For most assistants that work in larger sized companies, working alongside other assistants is not a foreign concept, and for most teams a head EA will lead the pack. And for those assistants that are in that position as leader there are a certain set of additional responsibilities that sit outside of the primary everyday support that they give to their Executive or Manger. Whether it's written into the job description or not, when recruited into that position of leadership there is a duty of care required to be there for each of your team assistants as a support, and similarly they too have an obligation to assist you where required. For some companies this structure is recognised and enforced so much so that the team assistants have a dotted reporting line into the head EA. But for the bulk of us it's usually just an unwritten structure that we all adhere to, which takes me to today's topic of EA's managing other EA's. With two sides to the coin on this subject I've chosen to write this blog over two parts. The first part I'll share with you today will be for those of you that are already sitting in that head EA position and whom might require some pointers on how to strengthen and improve the relationships within your team. Unfortunately not all of us are natural born managers, and although we are good at managing things like calendars, meetings and events, when it comes to the management of people for some its just not their strong suit. But with a bit of awareness and investment into the individuals, you can learn the best approach, which will in turn strengthen the relationships tenfold.
For the second part of this blog, I'll flip the coin and share some advice with you all on how to manage being managed by another assistant! Sadly when you put naturally controlling personalities together there can sometimes be a bit of a power struggle that can happen. But alas, there are things that you can do to help improve the situation and the relationship, no matter how bad you think it may be. Stay tuned next week to hear how this can be done.
I've blogged before on the importance of the EA network and strengthening the EA community within your workplace and this is something that forms a large part of today's discussion topic. Where relationships can be improved between fellow assistants, great things will ultimately be able to be achieved in the workplace. When assistants operate together in unison they can literally move mountains, rather than working in silos and achieving nothing. So on that note I've detailed below the five best pieces of advice I could give for those assistants that are in this position of leadership. Remember, your role is not just about supporting your manager. You have others that look up to you, aspire to be where you are, and that are looking for guidance. And in some instances you'll also have assistants working underneath you that have no interest in being 'managed' at all, which I will also dive in to.
1) Don't cross the line
Sometimes managing other assistants can be like walking a tight rope, and especially those that you actually like and would consider to be friends. Like managing anyone, there is a very fine line that you must not cross, keeping the balance right between professionalism and friendship. When we work closely with others and spend a large chunk of our week with them, it's only natural to become friendly, share things in your personal life and joke around. But it's important to remain on guard and not cross too far over the line by doing things or sharing things that may be unprofessional, or worse still may be used against you. If the assistants you manage start to see you first as a friend and second as a manager, it can be detrimental when it comes time to managing their performance or delegating tasks to them. Respect is key, and if that goes out the window because your mouth got too loose at Friday night drinks, then this can be catastrophic, not only to the relationship with them, but also to your own professionalism and career. But on the other hand, don't go to the other extreme and not be friendly at all, this will only rub people up the wrong way. Balance is key here. Keep your guard on, be friendly and be professional. If you get the right balance with this recipe, you'll have great relationships with your fellow assistants that are full of respect, admiration and most importantly fun!
2) Make time
A key part of being the head Executive Assistant to a team of administration professionals is being their 'go-to' person for whatever it is they need and whenever it is that they need it! And although we are all stupidly busy, its important that you never come across as being too busy to help any of them when they call on you. You'd rarely find a job description of a head EA that states 'mummy the other assistants with whatever they need, professionally or personally, whenever they need you, and wherever they need you', but unfortunately the reality of being a head EA is just that. But you would be surprised how many EA's I have worked with in my career that sadly do not see it as part of their role to be there to manage and mentor others. When you are proudly given the role of a leading EA, its part of the territory to be their leader! Make it a priority to work out how you will manage your time with your everyday workload and the ad-hock requests and interruptions that will come your way as their 'go-to' person. Whether that means scheduling a regular one on one with each of your assistants, or having a regular team catch up with tabled agenda items, you'll need to learn how to manage the flow, remembering that every time you meet with any of them that there will no doubt be outputs and actions that will need to be dealt with.
3) Learn their strengths and customise your management style
Unfortunately not everyone likes to be managed, and especially when they see you as being their equal rather than their senior. But it's important to customise your management style for each assistant, being what they need, when they need it. We are all obviously different, with different levels of experience and different working styles, so it's important to identify from an early stage what each of your assistants needs from you as their leader. This will of course differ from assistant to assistant. And although it's not always a topic for open discussion, it's important to be able to read the signs they give you and listen to the type of help they are asking for. Only then will you be able to deliver what they need and allow the relationship to go from strength to strength. Similarly its essential for you to get to know each of your assistants and learn where their strengths (and weaknesses) lay. If you can tap in to what they are good at and leverage off that you will be surprised at what can be accomplished between all of you. Working as a team is the ultimate goal here and when you have strong working relationships with your assistant team, you (and your boss/team) will be blown away with what can be achieved.
4) Trust is key
An essential part of the lead EA role is the ability to be able to delegate tasks to your fellow team assistants. But if you're anything like me, this can be a difficult thing to do, especially when you're described as somewhat of a 'control freak'! A common trait within this profession, it can actually cause havoc between us all and the network we try so hard to strengthen, and all because we are perfectionists that think we can do the given task better than the next person. However when you are in the privileged position of being the lead EA it just something you'll need to learn to control. By all means bring out the 'control freak' and 'perfectionism' when you're doing your own work, but when you're overseeing the work of others it something that you'll need to leave be. Trust is key here. You must remember that you are usually working with your counterparts, that more than likely have a similar skill set, and whom are more than capable of doing whatever it is that you've asked them to do. And if there is any doubt in your mind on whether they can do the task at hand, then perhaps you shouldn't be giving it to them in the first place. As managers it's important to assess each individuals level and skill set where you can, so that you always make an educated decision when delegating anything to them. Nobody wants to be micro-managed, plus you don't want to be included on every part of the delegated task either. Be clear in your brief to them (email it always so they can reference it later) and include a deadline of when it's due. Check in occasionally (if they're not already providing you with updates) and then wait until delivery/completion. As a rule, always thank them for their assistance, praise where required and give feedback if necessary. As an EA manager you'll learn very quickly who your 'go-to' assistants are, who can get stuff done and who is better left alone just to do their own work. Its important to always give the benefit of the doubt though, initially, and until they prove you otherwise.
5) Managing those that can't stand to be managed
Every now and again (and sometimes more often than not) you'll be aligned with assistants in your team that do not want a bar of you as their leader and are not open to being managed, overseen or even delegated to. In their eyes you are unnecessarily micro-managing them (even if you're not) and they do not require your input on anything. This issue is common with senior and more experienced assistants, and can be further exasperated if you are younger and less experienced than they are. So how do you deal with these assistants? My best advice is just to let them be. Don't push things that don't need to be pushed. If they are that experienced it's unnecessary for you to need to oversee what they're working on, so customise your management style for what it is that they do need. It's important to still make them feel like they are part of the EA team, even if they would rather work independently, so include them in all your EA meetings, catch ups and comms, even if they don't choose to come or participate. Persistence is the best approach here. Build the relationship the best way you can, but keep it casual and cool. Have coffee or lunch with them to let them know that you are there and you care, but don't be asking for any updates on what they're working on. Be sure to ask if they are ok, especially in busy times, and ask if there is anything you can do to help them. If the relationship is strained though because they don't respect you or your level of experience, try for a different approach, either by trying to find some common ground outside of work, or better still, ask them for advice on how to handle things! Just because you are the lead EA, it doesn't mean you know everything, or know how to handle everything. We all should have mentors, and if it means strengthening the relationship with one of your team assistants, put your pride aside and ask them with all their experience what they would do in a certain situation. A tried and tested method I've used many times, it definitely works and can make even the hardest of nuts crack and open up to you. Keeping the peace should always be the number one priority in an EA team. You need to be there for each other, to support each other in all you do, so if starts to break down and power struggles start to emerge then you're doing a bad job of leading your team.
In essence, management of assistants is mostly about awareness, and it's an awareness that extends beyond just being friendly. Step out of your shell and widen your focus to each of your assistants and what they need. Get to know them professionally and personally, learning their strengths and their weaknesses, even identify a second in charge to you that can help you achieve your goals. Ultimately if you can operate as a team where each player plays to their strengths you will literally be able to move mountains each day and all end up as winners. Be the EA team that other EAs want to be in and admire, and be the head EA that other assistants want to work under. Its not always about being the coolest, or the friendliest or the most laid back, but instead it's about being the most supportive and the one that gets sh&t done. They are the assistants that people admire and that is what you should strive to be.
Make sure you stay tuned for next week's blog where I'll look at the flip side and show you what you can do when you're working under a head EA that isn't so supportive, isn't there when you need them, or worse still is a micro manager!
Labels: Advice
