The Mary Kay Way: Make People Feel Important

The Mary Kay Way Make People Feel Importantas The Title Of Her Book S

The Mary Kay Way: Make People Feel Important As the title of her book suggests, The Mary Kay Way: Timeless Principles From America’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur (2008), Mary Kay Ash was a great entrepreneur. Indeed, an academic study by Baylor University declared her the “Greatest Female Entrepreneur in American History” (p. xv). How did she become so successful? She made her employees feel important, she boosted their confidence, and she made their jobs fun. Mary Kay believed that “You Build With People” and that “A Company is Only as Good as its People” (p. 15). Mary Kay also believed that Every person is special! I sincerely believe this. Each of us wants to feel good about himself or herself, but to me it is just as important to make others feel the same way. Whenever I meet someone, I try to imagine him or her wearing an invisible sign that says: MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT! I respond to this sign immediately, and it works wonders. (p. 21)

People would tell Mary Kay that she didn’t need to make her employees feel important – after all, she was paying them. But she thought they were wrong and said, “Making people feel important is precisely what a leader is paid for – because making people feel important motivates them to do better work” (Ash, 2008, p. 23). You’ve probably walked by cosmetic counters at department stores and seen bored looking clerks behind the counters. Maybe you’ve even seen anxious and uncertain customers trying on the products – would their friends and family members like the way the makeup made them look? Mary Kay found a way to make selling cosmetics an ego-lifting, fun experience for both employees and customers. Her Beauty Consultants would host classes on skin care and other cosmetic issues, and after each class, the Beauty Consultants would encourage the guests to comment on each others’ improvement – naturally everyone would praise each other. The fun atmosphere and fulsome praise would even motivate many of the customers to join the Mary Kay sales force. Mary Kay realized that people especially need praise when learning new skills.

She believed that leaders need to praise people to success and that “little successes pave the way to bigger successes” (Ash, 2008, p. 31). Mary Kay also believed that tangible rewards – like bonuses and gifts – are most effective when given with praise, recognition, and public applause. She would hold parties and large-scale celebrations to recognize her top sales people. At these events, she would give away jewelry, trips, and her famous Pink Cadillacs to recognize and reward top performers.

Paper For Above instruction

Mary Kay Ash’s leadership philosophy, as presented in “The Mary Kay Way,” emphasizes the fundamental importance of making people feel valued and appreciated to foster motivation, engagement, and success. This approach is rooted in the belief that leaders have a responsibility to uplift their employees’ self-esteem and create a positive, rewarding work environment. The concepts championed by Ash align closely with contemporary theories of transformational and servant leadership, which prioritize recognition, empowerment, and emotional support as drivers of organizational success.

Central to Ash’s philosophy is the idea that people are inherently valuable and deserve acknowledgment and affirmation. She believed that when employees feel important, they become more committed, productive, and willing to go above and beyond their job requirements. Her strategy involved actively praising employees’ efforts and achievements, both publicly and privately, and providing tangible rewards such as jewelry, trips, and luxury cars to reinforce their sense of accomplishment. The practice of celebrating successes—big or small—serves not just as a motivation tool but as a way to cultivate loyalty and a sense of community within the organization.

Research in organizational behavior supports Ash’s emphasis on the motivational power of praise and recognition. According to Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (1985), feelings of competence and relatedness—fostered through encouragement and positive feedback—are fundamental drivers of motivation. When employees perceive that their efforts are recognized and appreciated, they are more likely to internalize organizational goals and demonstrate higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment (Gagné & Deci, 2005). This aligns with Ash’s assertion that “little successes pave the way to bigger successes,” reinforcing the importance of celebrating incremental progress to sustain motivation over time.

Furthermore, Ash’s approach illustrates the effectiveness of non-monetary rewards in motivating employees. While financial incentives are tangible and immediate, recognition, praise, and celebrations contribute to intrinsic motivation, which has been shown to produce more sustainable engagement and performance (Kuvaas, 2006). Creating a culture of praise and recognition not only boosts individual morale but also fosters teamwork and a collective sense of achievement. This, in turn, enhances organizational cohesion and performance in the long run.

In modern management practices, leadership styles that incorporate ongoing recognition and employee development are seen as essential for organizational adaptability and resilience. The principles embodied in “The Mary Kay Way” exemplify transformational leadership qualities that inspire employees through affirmation and shared purpose. Leaders adopting such practices actively listen, offer sincere praise, and create opportunities for employees to showcase their skills and talents. These strategies contribute to a positive work environment where individuals feel valued, motivated, and aligned with organizational success.

In conclusion, Mary Kay Ash’s philosophy highlights the transformational impact of making people feel important and appreciated. Her methods of praise, recognition, and tangible rewards, when combined with a genuine concern for individual welfare, foster motivation, loyalty, and excellence. Current organizational research underscores the enduring relevance of these principles, which continue to be effective in diverse settings, from corporate offices to small teams. Leaders seeking to enhance performance and employee well-being should consider integrating these timeless principles, emphasizing personal recognition and emotional support as core elements of effective leadership.

References

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