The Mary Kay Way: Timeless Principles from America's Greatest Woman
Entrepreneur is back in print and updated to reflect developments in today’s business
environment for the modern entrepreneur.
You will find inspiration and real, proven success principles that
represents the forty-five year old success story of Mary Kay Ash, founder Mary Kay, Inc.,
the cosmetics company that provides women with unlimited opportunities for success.
A foreword by Mary Kay’s grandson, also a company executive, introduces her
timeless guide to entrepreneurial success.
Table of Contents
Foreword (Ryan Rogers).
Editor's Preface.
Introduction.
1. Golden Rule Leadership.
The Golden Rule is one of the world's oldest and best-known philosophies, yet it
is frequently overlooked in business circles. Mary Kay demonstrates that this rule
is still Powerful in today’s complicated world.
2. You Build with People.
Leaders are dependent upon the performance of their people, and so is a company's
success. Good people are a company's most important asset. People are more important than
the plan.
3. The Invisible Sign.
Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from his or her neck saying, "MAKE ME FEEL
IMPORTANT!" Never forget this message when working with people.
4. Praise People to Success.
Each of us craves to be recognized. Let people know that you appreciate their
performance and they will respond by doing even better. Recognition is the most powerful
of all motivating techniques.
5. The Art of Listening.
Good leaders are good listeners. God gave us two ears and only one mouth, so we should
listen twice as much as we speak. When you listen, the benefit is twofold: You receive
necessary information, and you make the other person feel important.
6. Sandwich Every Bit of Criticism between Two Heavy Layers of Praise.
Sometimes it's necessary to let somebody know that you're unhappy with his or her
performance. But be certain to direct your criticism at the act, not the person. It is
important to criticize effectively—in a positive way so that you don't destroy morale.
7. Be a Follow-Through Person.
Be the kind of person who can always be counted on to do what you say you'll do. Only a
small percentage of people possess follow-through ability, and they are held in high
esteem by all. It's particularly important for your team members or your employees to know
that you possess this rare quality and for them to think of you as a totally reliable
person.
8. Enthusiasm… Moves Mountains!
Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm. Leaders are enthusiastic, and
enthusiasm is contagious. Interestingly, the word enthusiasm has a Greek origin
meaning “God within.”
9. The Speed of the Leader Is the Speed of the Gang.
You must set the pace for your people. Real leaders aren't afraid to get their hands
dirty, and they set examples for others by demonstrating good work habits, displaying
positive attitudes, and possessing a team spirit. True leaders establish success patterns
that make everyone think success.
10. People Will Support That Which They Help to Create.
An effective leader invites people to participate in new projects that are still in the
“thinking” stage. By confiding in associates and seeking their opinions, they generate
support at the initial stage of each new venture. It's a fact that people often resist
change when they don't participate in the decision-making process. Some of the best
leaders “plant the seed” that permits others to propose the idea and take credit for
it!
11. An Open-Door Philosophy.
At Mary Kay corporate headquarters, there are no titles on executives' doors, and
there is ready access to all management levels. Everyone within the company—from
mailroom clerk to chairman of the board—is a human being and is treated accordingly.
12. Help Other People Get What They Want—and You'll Get What You Want.
As the parable of the talents (Matthew 25: 14–30) tells us, we are meant to use and
increase whatever God has given us. And when we do, we shall be given more.
13. Stick to Your Principles.
Everything is subject to change—except one's principles. Never, absolutely never,
compromise your principles.
14. A Matter of Pride.
Everyone within an organization should have a sense of pride in his or her work. They
should also feel proud to be associated with the company. It's a manager's job to instill
this feeling and to promote this attitude among his or her people.
15. You Can't Rest on Your Laurels.
Nothing wilts faster than a laurel rested upon. Every person should have a lifetime
self-improvement program. In today's fast-paced world you can't stand still. You either go
forward or backward.
16. Be a Risk-Taker.
You must encourage people to take risks; let them know that “nobody wins ‘em
all.” If you come down on them too hard for losing, they'll stop sticking their necks
out.
17. Work and Enjoy It.
It's okay to have fun while you work; good managers encourage a sense of humor. In
fact, the more enjoyment people derive from their work, the better they will produce.
18. Nothing Happens Until Somebody Sells Something!
Every organization has something to “sell,” and every person in the company must
realize that nothing happens until somebody sells something. And accordingly, they should
be fully supportive of the selling effort.
19. Never Hide behind Policy or Pomposity.
Never say, “That's against company policy” unless you have a good explanation to
back up the policy. It infuriates people. It's as if you were saying, “We do it this way
because it's the way we've always done it.” By the same token, pomposity can also be a
transparent cover-up for incompetence.
20. Be a Problem-Solver.
The best leaders recognize when a real problem exists and know how to take action to
solve it. You must develop the ability to know the difference between a real problem
and an imaginary one.
21. Less Stress.
Stress stifles productivity. Leaders strive to create a stress-free working atmosphere
for their workers by using both physical and psychological approaches.
22. Develop People from Within.
The best-run companies develop their own managers from within—rarely do they seek
outsiders. In fact, it's a sign of weakness when a company goes outside too often for
management personnel. The morale of the company is likely to suffer; people may begin to
feel threatened and think, “No matter how well I perform, an outsider will probably get
the position I want.”
23. Live by the Golden Rule On and Off the Job.
Don't be a hypocrite—live every day of the week as if it were Sunday. There's no
place for two sets of moral codes. Conduct yourself in business with the same scruples you
would want your children to observe in their lives.
Afterword. Leaders Creating Leaders.
What do independent sales force leaders who've been the most successful following Mary
Kay's principles have to say about them today? Nearly 25 years after she originally
put them down on paper, Mary Kay's thoughts and ideas are as timeless as ever according to
the 500 women worldwide at the top of the independent sales force. They are her living
legacy.
Index.
272 pages, Hardcover