How would you describe Maxine Clark’s personality? How might her personality influence her behaviour as the CEO of Build-A-Bear?
Maxine Clark is the founder and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop. Build-A-Bear Workshop is a retail chain with presence in the world’s major towns. Maxine is an enterprising person. She creates opportunities where others cannot. She is a free thinker who goes for what she wants in business. Moreover, she gives opportunities to untried personnel. This shows her unique manner of tapping talent from areas where the industry usually ignores. Clark’s exceptional interpersonal skills are observable in her interactions with both customers and employees through social network sites such as blogs, among others. Maxine is also innovative, caring, and sociable. This is proven in her ability to use technological advances to reach out to customers. She uses her blog regularly despite her busy schedule as a CEO. This shows her nature as an entrepreneur who ensures that customer’s needs are satisfied.
What are the desired personality characteristics of Build-A-Bear Associates? How might these personality characteristics influence the associates’ work behaviours?
Build-A-Bear associates need to be sociable, relevant to their target market, and innovative. Moreover, they should be caring as this makes a big difference in retaining customers. Being sociable is a common characteristic of marketers since they have to reach their target through communication. This helps in interaction with the target as well as in making the target aware of his/her needs to be satisfied. Innovation helps associates to be on the edge in a dynamic marketing environment. This ensures relevance in business environment. These personality characteristics are therefore important in changing associates’ behaviour to be customer friendly, caring, focused, and innovative. It also helps the associates to be self-driven and committed to their work. These personality traits have the ability to make associates enjoy their work given that flexibility is an aspect of growth at Build-A-Bear Workshop. Efficacy can also be achieved through these personality characteristics since the associates are highly motivated.
Describe the perceptions that Maxine Clark has of Build-A-Bear customers. How have these perceptions influenced Clark’s approach to developing the Build-A-Bear business model?
Maxine Clark cares for her customers. In fact, she values them. She communicates to her customers regularly through social networks as well as in person. This shows the extent of her concern for them. Moreover, she engages customers in deciding what is best for them. This ensures that her products are tailored towards the needs of her customers. In essence, customers form an integral part of Maxine Clark’s business. This has influenced her business model. For instance, she has stores in major cities of the world based on customer needs. Moreover, Clark has engaged her customers in various charities, with a view to making them feel cared-for, in the business. Her personality has ensured that customers adore her as inspirational, which adds value to her business. This has helped her business model to succeed even in difficult business environment.
Would you enjoy or not enjoy working at Build-A-Bear Workshop? Explain your answer.
Yes, I would enjoy working at Build-A-Bear Workshop because of the passion and personality characteristics I would acquire. Former employees have attested to this over the years. Build-A-Bear Workshop provides its employees with an opportunity to grow and innovate to improve the company’s image. Moreover, having a manager as Maxine Clark would be essential given her inspirational character. In essence, Build-A-Bear Workshop would afford me the best opportunity to grow as a marketer. This opportunity would appeal to me because it has the capability of raising me to higher scales of marketing. Working at Build-A-Bear Workshop would therefore provide me with the best experience in customer tailored products.