Keita Powell

Keita Powell is a pint-sized powerhouse. She is energetic, result oriented, focused, and driven. Ms. Powell is one of many women in the Mary Kay Cosmetics sales force. She rose through the ranks from Independent Beauty Consultant to Independent Elite Executive Senior Sales Director rather quickly because of her charisma, ability to build a sales team of energetic men and women, and sheer enthusiasm to succeed. One would think that she was an amazing leader to get so many women to follow her in teaching skin care, beauty techniques, increasing and maintaining sells goals and to rise from a very junior consultant to one who is an executive in the business. However, she has made mistakes along the way and continues to feign focus on her

Powell selectively show her weaknesses and vulnerabilities (Goffee & Jones, 2000)? The answer is no. She will provide a heartfelt story that most women can identify with. Ms. Powell plays on women's emotions and uses that to her advantage. Another question that formed. Can Ms. Powell rely on intuition to gauge the appropriate timing and course of her actions (Goffee & Jones, 2000)? The answer is yes and no. Yes, she can when she is on stage and she does not have a memorized script to recite, and no because of her reliance upon pre-written speeches such as her heartfelt story and specific information distributed to Senior Sales Directors and above. Further, one would wonder is Ms. Powell can actually manage people with tough empathy. The answer to that implied question is no. Ms. Powell is too wrapped up in herself to feel anything for another person. She will attempt to feign empathy but she is all about "what's in it for her". The last differentiation a leader needs to answer the question posed in Goffee and Jones' (2000) article is the ability to reveal differences. Ms. Powell is unable to reveal her uniqueness because she tends to feel inferior and weak. She does not want anyone to perceive her as anything but a success. Because Ms. Powell has difficulty differentiating as a leader, she may not be the best leader of a team or group. However, her ability to meet targeted results has sustained her for many years as a Mary Kay