Mary Kay

Business Leader: Mary Kay Ash

Axia College of University of Phoenix

Mary Kay Ash was an avid, strong-willed business woman from the start of her career. Her career began with Stanley Home Products and World Gifts. She worked with this company for about 25 years. After 25 years Mary Kay Ash quit her job because men she had been training were being promoted above her making nearly twice her salary. After quitting her job, she decided to begin writing a book. Not long after the start of her book she realized that what she was actually writing was a fantastic business plan. (“Mary Kay Ash ,” 1996). After completion of her business plan Mary Kay Ash invested her life savings of $5,000 into what would become a billion dollar cosmetic company, known as Mary Kay. (CBS Interactive Inc., 2010). Due to Mary Kay Ash’s unique styles and outlooks the growth of this company was rapid.

Mary Kay Ash started out small, as do many business leaders, but quickly transformed into one of the greatest business leaders to date. She set out with a stern goal that was to improve the lives of women both personally and financially. Mary Kay Ask wanted all women to know that they each possessed great potential and that with goals they could accomplish anything. Mary Kay’s great philosophy was always; “God first, family second, and career third.” (“Mary Kay Ash ,” 1996, para.11 ). She also stuck to and lived by The Golden Rule; “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” These two simplicities played a huge role in the type of leader Mary Kay Ash was and contributed greatly to all of her successes.

“Leadership is the ability to influence people to willingly follow one’s guidance or adhere to one’s decisions.” (Rue, 2004, p. 258).

This is something that Mary Kay Ash did with such grace, thought, and kindness while using both reward power and referent power. She believed in a reward program that consisted of great gifts, verbal praise and encouragement, as well as...