Meandering Mind - Eva Dillner [27]
As we move into the implementation phase, staying focused on priorities becomes essential. For each step we take, we review our progress, alter our course as necessary, and learn along the way. At the completion of the project, the Transition Manager leaves the team for another assignment.
Client Comments:
“her in-depth technical know-how combined with a multi-language capability made her a very valuable member of the project management team”
“has a strong business focus and makes sound and timely decisions”
“has the ability to get to the heart of a problem”
“a willing listener...considerate of others viewpoints...a pleasure to work with”
“extremely well organized and very efficient at prioritizing”
“excellent delegator with a strong emphasis on personal growth”
“helps people move through transition”
“a self starter developing systems and methods to increase efficiency and organization”
“you get focus, direction and a push for your fledgling flight”
change is a creative process
The transition process described above could be used at the start-up of a company, a project or as an improvement process in an existing organization. Let the thoughts introduced above percolate in your consciousness for a while. In the meantime I want to talk about another organization with a very different approach to people building.
Twelve
Building people up
If you live outside the United States, you may not have heard of the most successful cosmetics company in America. Founder Mary Kay had worked in sales in a traditional company. She was very successful in this male dominated trade, but had her own ideas of how to build an even better organization. When she started her company, most thought she would fail with her crazy ideas. But it turned out she was right. There was a different way to run a successful business, especially if your sales force was made up of predominantly women. Little did she know when she started Mary Kay in Dallas, Texas that it would grow to be number one.
Mary Kay built what I call a people building organization. The guiding priorities for all employees and consultants at Mary Kay are:
God first
Relationships second
Career third
That's sure a different priority list! You may wonder how you can run a company on those premises. Sounds backwards, doesn't it? Actually, it makes more sense than any other priority system I've encountered. Let's take a look at each priority in turn.
God first means you tune into your spiritual guidance first. You let Spirit, or God, or Allah or your guru guide you. It doesn't matter if you pray, meditate or lay Tarot to get your guidance, they key principle is that you let Spirit, intuition and inspiration guide you.
Relationships second. In the Mary Kay write-ups it actually says family second, which I have chosen to alter to relationships second. What is meant here are our key, or most precious relationships, whether it be spouse, pet, close friend, children, or other significant people in our lives. It places a value and priority on the personal life, which many corporations miss.
Career third means that after we have tuned into God, after we have made space in our lives for key relationships, only then can we fully focus on our careers.
The sales force is made up of independent beauty consultants who sell via in-home classes. There are no territories, each consultant is under the guidance of a director. If the director who signed you up lives in a different area than you do, you go to the meetings of a director close to you. You get adopted by the local director who takes as much pride and care in helping you succeed as her own flock. There are weekly sales meetings where you gradually get trained to stand up and present in front of a group.
The Mary Kay system of gradually supporting and encouraging public speaking skills produces