What I've learned from Mary Kay

Last November, a friend of mine, another music therapist, asked if I'd like a free facial. She shared that she was a new Mary Kay beauty consultant and needed to practice presenting the products and instructing others how to use them.  I didn't think much of it, but was grateful for any excuse to meet up with a friend and have coffee.  Well, by the end of that night, I was SOLD! From the first swipe of Fancy Nancy lip gloss, I was sold on the products; but then, I became sold on the company...What is this phenomenon that Mary Kay created and what made it so special to have lasted so long?
Almost a year has gone by and I'm still finding more answers to those questions, but one thing is very clear.  Mary Kay is a culture of caring.
This company cares about each individual woman.  They offer extensive opportunities to learn from intelligent, successful, and generous women.  The things I've learned from Mary Kay and her company are applicable in almost every other area of my life.  Please ask me sometime about all the reasons Why I Love My Mary Kay, but for now, let me focus on one lesson I've learned.
When getting to know people, we tend to ask a lot of questions.  Desperate for some thread of commonality on which we can begin to build a relationship.  After several minutes of playing the '20 questions' game, we've either found something else to discuss or the conversation lags and we realize we are probably not looking at a future BFF.  However, in my Mary Kay business (and in most encounters throughout the day), I don't have that much time.  People are either excited and impatient to begin their facial or they just need to get back to the business of being them! :)
So, Mary Kay came up with a great way to get to the meat of the conversation much quicker.  Don't ask a question, but make a request.
"Please tell me about yourself."
So simple, so elegant, and so under-utilized.  You simply request information and then LISTEN! Don't jump on the first thing they say that you know something about...just listen.
The very first things out of their mouth will probably show you the road map to their heart! It answers so many questions: How do you see yourself? What do you value most? What takes up your time and energy?
Chris and I both cringe when meeting new people and we inevitably get to that part of the '20 questions' game when we have to answer, "No, no children", smile politely when they assure us there is no hurry/still time, and then assure them we have not been living under a rock and have, in fact, 'considered adoption' (I'm not even sure what that question means anymore).  We've reached the awkward lag in conversation already and we know essentially NOTHING about each other! No, I have no children, but that does not define all that I am. I end up making a joke about how I have three
'Fur babies'. It lets them off the hook by moving the conversation forward, but I hate doing it. I love my animals, but they are not my children. I love my nieces and nephew, but they are not my children. I love my clients who I've seen grow and develop for years, but they are not my children. I am not a parent, but my life is beautiful and full. My cup still runs over with blessings being constantly poured on me.
"Please tell me about yourself".
No risk of judgment in giving the hard, but honest answers. Simply an open invitation to share the real you. What is important to you? What takes up the spaces in your heart?