Mary Kay

You have seen the pink cars.  No, not the Barbie cars that used to grace our floor when our girls were little. No, not the 1955 pink Cadillac that Elvis owned.Not the pink Bentley owned by Paris Hilton (I had to look that one up by the way).  I am referring to the pink cars that some Mary Kay Cosmetics team leaders drive.  The first time I saw one of these cars, I thought of the Springsteen song, Pink Cadillac.  Mary Kay Ash founded this hugely successful company in 1963 and has nutured it into a multi-billion dollar company.  Yes, they sell a lot of cosmetics. I wouldn’t know personally since I have a face that took third in the axe fighting contest.  Her business philosophy is this:  “Every single person you meet has a sign around their neck that says, “Make me feel important.”  If you can do that, you will be a success not only in business but in life.”  Mary Kay passed away in 2001 and is remembered for her passion, commitment to God, family, and career and her belief in The Golden Rule.  Her initial investment of $5000 turned into a business with over a million employees and sales in the billions.  All accomplished with the model of putting others first. 

In our school, we have The Colonel’s Gold Star Character awards.  The purpose of this is to recognize those who do the right thing, go the extra mile, and go two steps past the cone.  It is not about getting your name on the wall.  That is done as a show of appreciation.  My vision is to see that board filled to the max as random acts of kindness becomes a way of life for all of our staff and students.  It’s a “Pay it forward” frame of mind.  How about the kids in your class?  Let me give it to you straight up – not every kid who comes through our doors has someone in their life that makes them feel important.  That’s the truth.  What can you do about it?  Well, start by greeting your kids as they walk through your classroom door.  Give them a compliment.  Tell them they did a good job.  Ask them their opinion.  Tell them that you appreciated their responses to your questions in class.  Tell them that you appreciate their behavior.  Make it a habit to call at least one parent each week to tell them that their kid is doing a great job.  Make it a priority to make your students feel important.  Let that pink Cadillac remind us that the most important beauty secret is to make a difference in someone else’s life.  You will not regret that.