Mary Kay is certainly well-known for running her business in a manner that ensures you should treat other people the way you would want to be treated. 

2.    People are the lifeline of your business.She understood that her independent sales force was the reason that the company did well.  She treated them well, compensated them for a job well done and provided lots of incentives that rewarded excellence. 

3.    The invisible sign.She felt that everyone has an invisible sign hanging from her/his neck saying, “Make me feel important.” The world would be a lot better place if everybody remembered that.  

4.    Praise people to success. Talking about the good that everyone has done and encouraging ways for them to adjust unproductive behavior is much more powerful than berating and belittling people. “Recognition is one of the most powerful of all motivating techniques,” she said.  

5.    Enthusiasm moves mountains. As a passionate marketer, this one spoke to me.  

6.    Nothing happens until somebody sells something. This is a critical piece for everyone to understand.  

I highly recommend the book and hope you get a lot of good out of it, too.