NOVEMBER 05

“Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, ‘Make me feel important.’”

—Mary Kay Ash, founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics

READ THE SIGNS

The Cadillac of recognition has to be Mary Kay Cosmetics. (And by the way, it’s a pink Caddy!) Founder Mary Kay Ash understood from the beginning that building a business means building people. She also knew that you can’t give what you don’t have.

That’s why every lapel pin and trip and car—every single award (and there are a lot)—is designed to make employees feel important. Once they know that, they can go out and make customers feel the same way. It’s a beautiful process, isn’t it?