The Importance of the EA Network

My previous blog on EA etiquette has proved to be quite a popular read with you all, and as such I thought I would delve into another element of EA etiquette that I feel needs some attention. I'm referring to the importance of the EA network. The EA network is an essential establishment that should be formed in any business, but relies heavily on each individual EA to take part and support their peers to establish the network so that common goals can be achieved and common problems can be solved. The etiquette element of this idea comes down to the support you should be offering your EA peers, on all fronts, which in turn will strengthen the EA network building a community that can achieve anything. I've worked in businesses before with strong EA networks where the EAs would gather on a monthly basis to have meetings mainly to share in updates of what was going on from an admin perspective in their departments. Strategies to common problems would also be shared, with representatives from other departments coming in to discuss issues in the business and how we could help to eliminate them. There was strong leadership demonstrated by the EA to the CEO in these meetings, which in turn earned her a great deal of respect. She would listen to the problems we had and collectively we would, as a team, try and solve them. Additionally she would mentor us, regardless of our experience level, ensuring we felt well supported and stable. The EAs to the Executives would then replicate this leadership with their assistants and admin staff in their own teams, which is something I have always adopted in every role I've been in. 

Sadly the EA network isn't present in every company though, and certainly hasn't been a staple in every company I've worked for. Of course when being recruited to a new company they will sell you the story that there is a strong EA network within, but unless those EAs are actually committed to the network and  'supportive' of their peers then the network is nothing but a façade. Don't get me wrong though, there will always be clicks of EAs everywhere you go, and those clicks will support and back each other up. But unless they're united there is no real network there at all. 

To clarify the importance of the EA network I'll provide two examples, that of one where bad etiquette is displayed between EAs and one where good is demonstrated:

Scenario 1 - the bad
Company X has large community of EAs, at least 40. All the EAs in this business experience a common problem day in day out which involves a very inefficient process that not only effects the EAs but all staff as a result. EA 1, who is an EA to a Chief, decides she is going to do something about it and as such engages some other departments to discuss the issue. As a result of her discussions she comes up with a solution that will improve the problem for everyone and lighten the workload of the EAs. She engages her fellow EAs to the Chiefs in the business to gain their support but sadly they cannot find even 15 minutes to have a meeting to discuss it. So the CEOs EA tells her to just do it and to roll the new process out to the other EAs. This company has no EA meetings or forums and the EAs do not get together to discuss anything so she has no choice but to email the EAs with her proposed solution to the problem. On sending the email to rest of the EA community she receives response after response with negative and hostile feedback of not wanting to change this process as in their eyes it works fine. Many of the EAs copy everyone else in on their attacking responses to EA1 and as a result she decides that as she is lacking the support of her peers that she will retract her idea and leave the process as it has always been.

Scenario 2 - the good
Company X has large community of EAs, at least 40. All the EAs in this business experience a common problem day in day out which involves a very inefficient process that not only effects the EAs but all staff as a result. EA 1, who is an EA to a Chief, decides she is going to do something about it and as such engages some other departments to discuss the issue. As a result of her discussions she comes up with a solution that will improve the problem for everyone and lighten the workload of the EAs. She engages her fellow EAs to the Chiefs in their weekly Chief EA meeting and gains all their support including many offering to assist her with the project. She schedules it as an agenda item on the monthly EA group meeting and presents it to her fellow EAs who consider it carefully. Although there are some reservations from some, the concerns are discussed at length and EA 1 is backed up by the other Chief's EAs until all the issues are resolved. The EAs take a vote and the project is agreed to go ahead. A project team is established with 3 of the other assistants and the changes are made and rolled out company wide. EA 1 is recognised and thanked at the next meeting for efforts in simplifying the process.

Now I don't need to detail what's wrong with scenario 1 as its clearly obvious. And I'm sure you're wondering are these scenarios made up? Maybe, or maybe not! The point is the importance of a strong and supportive EA network. We are all busy, but quite frankly I don't think that is an excuse for poor etiquette on the network front. Make time for your peers, make time to strengthen the network, as if you don't then we all stand still. Listen to what your peers have to say, consider what they suggest, and work as a team. Its a cliché, but team work is everything and you cannot achieve anything without the back up of a team. You'll often hear the joke around the corridors at work that its the EAs that run the business, not the Executives, and that's true in the companies where there is a strong EA network. And its those companies with the well established strong EA networks that have the best and most efficient processes, with happy and stable EAs that enjoy what they do. All companies should invest in their EAs to ensure these networks are nurtured, but at the end of the day it comes down to us. For without our dedication and our good attitude and etiquette, the EA network is dead.

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