Meandering Mind - Eva Dillner [28]
As the majority of the sales force is made up of women, the rewards are not only financial, but include lots of glitz and glamour, visible rewards like jewelry, clothes and pink Cadillac cars for the directors. The annual sales convention is definitely a dress up affair with tiaras and lots of glitter.
The symbol used in Mary Kay is the bumblebee. Aerodynamically it shouldn't be able to fly, but it does anyway. It is used as a reminder that anything is possible. It goes against what is commonly accepted to be true.
To assist the sales force in keeping their priorities straight, there is a system whereby you can ask a sister to do a class for you if, for example, your special someone surprises you with a dinner invitation. Furthermore, there is a ground rule that you don't steal customers from each other. If you run across someone who already buys from a sister, you say wonderful, you just keep buying from her. You never recruit from existing customers, that's a corporate no-no.
When I joined the Mary Kay Cosmetics organization I received the following letter printed on paper with a lovely red rose on it:
“And the day came when the risk to remain closed as a bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Like the covenant of the rainbow, the rose has become a symbol in MARY KAY of faith, love and caring humanity.
It's COLOR represents a positive quality of the giver.
It's VELVETY TEXTURE represents the quality of the receiver.
The GREEN LEAVES represents the growth of personal inner potential.
The THORNS represents challenges and obstacles to overcome.
The STEM represents the strength to remain constant in the pursuit of high ideals.
It's SCENT - why, of course! It's the sweet smell of SUCCESS!”
I wanted to include it here as it captures the essence of the whole Mary Kay organization. I felt so welcomed and supported the year I spent as an independent beauty consultant. In hindsight, I realize the main reason I joined the organization was to be exposed to a very different way of building people and organizations.
Sink or swim
It was so different from my earlier experience. Scott Paper was a great company in many ways, but their approach to building people was what I call the sink or swim method. What method? Yes, I call it sink or swim. What I mean is that you were given a project or task, then given free reins to go do it. If you needed help or had questions, it was up to you to go find someone who could help you.
So in a way you had a chance to take great risks and grow in the process. But it was very much like being thrown into the pond. Wonderful if you figured out how to swim. If you didn't you sank.
The difference between Scott Paper and Mary Kay was significant. At Scott Paper you could be given assignments you didn't feel ready for but you had to figure out how to do them anyway. At Mary Kay you were gradually groomed for the next challenge so each step didn't feel that daunting. And you got lots of support on the way. Perhaps the two approaches are indicative of the difference between traditional male and female thinking.
Thirteen
Relationships and astrology
I am a great fan of different personality tests and other indicators of personality. One such system is astrology. The deeper I study it, the more useful I find it. Nowadays the computer software to calculate charts and do comparisons is readily available and reasonably priced, even for the home user.
I found a great program called Time Passages by Henry Seltzer. The program is available for both Mac and PC users. My version also calculates what is known as synastry. Another new word. Synastry is astrology-speak for relationships. It compares the charts between two people to look at how the planets interact and predict where there will be tensions and difficulties and where there will be smooth sailing and support. The synastry calculations can be done for romantic relationships or for business/friendship relationships. Synastry can be quite useful for two