tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70780841217978762662024-03-04T23:25:59.863-08:00Who's the Real Boss?Developing the real boss’ behind the boss!The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-19300873048072364722017-06-11T22:56:00.002-07:002017-06-11T22:56:42.711-07:00Mind the gap! Dealing with the difference between what you're employed to do and what you actually do....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-T5ajkwcv-VhTb30b1yf4jh330zlUJ4NKBZvJcbgYocIq1HtAAJpITVK2GdukQ6_vHm2jKgIk7mZMq_0EAklgBZLrgxEQXXYRoF8Ns93IW55XbuW5ARIJyLMLo7ITFwZ4QqVBZGnD5vjn/s1600/Midnthegap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Executive assistant job description" border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="953" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-T5ajkwcv-VhTb30b1yf4jh330zlUJ4NKBZvJcbgYocIq1HtAAJpITVK2GdukQ6_vHm2jKgIk7mZMq_0EAklgBZLrgxEQXXYRoF8Ns93IW55XbuW5ARIJyLMLo7ITFwZ4QqVBZGnD5vjn/s640/Midnthegap.jpg" title="Executive assistant role" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Y</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ou don't need to tell an EA that there is usually a massive gap between what is written in their job description stating what they're employed to do and what they actually do on a day-to-day basis. It's no secret that most job ads that detail available EA positions and their accompanying position descriptions are usually just copied and adapted from whatever can be found floating around on the internet from job ads posted previously. Unfortunately though this contributes to much of the incorrect stereotyping that attaches itself to our roles, especially when the responsibilities listed are just the usual run of the mill, diary and email management. Much of the time, the job description that you apply for may not match what you end up doing depending on the actual Manager you are paired with and the approach they take towards the EA/Exec relationship. You can be hired to a role that may look extensive on paper, promising a partnership and much respect in the team you'd be working in, but in actual truth can be overstated based on what the expectations are of you by your Manager. And vice versa, I've had many EA's come to me concerned that what was listed on paper is incredibly far from what they are asked to do extensively on any one day. It's important that when the brief is taken for an available EA position that it is captured and adapted to what the actual expectations are of that Manager, so that the successful EA that accepts the role walks in to exactly what they are expecting, and nothing different. When the hiring manager is not involved in this recruitment process, a gap will usually unfold weeks into the EA's employment where they realise that the role is not what was promised. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Throughout my career I've been in both the 'over promised, under delivered' scenario, and the 'under promised, over delivered' scenario. So what does that look like exactly? And what should you do if you end up in either of these situations? Because the reality is, when you accept any EA role your intention will be to stick it out and create a fulfilling relationship between you and your manager, and not to have to walk away after a few months because the job isn't what you thought it was. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The over promised, under delivering scenario</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Ok, so you land yourself what you believe to be the perfect job and think it will fit in well with your current skill set and experience. But when you start the job you realise as the weeks go on that you've landed yourself into a team that not only doesn't respect you, but that the Manager assigned to you doesn't respect or value the experience and skill set you bring to the table. So what do you do? I've spoken with many EA's before in this position who either just ride it out, unhappy as they are for years on end, or at the other extreme end up walking away straight away, leaving those that hired them high and dry and having to start the recruitment process and orientation training all over again. Neither is ideal, and I myself, at some point in my career have unfortunately done both, which I look back at now and think how silly I was and how easily the scenario could have been fixed if I had of known what I know now. It's no revelation that successful EA/Executive relationships are built on communication, but if you don't open those communication doors up straight away in the first weeks of your employment in a new role you can leave yourself stuck in a rut and with a Manager that either just accepts that you are sulky and unhappy, or worse still they actually think you're happy with the current state of communication levels (being none) and working relationship (being poor). It takes balls to sit down with your Manager and have a frank and honest conversation about your ways of working and what they (and you) could do better to improve the relationship, especially when you are just first starting out with them and wanting to make a good impression. No body wants to rock the boat or seem like a real 'up-start' when they first start a role and are developing that relationship, so often EA's will come in and take the stance that they are 'observing' what's going on and how the Exec works before they make their move. Meanwhile, many of these EA's won't ever make that move after thinking that their Manager is stuck in their ways of working and probably will never change. The fact of the matter is, everyone can change the way they work. If we can, then they can too, so using the excuse that they're set in their ways is not acceptable, especially if you are seeking an ideal relationship with them (which you should be!). </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">S</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">o what do you do? Well that's easy, you talk to them! From the get go, before your 'observation' starts its important to sit down with them and have that 'ways of working' conversation. And after that initial conversation, have follow up check point meetings with a two way conversation on what's working and what could be done better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But what if you are already stuck months in, maybe years, in a role that has under delivered on its original promise to you and you are really at loggerheads with your Manager, who you feel is just not utilising you properly? Well I'm sorry to say, you are just going to need to sit them down and have that difficult conversation with them. But rather than make it a whinge session it's important to bring fact to the table. No Manager likes to be presented with problems, only solutions, so you will need to go away and work out how you can actually work better. Present to them what you were on boarded to do, and what you are actually delivering on, pointing out how far it is from what you are doing now. What more could you be doing? List out what skill sets you actually have that you could put in place to make their life easier, and ultimately give them the time back to perform the things that only they are capable of. At the end of the day we can't do their job for them but there are many things that can be done that will make work life less frustrating for them. If you aren't getting what you need out of them, then say so, and tell them how you can. If for example, you find yourself constantly chasing your tail and running around trying to collect overdue material from them or on behalf of them for submissions way past their deadline, then suggest a new process and present how this will make things better for both of you and the team. The key is getting them on board with your plan, and if after your conversation you feel them straying from the plan then you need to be prepared to call them out on it. Many EA's shy away from calling their boss out on things like that, but if you want to escape the stereotypes that have latched on to us, then we need to be prepared to speak to them with confidence and maturity as any other team member on the leadership team would.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The under promised, over delivering scenario</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But what happens if you're in the opposite scenario? What happens if you've landed a job that you think your skill set is a match for, but when you start in the role you find the job is so much more than they promised to you and you're delivering on things that are way out of the realm of what you ever thought? I've seen this time and time again, and even experienced it myself, where you expect one thing and on arrival find out you are doing ten times the workload you thought, and have responsibilities that are way out of what's deemed acceptable for the role. Yes you manage, but as time goes on you start to become bitter that you're not being paid in line for with what you're delivering which in turn just tarnishes the relationship you have with you Exec. So if you find yourself in this situation where you are seriously being taken advantage of, and perhaps they're even pushing you to do more, it's once again time to have one of those difficult conversations. Again the advice is similar, you aren't going to sit them down and present them with a problem, but instead a solution, all presented along with the facts. So list out what you do, everything you've done in the time you've been in the role, and match it up against what you were brought on to deliver. Point out to your Manager how big the gap is on what you are doing in comparison. If you're not coping, unfortunately its important to spell this out, as difficult as it is, as quality of work as an EA is more important than quantity. If you aren't keeping up to your usual standards because your workload is too large then its important they see this and should be quick to adjust things as they won't want things leaving their office that aren't up to their standards. Are there things on your list that others could be doing? Are you been given projects that aren't part of your role and are taking away from your duties of looking after them as your Manager? If you work in a team of EAs the solution may be right in front of you and may be a case of spreading the workload around more evenly, as not all EA's workloads are even as we've established, based on who they work. Identify the things on your work list that either shouldn't be there, or are taking away from your other responsibilities, and make suggestions on whom else could do these or where the work should be spread. Don't make this problem your manager's problem, but rather a suggestion of how things could be better based on your new process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">If you are coping on the other hand, but just feel bitter that you are being underpaid then it's time to ask for that timely pay-rise. Again present the list of what you're doing and the huge difference in what the role was originally structured to deliver on. Whilst you may be delivering on everything that they're asking of, you must make them understand that the pay doesn't match the responsibilities. No body likes asking for a pay-rise, but if it's going to make you happier in the long run then its the conversation you're just going to need to have. It's like that saying, "happy wife, happy life", perhaps we should create a saying just for EA's that says "happy EA, better day". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The key takeaways in either scenario is to communicate, speak up, be bold and be confident. I've always been a firm believer in EA's adapting to the working style of their Manager (not the other way around), and I still believe that, but it's about being adaptable and coming up with processes that will fit in with them and their working style. That's what makes our role so unique, we facilitate and deliver working styles that are customised for each Exec/Manager we work for. Its never a one-size fits all scenario of EA's just performing a role of diary management, even though that's what we are stereotyped as doing time and time again. The more we are prepared to speak out and speak up in our roles, then the more respect and credibility we will gain, not only as individuals but also as an industry. Never settle for what is dished up to you, especially if it doesn't make you happy. If you are being treated poorly, being disrespected or being utilised in a way that is unacceptable, then speak up. This in turn will help change others perceptions of what we are there to do, whether its your Manager or your team, or the colleagues that work around you. The EA/Exec relationship is a true partnership, and that's what it needs to be seen as. But if we don't have the confidence to speak up when we are not happy and not in working relationships that are working, it demonstrates to others that the role is only there to perform the admin of the Manager and the team, which we all know is so far from what we actually do. </span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-45667009398680916132017-05-28T00:36:00.000-07:002017-06-02T02:25:41.788-07:00EA Interview Questions? A Piece of cake!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've been doing lot of interviewing of late and I feel like I need to write a fresh blog on nailing EA/PA interviews. I've written a couple of other blogs in the last year on the interview process, but feel like there are some key factors that need to be called out and brought to the forefront of everyone's minds. Interviewing by no means needs to be a scary or intimidating process, and potentially can be so easy if you just follow the right formula. For EA/PA roles you can almost predict the questions you'll get asked, so your answers should be nothing but well prepared. And if you are turning up to interviews unprepared and with no specific examples in toe, you can kiss that job goodbye. We all know the attributes an EA/PA needs to have, so its not hard to sit in front of an interviewer and reel off things they want to hear. Things like "I'm super organised; very efficient; pro-active; flexible; work well under pressure; have great written and verbal communications skills; and are great at PowerPoint and Excel" are things we can all say. But whether you are actually are any of those things, or can do any of them is another story. Providing examples of things you've done and talking about how you organise yourself and your manager is key to allowing the interviewer into the workings and mechanics of your brain. If an interviewer can't tap into the way you actually operate and try and gauge a mental picture of how you work and organise yourself, then you've got Buckley's of progressing further into the process. So I've listed below the key elements on how to be successful in an interview, and given the amount of interviews I've conducted in my time, you may want to actually take note of these tips, especially if you're to job hunting at the moment!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Prepare your examples</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">First up, make a list of ALL the amazing things you've done throughout your career thus far, or if you're just starting out then all the amazing things you did at School/Uni, in your part-time job or even in your personal life. So put things on the list like - processes your implemented; challenges you've came up against and how you overcame them; events you managed end to end; situations where you came up against challenging personalities and how you dealt with them; and any other general successes that you've had - really just list out anything that you would want them to hear about. This will form the basis for all the answers to their questions. The questions you get asked for EA/PA roles are always standard and easily pre-empted, so you generally can adapt your list of successes to fit the answers to them. I previously wrote another blog that you can find <a href="http://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/search?q=interview" target="_blank">here</a> around the interview process in general and all the factors you should take into consideration when interviewing, but quite specifically it covers off some of the questions you will get asked.<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All of these questions can be answered using your list of successes just by adapting them to fit. It's a really easy formula, the key is just to remember what you've got on your list!</span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana";">2. Don't be fluffy, be specific</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So as the questions start being fired at you, regardless of whether they ask you to provide an example or they don't, be specific and provide examples anyway. As I said earlier, its all too easy to answer questions by telling the interviewer what they want to hear on how organised you are and all the attributes that you carry that are important to the EA/PA role. So rather than telling them that you're organised and that you have no problem managing conflicting priorities, tell them specifically what you do and how you do it. And to be quite frank, saying that you 'make lists /keep a to-do list' just doesn't cut it. Anyone can keep lists, or say that 'communication is the key' when it comes to managing another person, but it doesn't mean they do it well or that they are in fact well organised. Instead tell them what you do as soon as you come into work to organise yourself for the day, tell them how you engage your manager and assess their priorities (and your own) and how you deal with the urgent things that come up that require your immediate attention. Have a particular challenging day in mind that you can describe which details each step you took and be prepared to talk about it at length. When asked the question (or similar), "tell me about a time when you had both your manager's asking you to complete something urgently, what did you do and how did you manage their expectations" - don't talk generally by saying "I <em>would</em> do this..." or "I <em>would </em>do that...", your responses should always be prefaced with "I <em>DID</em> do this...or "I <em>DID</em> do that....". Be concise with your answers, slow down on your delivery and make sure what you're saying all makes sense. If you ramble off things too quickly, you're not only hard to follow, it just demonstrates that you get flustered under pressure - which may very well be inconsistent with what you are telling them!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana";">3. Prep for the 'tricky' questions</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you find yourself heading into murky waters, or down a difficult path (perhaps it might be a question around why you left your last job after such a short time, for example) - first of all be prepared to answer it and not skirt around your answer. If there is anything on your CV that looks questionable, i.e short stints in a role; big gaps between jobs; or maybe a contract that didn't get extended - have your answer prepared, practised and ready to roll off the tongue. Stumbling over answers because the answer is awkward, never looks good to anyone. Now I don't suggest bending the truth as you must remember recruiters these days can stalk the hell out of you on line and more than likely work out what may have happened themselves, but you can twist the delivery of the answer a little to give it a positive outlook rather than a negative one.</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana";">Over and above all of this though, its important that you be genuine. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">As an interviewer myself, I can always tell when a candidate is embellishing the truth, is uncomfortable with what they're being asked, or is just outright making stuff up on the spot, which will never play in your favour. Essentially though, the more prepared you are, the more genuine you can be and you can comfortably answer anything that is thrown at you, all whilst showing your true character. This leads onto the next point around creating a connection. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Create a connection </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As soon as your interview commences it's time to move into 'multitasking' mode. So whilst concentrating on what they are saying as they set up the interview, its important that you quickly asses the interviewer's approach - their tone, body language, and level of friendliness/seriousness. So whatever stance they have you will quickly need to match them. So if you sense the tone as being serious then get serious, regardless of whether you're a bubbly and over the top personality type. Similarly if you sense the interview is going to be light hearted and casual, then lighten up. Like engaging with anyone you want to impress, you want to make a connection with them, so they genuinely like you. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Prepare your questions</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">When doing your interview prep make a list of at least 10 questions you want to ask, and something a little more in depth and intelligent than "how many people are in the company", for example. Chances are, most of the questions you may have prepared are probably going to get answered through the interview process anyway. So if you get the end of the interview and the interviewer says to you, "now do you have any questions?" and you say, "no, I think you've answered them all", it shows how little interest and under prepared you are. Of course they will always undoubtedly end up answering your most basic questions (those around how many people in the team/company, how many direct reports does they have, and what's the team structure like etc etc), so it's important you have a couple of questions up your sleeve that you know they won't cover off through the conversation. Now it's essential you do some research on the company your interviewing with and if you know the potential manager's name, then research on them too. And whilst you're doing your research you hopefully will stumble across some detail on the company or potential employer that you could use to draft some questions around. This will actually show you up as being an EA that isn't just about the job they perform, but also an EA that actually has an interest in the industry/market/company they work for or in. So try to ask a question around the company's priorities, and that too of the potential Manager you would be supporting. This is your opportunity to ask them as many questions as they have asked you, as you are interviewing them to see if they would be a 'right fit' for you too, so the more questions the better. A full list of good questions to prepare can be found <a href="http://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/hump-day-hint-12-searching-for.html" target="_blank">here</a> in my previous blog, "Searching for perpetual happiness, the interview questions every EA must ask the Exec".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Prepping for an interview is no different to preparing for an oral exam. Do your research on the company/manager/team/role, have your pre-empted questions ready with answers well drafted (write them out and practise them), and finally your list of questions that you will in turn then ask them. If you're truly passionate about what you do as an EA, and are proud of your achievements, spending 45 minutes gloating and talking about yourself really isn't that hard, especially when you actually know what questions will be asked of you. Really the whole interview process is a piece of cake, and you've really got no reason to do anything other than kill it!</span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-10141117815750214762017-05-17T05:39:00.001-07:002017-05-17T05:39:15.850-07:00Q: "Siri, will you be my Exec Assistant?".....Siri: "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't help you with that"<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've just read an article that has literally made my blood boil and really riled me up. It's on a topic that I've been meaning to blog about of late and as its a subject that certainly is a hot topic of discussion at the moment. It's also something that has begun to be 'joked about' in my office, but those individuals that choose to joke about it with me should start practicing their 'duck', if you know what I mean! Anyone that says to me that my job will one day be done by a robot should expect a firm fist to fast approach their face! Digital assistants like Siri and Alexa are not a new phenomenon, but with technology fast advancing, there is an idea progressing out there that some day (and some think that this will be some day soon) that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will in fact replace Assistants entirely. Now I'm not sure who these people are that are out there making these proclamations, no doubt they are probably the makers and designers of this technology, but one things is for sure, they are definitely NOT EAs or PAs, nor have they ever been! This topic feels somewhat familiar though, especially given my recent blogs and correlating 'movement' I'm trying to initiate around the demolishment of negative or incorrect stereotypes associated with our roles, and I'll explain why as I go on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now the article in question was in fact printed in a leading EA/PA industry magazine. But for a magazine that is written specifically for Assistants, I was surprised to read this. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Obviously Virtual Assistants (VAs) are not new to our industry and understandably for some Executives/managers, having an Assistant who is remote to their business works for them, especially when the tasks that are being asked of them don't necessarily need the Assistant to physically be present in the office. But the concept that a robot could take over these tasks entirely is something that I cannot get my head around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The article suggests that if we don't up-skill ourselves with more training and education, our roles will eventually be made redundant, and I quote from the article, "PAs still need to prove they're essential as technology evolves". It explains that the rise of this AI technology will eventually be so advanced that all the tasks that we do on a daily basis will essentially be able to be done by the likes of Siri, Alexa or some technology similar. It suggests that we should be considering training in areas like HR, finance and marketing, in order to keep a requirement around our positions. Craig Allen, Director at Change Group says in the article that, "PAs are already acquiring new skill sets and extending their roles into other areas", as to "ensure they have a place in the workplace long term". I wonder if his EA/PA (if he even has one) is 'up-skilling' herself given his comments?! I believe though that if you are being forced to do HR, finance or marketing within your EA role, you are probably being taken advantage of, as this is not traditionally part of our role. And if you do some of these functions within your role you absolutely should be having a discussion with your manager around re-titling your role and matching your salary to whatever a marketing/finance/HR manager would earn. I've seen it all too many times before, where small businesses bundle corporate functions into the EA or Office Manager role, just to save on headcount. And we all know that these functions really are so far from what we do, that we would in fact require formal training to do them. But the idea that we should be expanding ourselves to include these functions, just to validate our existence, is nothing less than an insult to what we currently do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm all for further development as Assistants, but it should never be done to validate our roles, or to 'keep' them </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and ensure we have a place in the workplace. Rather, further training and education should be undertaken to better ourselves so that we are more valuable to those we support. We shouldn't be doing it for fear of rising technology, nor for the fear that our roles may no longer be required! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the experts quoted in the article I actually feel are in no position to speak on behalf of the EA/PA role. I quote, "The role of the PA is one that is often mooted to be at risk from the rise of the robots", says Jeremy Campbell, Chief Commercial Officer at Global HR and payroll provider, SD Worx. "In fact, rather than making PAs redundant, AI is more likely to help complement their role and even add to the overall influence they have within the organization". Words clearly spoken by someone who has never <em>been</em> an EA/PA. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The article goes on and explains, as Jeremy reinforced in his quote, that</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> these AIs are something that may in fact make our job easier. If used in conjunction with our own skill sets, they could take over some of the repetitive tasks that we often do. But when I actually stopped and thought about this, I wondered how well these so called robots, could do some of these tasks we commonly do? I know, as no doubt you probably do too, that whenever I ask Siri to do anything, her answer is "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand what you mean" or "I'm sorry, I cannot help you with that". I can hardly see myself though, or my Executive for that fact, as tech-savvy as we are, tolerating Alexa or Siri whilst they try to identify by voice recognition the names of all the attendees required at meetings. Not to mention trying to spell out some of the rather complex project names and acronyms we use in our business! But what truly is laughable though is the struggle Siri/Alexa would have trying to find availability of certain company Executives who are booked out for months on end, and who would need the intervention of an Assistant to shift the diary around, just to accommodate what potentially may be an urgent meeting request. On top of that, I would truly wish Siri/Alexa luck in finding available meeting rooms to match the requested meeting times, especially ones that are restricted or not available on the network and that require a manual request of the meeting room owner to book it. Many business processes would have to be adapted, on top of their internal systems, just to accommodate these AIs. And although they say that the technology will develop and get better as they work to produce the 'perfect Assistant', so will we. The fact of the matter is, we all get better every day, every time we perform tasks. Practise makes perfect remember! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thing is, these tasks that are labelled as 'so simple a robot could do them' can actually be done by us, with our eyes closed in the matter of 1 or 2 seconds, so will this technology actually help us? Or as technology so often does, will it actually fail us? Or hinder us? The idea that a large company full of managers, all asking their robotic assistants to do things, is so far fetched, especially when it comes to calendar synchronisation and integration. Yes they could tell you where you're meeting your next appointment and when, but then again, so will your eyes if you just care to look at your calendar. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But Campbell continues in the article and states, "Robotic process automation can operate at the user interface layer of business application and work between existing systems to mimic tasks which were usually carried out by PAs". Now I ask you, what tasks do you think he's referring to? I hate to say it, but clearly another person who really has no idea on the variety of tasks we get asked to do on any given day, and the complexity surrounding them. Once again our job is boxed up and assumed to be something that it's not, and all because of out of date stereotypes that are still attached to the role. Which is ironic given we are talking about the advancement of our roles here. And if we are really going to bring our role out of the dark ages into the 'future', then there needs to be a better understanding of what we do and the value we add. No robot can replace the 'personal touch' we do add to the role, and no matter how much training we embark upon, the personal and human touch we offer, along with the opinions, view points, advice and not to mention, memory of what's been done previously, can never be replaced.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The article states that Deloitte's latest Global Human Capital Trends report revealed that only 16 per cent of leaders surveyed said they felt ready to manage a workforce consisting of both people and AI, and you can see by my points why. But the article also states that research from a luxury support specialist, Change Group, claim that 44 per cent of London-based PAs fear that robots at some point will replace their roles. My message to them is, relax, we aren't going anywhere....trust me. And whilst I'm always an advocate for more training and development, don't let fear dictate you actions on this one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'll finish by saying this - although the argument is that AI will improve efficiencies and productivity, essentially that is what <em>we</em> are here to do. And like any business - systems, processes and technology all can do that, but there has to be someone behind all of it - driving it, initiating it and implementing it, and that's where we come in. As much as they want to put the fear into us that AI will either take over our roles entirely, or even partially, at the end of the day, the key part of the EA/PA role that robots will NEVER be able to take over, is relationships. Just think of all the things that will be absent for that manager/Exec if Assistants were no longer there? - the trust, the loyalty, the second set of eyes/ears, the second set of arms and legs when they're too busy to get their coffees or lunch. And I'm not saying that Assistants are just there to get the coffee, but robots will never be able to replicate the relationship and human touch elements that we bring to the table. But it's not just the manager that will suffer without our physical presence, its also the relationships of all the key stakeholders too, both internally and externally. Essentially if Assistants were not there, business' would struggle to run. Others can joke around or blow wind up us by saying that 'we basically run the company', but you know, and I know, that we actually do! It's like saying that one day AI will replace all CEO's or Company Directors.....it's never going to happen! And quite frankly the idea that is developing that Assistants could be replaced by an electronic gadget is just insulting. </span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-48801191879302251622017-05-11T04:33:00.001-07:002017-05-11T04:33:44.907-07:00Bitten off more than you can chew? When it all just gets too much........<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax5K2lH1hjsaHJwxWmlhH51f9f6ysHN6XOEkzUHL44XbbWyG_HBy4LyKMv0yuCXOnxCZO_04FxatSHJEf4xoDAVa292rlbmSceAnz_SpFIFSv-klDofzHjL5eid7ZASP-ki2Ef_gvD_pV/s1600/When+it+all+just.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="When it all gets too much at work" border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax5K2lH1hjsaHJwxWmlhH51f9f6ysHN6XOEkzUHL44XbbWyG_HBy4LyKMv0yuCXOnxCZO_04FxatSHJEf4xoDAVa292rlbmSceAnz_SpFIFSv-klDofzHjL5eid7ZASP-ki2Ef_gvD_pV/s640/When+it+all+just.jpg" title="Dealing with work stress" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I don't usually write my blogs about my own personal experiences but I've decided in this blog to hone in on something I'm going through on this occasion, because from one EA to thousands of others (being all of you lovely followers), I know you're all going to be able to relate to this feeling I'm having....... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a role that can be unexplainably busy with a lot of 'flow flow flows', and sometimes little to no 'ebbs', you can sometimes find yourself wondering where you actually get the stamina to do your job? Or worse still, you start wondering where you're going to get the stamina to in fact keep doing your job, especially during times of high stress!! I'm sure you've all been in a similar situations before where you come home after somehow ending up in a full day of meetings (which isn't that common in our often desk-bound jobs) only to find yourself switching your laptop back on to catch up on the 250 emails that you didn't get around to answering because you'd been pulled into these raft of meetings that you were 'required to sit in'. Sound familiar? And at particularly busy times of the year these occasional days of endless meetings followed by countless emails to catch up on at night, can turn from the odd occasion to becoming your normal routine that you find yourself in for weeks on end, if not months, whilst you try to keep on top of your workload. But the wonder woman/men that we are, we keep going, burning the candle at both ends, not wanting to fall behind, not wanting to disappoint, or God forbid putting ourselves in a situation where we are so behind that we actually have to speak up and say we aren't coping! None of us ever want to paint ourselves as being incompetent, or worse still not strong enough to deal with what we're being asked to do. But as organised as we are, and as cool and as calm as we try to be, occasionally we do feel like we are going to crack!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So today I want to give you all some advice around this particular scenario when you feel like you're hitting your breaking point, and I include myself for this advice too! Because it's common sense, but common sense that sometimes needs to be spelt out to you, before you start to dissolve into anxiety and panic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Perhaps you've started a new job and you are just not keeping up or getting it?; perhaps you're managing a project or event that you're expected to deliver on top of your every day responsibilities?; or you're temporarily looking after another Exec/Manager for whatever reason?; or perhaps you've got things going on in your personal life that are taking away from you keeping on top of what would be your normal workload that you could normally do with your eyes closed? Whatever the situation is, you start to think, "I've bitten off more than I can chew!". That little voice in your head starts to take over and start asking you, "well how one earth are you going to manage all this? or get all of this done?". And this voice isn't just one that likes to rear its ugly head when we get busy with work, it also likes to frequent our heads when our personal lives get too much too. But it's how we respond to that voice that is key. So what do you do? As you start to spiral into a panic there are some things that you can do to take back the control of the situation. Because this is what it's all about right?......control. As Assistants we all have something in common, and that is that we generally are all 'control freaks'. And to me, that's not a bad thing. The world needs control freaks, otherwise things just wouldn't get done! But when we feel like we are losing control, that's when things can start to go pear shaped. So I've listed some steps below that I think we all should consider when we start to spiral into that 'I've bitten off more than I can chew' mode. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So first and foremost you need to:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>1. STOP!</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">When you are feeling a sense of being so overwhelmed it's time to stop what you're doing and walk away for a breather. You cannot produce good quality work when your stress levels are peaking, so it's important to walk away and regain your composure. Take a walk; have a glass of wine; or go and have a chat/vent with a friend or family member (try to avoid talking to work colleagues if possible just to ensure you keep your reputation in good form). The idea is to just pause, so you can get it together. The last thing you want is to actually end up in tears or in a tizz where you end up doing or saying something you'll regret, all because the stress just got to your head. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>2. Re-asses and prioritise</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">When you're feeling overwhelmed, it's time to prioritise what you've got to do and when. We all know that when we look at our to-do-list from a holistic view it can make us literally feel weak at the knees and have us start to doubt whether we've actually got the capacity, time and energy to do it all. So make a list, prioritise what's important, what needs to be done now and what can wait. Never feel like it's all got to be done now or on this very day, but what I will say is if you can knock off a whole lot of small stuff to make you feel better about the 'size' of the list, then by all means do that. And if that means one night allocating 3-4 hours to just to 'knock off' some tasks, then do it! Or if you can work from home one day, just so you don't get bothered or pre-occupied with other priorities, then do that too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>3. Communicate</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I seriously feel like a broken record sometimes when I harp on about communication, but essentially it's really important when you start to feel overwhelmed to start communicating. Don't ever feel shameful because you think that you aren't coping. If you are seriously being pushed to your limits, then it's time to have a conversation with your manager. Obviously though some busy periods, events or projects are just 'busy times' and we just need to get through them, but if you don't speak up you may not get the opportunity to be offered some help that you wouldn't normally get it if you didn't ask. If you don't ask, you don't get.....simple. And if even if your manager can't help you from a workload perspective, at least if you told them where you're at from a workload/stress point of view then in turn your credibility will go up as you've actually had the maturity to talk to them about it rather than bottle it up and potentially implode. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>4. Get some perspective</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It's time for a reality check.....you are only one person and you can only do what you can do. So stop putting so much pressure on yourself as Assistants' so frequently do, and take a chill pill. There is always going to be a light at the end of the tunnel, so when you feel like the world is starting to crumble around you, reassure yourself that there will be an end. And if you can't reassure yourself, tell someone else to tell you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>5. Plan time off</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I think regardless of whether you're in a busy phase or not, its super important to have holidays or time off planned throughout the year, for your own sanity's sake. We are all given 20 days leave for a reason, so it's important to make plans throughout the year to take these days off. And not just a day here and a day there, ensure you plan to take at least a week off at any given time so you can actually rejuvenate yourself and get the down time you need. Not to mention, holidays actually can be that thing you look forward to and can be that 'light at the end of the tunnel' that you really do need when things get crazy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Lastly I want to say one final thing - when people get stressed and overloaded with work the number one piece of advice you will commonly hear from others will be: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">1. Just chill out</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">2. Meditate or practise mindfulness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">3. Exercise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">4. Don't drink or indulge in any unhealthy behaviours</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Those pieces of advice are all very well but seriously when you're an EA/PA and you actually have serious responsibilities that you must deliver on, you just don't have time to go and pop off to the gym for a 2 hour work out, or sit under a tree and meditate for an hour a day......you've actually have got things to do! The key is regaining your composure and reigning in your stress by actually re-organising yourself. But by all means if you can re-organise yourself to allow yourself to go and workout every day for 2 hours and do everything that you need to, then hats off to you, but you have to do what works for <em>you</em>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So you're all probably wondering why <em>I'm</em> feeling like I've bitten off more than I can chew at the moment, so I'll let you in on a little secret.......On top of my day job, that I normally manage with ease, I'm currently going through the motions of rebuilding 'Who's the Real Boss' and moving it off the Blogger platform and transforming it into a hub/platform that you can all visit and subscribe to and share in my passion of this extraordinary role that we all do and my dedication to transform the perception of the EA/PA role to ensure its a great job for all of us that do it. On top of that there are also some other things that I'm working on that I will announce to you all when I do launch my new website, and its something that I do hope that you will all join me in celebrating when it launches. But stay tuned for all of that, and I'll do my very best to take my own advice here and try not to implode with stress whilst I'm trying to organise it all! :) </span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-70680164228175704712017-04-16T20:57:00.000-07:002017-04-16T20:57:08.709-07:00The EA/PA Role: When your friends and family just don't get it.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsoSQ9EKvbbrF0qpNeFUxWrv7K7rPZjOlYSd3TEwBmTbKzID3Le75vFhP8N4iLKLBlkFdansZ1ojmjBiznjdxNi6jCMoWaMe1ehN0hc0FvABzgzhUFBjneLMonvUb8-gqawl_5REpYtxo/s1600/Whenyourfriendsandfamilyjustdon%2527tgetit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="When others don't understand what you do for a living" border="0" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsoSQ9EKvbbrF0qpNeFUxWrv7K7rPZjOlYSd3TEwBmTbKzID3Le75vFhP8N4iLKLBlkFdansZ1ojmjBiznjdxNi6jCMoWaMe1ehN0hc0FvABzgzhUFBjneLMonvUb8-gqawl_5REpYtxo/s640/Whenyourfriendsandfamilyjustdon%2527tgetit.jpg" title="Demolishing negative EA PA stereotypes" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you ever get the feeling that all your friends and your family think you do is answer phones and make coffee? Do you think sometimes that even though they say they get how busy you are, that they really have no idea? And do you think sometimes even though you bear your frustrations to them about certain challenges and frustrations that you have, that deep down inside they think its not a 'real' job?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I conducted a survey with you all not too long ago and one of the questions I asked you was if you thought your friends and family actually understood what you did as an EA/PA? 73 per cent of you told me that you didn't think your friends and family really understood what it is that you did each day, and 20 per cent of you said that they had NO idea whatsoever. These stats don't surprise me one bit, and I'm sure they probably don't surprise you either. As much as we can tell them all about the extremities of what we can be faced with on any one day, you're sure in their minds that they see you just sitting there like that image of a 1950s secretary, looking pretty at your typewriter and perhaps filing your nails, saying, "yes Sir" as your boss asks you to 'take a memo'. As much as we try to escape these archaic stereotypes of the assistant image, they have somehow attached themselves to us, leaving everyone who is close to us to believe that we are nothing but a paper pusher and glorified tea lady.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what are we going to do about this? Because I kind of get the feeling that many of us are just sort of happy to live with these incorrect myths flying around about what we do and the value that we add. Call it complacency, or perhaps maybe enough of you feel valued and you think this isn't a reality for you, but the <em>reality</em> is that this isn't about how you are actually treated in your workplace and whether you get the respect you deserve, this is about what <em>others </em>think of us and what we do. And I hear you say, "why should we care what others think?". Well we absolutely should care about what others <em>think </em>and as EAs/PAs we have a responsibility to the role to create and sustain a positive image of it so that it's a great role for anyone that does it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">To me there is a re-education piece required around our roles, and who better to do the re-education than ourselves. For too long we have sat back whining and complaining that people don't respect us and see us for all the value we add, but meanwhile we aren't willing to stand up and make change for the better. No one else cares enough to change these out of date stereotypes associated with our roles, so it's time we stood up and took control of the situation once and for all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You may have noticed recently I have posted some images on my social media and LinkedIn group asking you all to 'join the movement', and then I've also posted subsequent 'myths' associated with our roles that I label as being 'BUSTED'. I've labelled all these posts with the hash tag <strong>#demolishnegativeEAPAstereotypesforgood</strong>. And my plan is to continue to put up these myths every other day with my explanation of why they're busted and will continue to hash tag them with the handle so everyone is aware that they form part of a bigger movement. If you too feel passionately about this, and are fed up of the untrue images that others have of us, then I ask you to get on board with me. Anything you see online like this, that is a re-education piece for others, then re-post it with the handle, <strong>#demolishnegativeEAPAstereotypesforgood</strong>. Re-educating is up to <em>US</em>, and nothing will ever change unless we are bold enough to stand up and make it happen. So I encourage you to join this movement and help to re-educate others. Re-post my posts to your own friends and followers and spread the word of the busted myths associated with our roles! If enough of us can spread the word then we can ultimately re-paint a new image of ourselves as leaders and managers in our own right, and managers of our Executives, as that is what we really are. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But there are other things you can also do within your own circle to re-educate your family and your friends, so that they start to understand what it is we REALLY do:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>1. Talk about your role - Speak up, tell stories and get creative!</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Although our role is hard to define and no two days are never the same, it doesn't mean we can't talk about what happened in our lives on any given day so that others understand better some of the challenges we face. How many times have you caught up with friends or family and you're asked the obligatory question, "how's work?" and you respond, "yeah busy, as always, really busy!". But that's where you stop. Mainly because so many things happened that you wouldn't dare bore them with all things you've been asked to do this week, and nothing really happened of great significance (in your eyes) so you find yourself asking them instead 'how's work going for them?'. And the particular accountant or lawyer you're speaking to starts talking about some big case they're working on and how they're working around the clock because of a particular challenging client that they're dealing with etc etc etc. Sound familiar? And as they're telling this to you, you're thinking to yourself, my job is JUST as challenging. But the thing is they'll never know that, because you didn't speak up. So I challenge you the next time someone asks you 'how's work?' to actually tell them. Tell them how your boss sent you out on a mission to find a venue for an off-site for 150 people with a 3-day turn around, and all because of the need to get the team together after some team announcements. Or maybe you could tell them about how you were up until midnight the night before last working on some PowerPoint slides for your boss because he/she insists upon leaving everything to the last minute, even though you had been asking them about them for weeks? Or maybe you could tell them about the training you had to coordinate for 1000 people ensuring that every single on of them completed it within a set time frame and it was you that had to follow up every individual personally? Get my drift here? We get asked to do such a variety of different things, that to us don't seem that mind-blowing or interesting, but it all comes down to your words and how you describe it. So speak up, tell stories and get creative the next time you're asked 'how's work?'.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2.</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Call others out - Be bold enough to defend the role</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Have you ever been in a situation where you find yourself at the butt of a joke about 'secretaries' and how we just make coffee all day? You know that its just a joke, but behind every joke really is an element of truth, especially when we get represented this way on TV and in movies. And we really have two choices when put in these situations, we can laugh and say nothing, or we can speak up and call the person out on it. Now you might think, 'well come on, it's just a joke, lighten up!' and you may very well find yourselves on the end of that response. But if you really want others to value what you do, then be prepared to stand up for yourself. You don't have to be rude, but instead maybe just re-direct the joke and ask "is that really what you think we do?". Many a time I've found myself asking that when put in that situation and then asking them something 'stereotypical' about their job instead. Nobody likes to be stereotyped as we are all individuals, so instead hand out a taste of 'their own medicine' as the best remedy for unnecessary jokes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>3. Share positive stories - Online and verbally</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Often enough there will be really great articles shared online about how wonderful EA/PAs can be, and the one that springs to mind here is the one that did the rounds recently about how Richard Branson said he wouldn't be where he was today without the help/support of the assistants he has had throughout his career. And it's all very well for us to 'like' these stories and feel all warm and fuzzy inside about it, but rather than just keep stories like this to ourselves, share them around on your social media with bold enough headline posts that encourage your friends to open them and read them, and I'm talking about friends here who aren't fellow assistants, and have no idea about the role and all we do. Similarly, if you hear a good story about how a fellow assistant was recognised for their good work, then share it with others and spread the word. Others might deem your 'stories' as being insignificant, but who cares, you're doing your due diligence to the role, so tell your stories with pride. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">They're just 3 of the things we can all do to start re-educating others towards this common goal and movement, and I encourage you to do them. Together we can make this role truly great for all that do it and <strong>#demolishnegativeEAPAstereotypesforgood</strong> !!!!</span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-16092486821731513282017-04-07T02:25:00.000-07:002017-04-07T02:25:58.146-07:00The Truth about Trust: Why the relationship with your Executive is incomplete without it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszbeBfxhlxcgXuiFOnA1dUN5-N7IRgcSG6F6cIm8chyphenhyphen0AH-dwLXK_01oT8fFV1iGGOIzH0ZnP3cB-f0T9S1GtgUuOThoxa5iBiUs989iN_1tmzWFLOf1ALnhigB1bwkIMy0IgR7fq8Jh0/s1600/Truthabouttrust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="Trust in relationships" border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszbeBfxhlxcgXuiFOnA1dUN5-N7IRgcSG6F6cIm8chyphenhyphen0AH-dwLXK_01oT8fFV1iGGOIzH0ZnP3cB-f0T9S1GtgUuOThoxa5iBiUs989iN_1tmzWFLOf1ALnhigB1bwkIMy0IgR7fq8Jh0/s640/Truthabouttrust.jpg" title="Trusting your assistant" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are many elements that contribute to building a solid relationship between an executive and their assistant. Trust, loyalty, honesty, communication, visibility and respect are just <em>some</em> of the those pillars that prop up relationships, regardless of whether they're of the workplace or of the heart. But just like making a cake, if you leave out just one ingredient, it's likely you'll have a pretty average tasting cake on your hands. And the exec/assistant relationship is no different. If one of those elements is missing, the result will be a pretty average working rapport, which is less than ideal for both parties involved. But some of the elements, similar to the ingredients in a cake, carry more weight and more importance than others. Like the flour in a cake, for example, trust would have to be the most significant element of all in a working relationship. And if trust is absent, like flour being left out of a cake, you quite literally are going to have a hot mess on your hands!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The impact of trust being absent in a relationship will always ultimately deem it ineffective and inefficient. If an exec doesn't trust their EA in what they ask of them, then they often will feel the need to micro-manage their every move, which in effect is a complete waste of everyone's time. And when the role of the EA is to lighten the load of the executive, it bears the question why they have an assistant in the first place. Understandably though sometimes exec's do deal with matters so sensitive that it is risky to share, but an assistant should be seen as a confidant, and a locked lipped partner - not someone who you're taking a gamble on by sharing these issues with them. But if you've never given them a reason not to trust you, then it can be doubly as frustrating as you can see that their reservations obviously stem from fear that if something should leak that it would reflect poorly on them. But the fact of the matter is, trust should not have to be earned by an EA, it should be given. And only, if only, that trust is broken then caution should be exercised.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a rule of thumb, all executives, regardless of their beliefs and working style, should trust their assistant from the get go, and by all means give their EA the benefit of the doubt, always. But unfortunately this is not always the case, and time and time again I have assistants coming to me with complaints that their managers are keeping them in the dark on business priorities, that in turn are hindering them from doing their job. Or worse still, many assistants share with me stories on how they're followed up and questioned multiple times on tasks delegated to them, that they have in fact already actioned or completed. The reality is though that it's the EAs responsibility to manage their own workload, not the exec's job to manage it for them! So not only is behaviour like this frustrating for the assistant, it's detrimental to the relationship overall. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So what if you find yourself in this situation of not being trusted? Perhaps yo</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ur exec doesn't keep you in the loop on things, or the don't communicate things to you to be able to do your job efficiently? Or maybe they don't give you full access to their inbox, hindering you from being able to support them completely? Unfortunately if your exec is one of those managers that doesn't just trust you from the get go, you will need to go through the motions to prove your trustworthiness. Now I don't necessarily agree with this at all, as it my belief that all execs should give their assistant's the benefit of the doubt straight up and only if there is a breach in trust, should they then act with caution. But never the less there are those managers out there that want you to prove your trustworthiness, so you'll need to think about implementing the following steps in order to improve the relationship:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>1. Take notes and be organised</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Often others will trust you more if they physically see you writing things down. So even if what their asking of you is something so basic or easy to remember, do them the service of writing it down or typing it on to your to do list so they trust that you will actually do what they've asked of you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>2. Establish your ways of working </em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">A plan of the way you will work is always essential in any working relationship with your exec, even if you don't have trust issue. But when you do, its doubly as important and similar to the previous point - if they know the process that you go through to deliver on tasks that they delegate to you, they will in turn have more trust. So sit down and work out a tracking system on how they will delegate to you and how they will know once tasks have been completed. Basically allow them to train you in the way that <em>they</em> want to work. This should hopefully alleviate those annoying follow ups that the micro-managing-managers feel the need to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>3. Ask questions and seek clarity</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Sometimes when you're asked to do something the delegator will have more confidence that you understand what they're asking of you if you in fact ask them questions or ask them for further clarity. Blank stares and silence doesn't put a lot of faith in managers when they ask things of you, so sometimes its best just to talk it through so they understand that <em>you </em>understand. Similarly ensure that they are clear with you with their instructions and their expectations, and if you feel they're not doing that, then be prepared to speak up and seek them out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>4. Give updates </em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Like in any relationship communication is really important. So when tasks are delegated to you its important to provide updates on where things are at, but mainly to show them more than anything that you're all over it, you're competent and you're capable of what's been asked of you. This also gives you an opportunity to seek feedback and keep the communication lines open. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>5. Be honest</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">The same as in romantic and personal relationships, if you don't have honesty then you don't have trust. So fess up on things that perhaps have gone wrong either currently or in the past, and just keep the communication lines open and flowing. Keep in mind that you are only human, and although we seem be super women/men sometimes, everyone makes mistakes and mistakes are there to be learnt from. And if you're a new or junior assistant, suggest to your boss that they drip feed you information to you, so that they gradually build trust with you. <span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">More than anything things like this will create more credibility for yourself which in turn should create trust. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>6. Speak up</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">If you want to be in one of those perfect EA/exec relationships where the exec looks to you as their business partner and values your opinion and even seeks it out, you actually need to be prepared to speak up. So when you're not feeling things are right, or you are feeling that things could be better, talk about it and speak up. Silence really gets you know where and if you want anything to change in your relationship you need to be prepared to talk about it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong><em>7. Push to be a priority</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">If you feel like you're not a priority in your manager's life then this is something you're going to need to need to push for and persevere with. Schedule one on ones in their calendar weekly or daily, even if they get cancelled. You need to demonstrate your commitment to them and your loyalty and trust in them! Lead by example and hope that they will follow suit. </span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although my blogs are always pointed at assistants and what <em>they</em> can do to better themselves, sometimes I do hope that the odd executive or manager does stumble across my articles and enlightens themselves on some of the things we all are trying to do collectively to better ourselves professionally. And if you are an exec that is reading this and you do struggle with trust and you find yourself micromanaging your assistant, let me remind you that y</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">our energy is better spent on projects and decisions that only <em>you</em> are capable of doing, rather than overseeing and micromanaging your assistant on things that <em>they're</em> more than capable of doing. You must remember that you hired them for a reason, and you saw something in them that was credible. So allow them to be the best assistant they can be by opening up to them and operating as a partnership, rather than concealing things from them and making life difficult for the both of you.</span></span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-17836422245843369612017-03-27T23:38:00.001-07:002017-04-14T19:48:58.049-07:00Hump Day Hints #16: Seeing double - Managing multiple managers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl83Bdl-NHZCg1pJj4MpBNy42W5i_6PGjy0WptYNFBOMsgDCqDTsem16LrBq1BH-DCCdoLVnnbn1lqTBZFFHqb6FNpqRHNrDx1CbHoS4QTHqu0aUHkkvs31zJOAULGJC-nGLQeZSkI0Hk9/s1600/managingmultiplemanagers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Managing more than one manager" border="0" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl83Bdl-NHZCg1pJj4MpBNy42W5i_6PGjy0WptYNFBOMsgDCqDTsem16LrBq1BH-DCCdoLVnnbn1lqTBZFFHqb6FNpqRHNrDx1CbHoS4QTHqu0aUHkkvs31zJOAULGJC-nGLQeZSkI0Hk9/s640/managingmultiplemanagers.jpg" title="Managing multiple managers" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In an environment where reduced headcount is an increasing pressure in business, its not uncommon for EA's to be forced to support more than one manager, often two, and in some cases even three or more! There is a misconception though that when you have more than one manager to support it means your workload doubles (or triples) over that of supporting just one. And although you have twice as many meetings to arrange and twice as many administration tasks to perform, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have twice the <em>volume</em> of work to get through.... and please hear me out on this one, as I know some of you probably won't agree! There is quite a specific formula when it comes to managing more than one Exec, and one that if followed, will ensure your time and workload is the same as that of an assistant who only supports one. But your time management, planning and approach to your workload is key. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some see it as a downside to support multiple managers, but that doesn't have to be the case at all. When you work in a one-to-one capacity with an Executive you are seen as extension of them and often anything will come your way, with no boundaries at all. A one-to-one scenario is often undefinable on any given day, which alone can have its challenges. But when you have more than one to support your role becomes more definable where you're in a position to call the shots, so to speak, and I'll explain why.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">When faced with a scenario of multiple managers the key to successful time distribution is something I like to refer to as 'splitting'. Basically this is the art of splitting your time evenly across each of the managers you support. And between yourself and each of your managers t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">here should be a mutual understanding as to what your job description entails, with all parties agreeing and ensuring it is adhered to. This means an understanding of the tasks that you will perform for them and an agreement that you won't get dragged into time consuming projects and tasks that take away from what becomes your very 'precious' time. This most obviously includes personal tasks for those managers too. Your role is very much to support your managers from a business perspective and the line should be drawn there. And if you do feel you are being pulled from pillar to post and dragged into things that you shouldn't it's important that you speak up and ensure you aren't being taken advantage of.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So there are 5 areas to take into consideration when you are placed in the position of supporting more than one manager and once all implemented will make life very straightforward for everyone involved. I must point out though that it is significantly important to take the lead and very much act like a manager when you are in this position. You need to take charge of how your time will be split and how you will conduct your role. It's not for dictation by those that you support, but its something that should be discussed from the get-go with a plan laid out on the table so that there is no confusion. It takes a very strong, confident EA to support more than one manager, so if you feel like this isn't you, it might be time to take a look in the mirror and think about ways in which you can improve your credibility and brand. So when you create your plan and define your role to your managers with what you will and won't be doing for them, they will ultimately take you seriously as a manager. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>1. Split your time</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So the first area to nail is your time management and 'splitting' is a concept that works well with two managers, and is possible with three, but beyond that it gets messy. The idea is to divide your day up, so the morning with manager A and the afternoon with manager B. If they sit in different locations then sit with them/their teams at these allocated times. If you all sit relatively close together anyway then just allocate a half of the day to one and the other half to the other and communicate this to them so they're clear when they have your utmost dedication. This allocation of time will then form part of your overall plan. But although you are splitting your day there will obviously always be tasks that pop up in the wrong allocated time frame that can't be avoided, but I will detail later how you can manage this and approach your tasks in a consolidated fashion. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Create your plan</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The next thing to think about is creating a plan. It's important for each of your managers to know where you are and when. So if you have regular leadership team meetings that you are required to sit in on with each of your managers, then make sure this is communicated clearly to each of them and marked in their calendar so they know you are not contactable. Similarly they should also be aware when you are off site with your team, or facilitating things for your team and you're not available. This should also come in handy when managing expectations and deadlines for tasks they ask you to deliver. Anything regular, that happens weekly or monthly, devise into a visual planner that can be printed and pinned up at their desk so they can see where you are at a glance. And anything ad-hoc where you're out and not available then mark in their calendars. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>3. Communicate communicate communicate</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Communication is always going to be key when managing the expectations of each of your managers so you need to make sure you are organised in this respect. Set regular one-on-ones with each of them so you can communicate where you'll be and when and also advise on your workload. If they are privy to what you're working on with your other manager/s then they will be mindful of giving you things that perhaps they could handle themselves or could be handled by another team member. Also use these one-on-one times to makes sure deadlines and ETA's are well communicated on things they ask of you. Also make sure you communicate well your plans throughout the day - things like needing to leave early from their meetings to make another one of your manager's meetings; or that you've asked a fellow EA to collect their visitors from reception when you are tied up running a brown bag lunch session for your other manager, for example. And when it comes to communication always ensure all managers are present at the times of your performance reviews, so each of them can hear from you and others on your performance. This should also help manage everyones expectations. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana";">4. Adapt your approach </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Although I mentioned earlier that you should call the shots when it comes to managing your time, this should not be confused with the concept of managing different work styles and adapting yourself to fit in with them. Like looking after any manager, one-on-one or not, its important to adapt your style to fit in with them - so if they prefer having everything printed off for them, then you'll need to do that, or similarly if they prefer to manage their own in-boxes and approvals, then let them and just go with the flow. Just because you do something for one manager doesn't necessarily mean that you should do it for another. So when you first are buddied up with your manager its important to gauge their expectations on what they want you to be doing. But of course if you feel, as I mentioned before, that any lines are being blurred then its time to speak up. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana";">5. Get organised</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">The last and best piece of advice when managing more than one manager is to be organised. The biggest challenge you face when put in this situation is really being in two places at once. Diaries will not always align for you, but the best thing you can do though is to be as organised as you can. So if that means arranging the catering for that morning tea so it arrives 15 minutes earlier so you can lay it out before heading down to reception to collect some guests for a meeting at the same time, then do that. Or when setting up each of the team meetings where you need to be present, plan them so they don't overlap. You're at the controls, remember that and use it to your advantage. Obviously there will sometimes be clashes that are unavoidable, but with a bit of planning and help from your fellow assistants you can manage it all. Call on your EA network to help you out in times of need, knowing that of course you will do the same for them when they need you too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Finally, set reminders for yourself throughout the day for things you need to do - for example, mark what time you need to pick up visitors from reception, and set reminders every 2 hours to scan each of your managers in-boxes, or diarize dedicated times that you will complete expenses for each of them etc etc. Although you are splitting your time you need to consolidate the tasks that you do into one job. Its hard to manage two calendars and two in-boxes and two sets of admin, so consolidate what you need to into your own system with the reminders that are relevant to you. Its easy to forget things when you have more than one manager, so use your daily task list like a bible and set reminders for yourself to check each of their calendars each morning as soon as you arrive, sort out their meeting clashes or overnight requests for meetings, check they've got meeting rooms for each of their meetings, and that reservations have been made at the restaurant they're dining at for lunch etc etc. This may seem basic, but you shouldn't always rely on your memory to do things, especially when you have more than one to look after. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I'd love to hear from you all on what systems and processes you've all put in place that helps you to manage more than one manager. Supporting multiple managers doesn't have to be challenging. We are organised people and the right people for the job, so never feel daunted by something that a little bit of forward planning and a little bit of organisation will handle. </span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-91723124038327583902017-03-16T04:27:00.000-07:002017-03-16T04:28:58.912-07:00Assistant Errors: When you accidently F something up......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's no secret that as EAs and PAs there are always high expectations of us to flawlessly deliver whatever task is given to us, and in an efficient and timely manner. Its basically our job to ensure everything runs smoothly and that our manager's can do their jobs effectively, always looking good in the eyes of their superiors. We are the proof readers, the meeting arrangers, the event organisers, the drafters of communications, the minute takers, and of course the arrangers of travel ~ just to name a handful of the millions of things that get asked of us in anyone day! And as we juggle these multitude of tasks, we can sometimes find ourselves in a situation where things just don't go the way you've planned, or worse still you just colossally stuff something up. As expert organisers, we try to plan things way in advance and as efficiently as we can, to ensure things go as intended. But sometimes in fast paced and hectic environment, last minute changes can be thrown at you leaving you to think very quickly on your feet. And sometimes you're left wondering after the fact if you actually crossed all your t's and dotted all your i's!! But even as organised and scrupulous as you are, when there are growing demands on you, there is room for error, especially when things are taken out of your 'controlling' hands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So if you've made an error recently at work, the first thing I'm going to say is DO NOT beat yourself up about it! Hopefully your mistake isn't all that bad ~ it could never be as bad as say, Steve Harvey's epic bad day at work, when he read out the wrong winners name for Miss Universe! But even if it is on par with it, the important thing to do is not to dwell on what's happened, and instead redirect your energies in to correcting it so you can move on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So essentially there are four steps that you should keep in mind the next time you stuff up:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>1.Try and correct it</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Act as quick as you can here (obviously not too quick though as you don't want to stuff up further!) to try and get things fixed up, even before you tell anyone. My boss always tells me 'bring me solutions, not problems' and he's spot on. Things won't sounds so bad delivering the bad news that you stuffed up if you can tell them that it's already been rectified. But if it's a situation where you do need to alert your manager/Exec (if perhaps it impacts your clients/customers), do so promptly before they find out from another source. But again, tell them with a proposed solution. Which leads me to my next point on the delivery of your message.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>2. Don't lose your head</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">In times of high stress like this, do your best to keep a cool and collected head. Do not get emotional, or present in nervous manner. Your credibility is at stake here, so do not further damage it by showing them anything less than the utmost professionalism. So take a moment to think about what you will say, how you will say it and when - choose your time wisely as bad news delivered at the wrong time can turn a molehills in to mountains. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>3. Take responsibility for it</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you do fess up to your error though, ensure you actually take responsibility for it. Don't blame others for your wrong doing, especially when it is in fact your wrong.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Its always great to blame things on technical glitches, and by all means do that if that is the case. But even it that is so, remember you were still at the controls of the computer, so still take some responsibility at least. You want to be seen always as having integrity, and pointing fingers at other people or other things will really damage that. If you're in a situation though where it is a small error and you can fix it without having to tell anyone then by all means do that. Don't damage your credibility for nothing. Similarly, don't tell people that don't need to know. The last thing you want is unnecessary gossip about you or people sharing their points of view about you that count for nothing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>4. Learn from it</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Once everything is all fixed up and you've told everyone that needs to know, it's time to review what happened and why. When mistakes are made it's important to know why and ensure it doesn't happen again. If that means putting in place steps to prevent the same thing happening again, then do so. I know for myself personally I have checks in place when sending out emails from my boss or sending out emails to the whole team/company. It only takes one mistake for you to become more vigilant with your checks. And we've all be there before, when we send an email to the wrong person (the person you've written about in the email rather than the one it was intended for!); or you send out a team/company comms from yourself rather than from your boss; or worse still you forward on an email with an email trail below that the recipients should not see! Check, check, check is my best advice, and then check, check, check again! But whatever the mistake is, there was a reason why you stuffed up. Whether you were doing three things at once, or you didn't write down properly what you needed to do, or perhaps you enlisted the assistance of someone else who isn't as capable as you. Either way there's a way to prevent it from happening next time, and make sure that this is communicated to whomever you need to tell when you fess up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The last thing I'll say is, whatever it is that you did, don't beat yourself up over it. What we do isn't a matter of life or death, so keep it in perspective and don't dwell on it. Nobody is perfect, no matter how much they expect us to be. Do your best and always act with integrity, it will go a long way, even when you do make mistakes.</span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-53216353584870576152017-03-08T00:15:00.000-08:002017-03-08T00:15:47.913-08:00Be bold for change: Happy International Women's Day to all my fellow EA/PA's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Happy International Women's Day!!!</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To all my fellow female assistants, I hope that wherever you were today, that your company celebrated you, along with your other female colleagues. Diversity is hot topic for most, if not all businesses and I hope that wherever you work, they empower you to access and enjoy the same opportunities, regardless of your gender. International Women's Day has been celebrated for a long time, in fact since the early 1900's, and it's a day where we recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of all women. Unfortunately though in 2017 equality for women is still something we are striving for and is still far from being parity. Today I learnt of some pretty shocking Australian statistics that I had to share with you to back this position that we still have so far to go:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The national gender pay gap between men and women is 16.2%, down from 19% in 2016</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fulltime average weekly earnings difference between men and women is $260.10</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The gender pay gap in ASX 200 organisations is 28.7%</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The gender pay gap in the sporting industry alone is 50%</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The average superannuation balance for women at retirement is 52.8% less than men</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The proportion of CEO's who are female is 15.4%</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Out of Melbourne's 106 suburbs, a single woman can only afford to rent one bedroom flats in just over a quarter of the city</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Some pretty depressing statistics, I'm sure you'll agree and according to the World Economic Forum we won't reach global parity in social or economic terms until 2186!!! Something that we will not even see in our lifetime. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year's International Women's Day message is #BeBoldforChange, and is a call out for all women to step up, speak up and boldly ask for what they want. Although we have come a long way with gender equality and parity there is still so far to go. But being bold for change starts with each of us, nothing will change unless we stand up and make it happen. This subject is one that really is very close to my heart, especially as an EA. I'm a firm believer that it's up to each of us, not just today, but everyday to do our part in living this message. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I had the privilege of being invited to attend the <strong>#IWD2017MelbourneSyle</strong> luncheon at The Peninsula at Docklands (in Melbourne) where a line up of inspirational and incredibly brave and successful women got up and spoke to us, encouraging us all to work together in an effort to accelerate towards our goal for equality. Each of the four speakers spoke of the same theme - '</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">be the change you want to see'. An idea that resonates with me personally, especially when it comes to being taken seriously as an administration professional. I've blogged before around the importance of perceptions and only being treated as senior as you act. If you want to be respected and even demolish the negative stereotypes that have forever been attached to our roles as Assistants, its something that must start with you and the brand you emit to the world. Take a look in the mirror and think about what you see. What changes could you make to better yourself and your brand? Whatever it is that you want, it's up to you to go out there and get it. Plan for the life you want to have and be prepared to push yourself in to an 'uncomfortable' zone to get there. Life was never meant to be easy, and if you're striving for it to be better, for yourself and for all of us, you must be prepared to change your perceptions and push yourself in to a place that you may not necessarily be one that's comfortable. If we want to bold for change we need to make an impact by creating our own ripple effect. And remember that it only takes one ripple to start a wave! And with each of us making our own waves we can literally can become a furious ocean. I saw a great quote today that I just must share with you all that really backs this idea that we must unite for change:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>"There is a special place in hell for women who don't </em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>help other women" </em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Madeleine Albright</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It couldn't be more true! We must help each other to help ourselves, and help each other to achieve equality for all of us. So what will <em>you</em> do to be bold? What will <em>you </em>do to lead the charge and be a change maker? Just two questions that have really got me thinking today, and I hope they also will have you thinking too.</span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-90584318988442751822017-02-24T01:52:00.000-08:002017-02-24T01:56:25.509-08:00Calling for agenda items! Tips for creating a worthwhile EA meeting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With my last two blogs centred around the <span style="background-color: white;">significance of great relationships between EA's when managing or being managed by one another, I </span>thought it would be fitting to focus this next blog around one of the important pillars that forms part of the EA structure, essential to keeping the comradery strong. I refer to EA/PA team meetings - a great way to manage the team, build on individual relationships, keep everyone well informed and of course ensure everyone is well supported by one another.<br />
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When working in a role such as ours it can be difficult to try and allocate time to things that sit outside of the direct stream of work that is flowing from your manager. And when you have a frequent team meeting set with your EA's it can be challenging to find the time to create a meeting agenda that will be beneficial, informative and valuable to all. Without that carrot on a stick to entice your assistants to come along, you can often find your inbox full of declines at the last minute with accompanying notes saying they're too busy to attend. But whether we're busy or not, we all should make the time to attend these meetings, at the very least to be part of the team. The head EA should be making time though to ensure that there is a substantial agenda that is worth getting together over. However, I'm a strong believer though that if you don't have any items to discuss then the time is better granted back, especially when there are other things that need your attention. In saying that however, this shouldn't be used as an excuse to cancel it each time as all the assistants in the team need to see the bigger picture and understand the benefits of getting together and discussing certain items for the sake of uniting and creating a solid EA unit. <br />
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So given all of this I've listed below 8 ideas for creating a worthwhile EA meeting that all your assistants will want to attend. And even if you are not a managing EA who calls these meetings, you may like to consider the below and suggest it to your head EA in an effort to make the meetings more worthwhile and to improve the attendance across the board. Depending on the size of your assistant team, the format of your EA meetings may differ from being very casual with a small group, to very formal, minuted and chaired meetings with a larger group. Either way, the goal of the meetings should be the same, regardless of how it's delivered. <br />
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<strong>1. Always ask for agenda items in advance</strong><br />
A week prior to the meeting, make an effort to collect agenda items from your assistants as a basis for the meeting. Depending on what items are put forward, you may need to do some prep work before the meeting to ensure you have the right information to deliver to the team. In essence, don't leave asking for agenda items to the last minute. Put a reminder on the meeting invite a week out so that everyone attending gets the reminder and can contemplate their discussion points. Sharing of information between assistants forms an important part of this meeting so always have a standing agenda item for each of your assistants to provide an update from their area on what they're working on and what they have coming up. Additionally its important to discuss and share items that would be valuable to be understood or discussed by the group - this might be for example, upcoming leave for your team; events or off sites that you or your team are involved in (or you may need help with); recent team restructures; EA changes in other teams that need to be understood; or team seating requirements etc etc Even though we work as individuals in our own departments, its important to not shy away from the other assistants that work along side you, especially when as a team you are there to support each other. Sharing in all these sorts of updates also will help you to develop your skill set too, by hearing the advice that other assistants have to offer. Think of it as a group mentoring or a group counselling session!<br />
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<strong>2. </strong><strong>Minute & Action</strong><br />
With all this information being shared, make your team accountable for taking down any actions or outputs from the meeting. Delegate the actions out and make those responsible accountable to provide a follow up at the next meeting. The first agenda item should always be the review of previous actions. If you do have a small team though and you feel this is a little too formal, it's still important to do, but fine to do casually - just as long as everyone knows who is actioning what. If you put structure around your meetings it will entice your assistants to want to attend. When we're all extremely busy, the idea of just sitting around and having a chin wag over coffee can make the best of us a little anxious. So structure the meeting to give it an air of importance to ensure your assistants feel the value in it and feel comfortable in parking what they're working on to stop and attend.<br />
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<strong>3. Rotate the responsibility</strong><br />
With our ever heavy workloads, you may like to consider rotating the responsibilities for the meeting rather than have it fall to the head EA to bring together the agenda and run the meeting every time. I suggest a rotating roster whereby each EA is allocated a meeting to lead, where they then pull together the agenda and run the meeting. Consider also having them choose a topic for each meeting where they might arrange a speaker to present to the group, or selecting a discussion topic to talk about or process to review. Challenge them to choose an idea that shakes things up a bit, challenges the group or inspires some change. Over all though, whatever it is they bring to the meeting should be inspiring, fun and most importantly worthwhile. Additionally, if you have a large group of assistants, think about also rotating the chair and rotating the minute taker each meeting, so the responsibilities are shared amongst the group. <br />
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<strong>4. Source a speaker</strong><br />
With all of us now connected on LinkedIn there are many opportunities to dip into our connections and bring in someone of interest to come and talk to the group. It could be an assistant from another company, a motivational coach, or perhaps a sales representatives from a venue or catering company that might be keen to come and share their offering. Between all of you I'm sure you would have quite a selection of options for presenters to come in and speak. Take a vote on what the other assistants would like to hear about. Perhaps they'd like to hear how other EA's manage their Executives from outside companies, or perhaps they'd like to do a tasting of a new catering company that's entered the market. Whatever it might be it offers a different aspect to the meeting that you may not have considered before. Short of that there will always be internal stakeholders in your business that will be keen to present to your EA team - it might be someone from IT, or someone from building services, or if you're lucky you might be able to twist the arm of one of the company Executives to come and speak about how they work with their assistant!<br />
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<strong>5. Training and skills refresh</strong><br />
Training and education for EAs is always an ongoing requirement, and where there may not be the time or the funds to do it personally, there may be opportunities to arrange training internally for all your assistants. Speak directly to your manager or your HR manager about allocating a small amount of budget to training, allowing an administration professional or EA coach to come in and conduct some short sessions during your team meetings. Speak to your assistants about which of their skills they'd like to sharpen up, and hopefully you can agree and align on an approach for the whole group. If you have trouble trying to get approval for this expense though, try a wider approach of arranging training across the board for all the company assistants (if you work in a large company that is), in an attempt to improve the talent of the assistants across the board. Additionally the training expense will be shared across other departments, making it a cheaper exercise. And you should note too that having a coach come in to your business can often be cheaper than sending all the assistants of to external training or to an EA/PA master class or conference. <br />
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<strong>6. Create team projects</strong><br />
Although we all get bogged down working on our individual to do lists, it's important to share in projects or events that you can all work on together. Identify processes, procedures, or events that you all can collaborate on and commit to working on as a team, rather than them being delegated to one assistant to deliver. Use your team meetings as a platform to discuss the project or the event and provide updates or showcase what you've done. <br />
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<strong>7. Go on an adventure and even find a solution!</strong><br />
Every now and again its fun to take your team out of the office and do something fun. To keep the outing relevant and work related though (as let's face it, some assistants get a little stressed when they're flat out and feel like they're not doing things that are productive!) think about arranging a site inspection of some of the venues you have yet to see or may be considering for an upcoming event. Alternatively arrange for the team to go and visit a catering company to do a menu tasting or check out facilities where team building activities are offered (might be a paint balling place, a trampoline studio or a ropes course). If one of you has an event or an off site that needs a venue or activity booked for it, involve all the assistants so they all get to see what's on offer. It can be very inspiring and even solve a few future challenges for you - you may see the perfect place for your team Christmas party and lock it in well in advance leaving you worry free come October when everything starts to book out!<br />
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<strong>8. Get social</strong><br />
Even though the purpose of EA meetings is to ensure we are all well informed and well supported, we can't forget the important element of strengthening the relationships between each of the assistants, and this is usually best done through social situations. Every now and again convert your team meeting in to a team lunch, or some afternoon drinks or even a team dinner (especially come the end of the year) and do away with the formalities of the meeting and just have a laugh and a good time. Its important for each of your assistants to feel looked after, feel rewarded and receive some thanks, especially when making an effort to be part of the team. Not all assistants will want to be social with their fellow team mates however, and that's fine, just as long as everyone is invited and feels included. I must say though that even if you don't like to stretch friendships beyond the four walls of the office, sometimes its good to participate, even if its just for one drink, just to be part of the team and to not exclude yourself. Some have their reasons for not wanting to participate socially which I very much understand, but as long as no one gets crazy or too loose, a little bit of harmless fun with your team is fine - but it's important for everyone to remember just to 'keep yourself nice', as my mother has always told me before any work party!<br />
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So next time your scheduled EA meeting comes around, embrace the above suggestions, consult with your team and get organised. Everyone is busy, so ensure the updates and meeting content is succinct and worthwhile. With this new structure in place the days of the last minute meeting declines will be a thing of the past, and instead you'll have an engaged and active team that will want to attend the meetings always.<br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-22477844446804925762017-02-17T01:24:00.000-08:002017-02-17T01:31:35.633-08:00EA's managing EA's: How to handle being mis-managed - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For those of you that read last week's blog ~<a href="http://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/eas-managing-eas-key-to-building-strong.html" target="_blank">EA's managing EA's: The key to building strong relationships</a>~ you'd be aware that it formed the first part of a two part post on the challenges we face when managing our own kind. With the first post dedicated to all EA's that are in a position of management or leadership, this week I flip the coin and talk about what it can be like for the assistants on the other side of the fence who are being managed (or mis-managed) by another assistant. For some, the head EA they work under is inspiring and supportive, but for others it's not always a harmonious situation. The reality is, when you have to work underneath or alongside another EA, they will often have a view on the way you conduct your job, even thinking that they could do it a whole lot better than you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the EA profession, controlling personalities are a common trait, and when two controlling types come together it can be less than ideal, but unfortunately a common problem. But alas, we aren't all controlling types! There are in fact many EA managers that could care a less what their EA team are doing, how they are feeling or how things are being managed. This too can also impact relationships, leaving team assistants feeling isolated, alone and without any leadership. The fact of the matter is there are many EA's out there in positions of leadership that all have different management styles, some without any management style at all. Not always intentional, sometimes when we get bogged down in the mechanics of our job, we can do things without realising it, unintentionally making others lives difficult, and all because we like things a certain way. But that's not to say that things can't change, management styles can be improved, and most importantly the comradery between assistant's can be upped. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've listed below some of the common 'types' of EA managers/leaders that have been described to me and that I've also come across in my time, all of which have styles that are less than ideal - and I'll refer to them as 'mis-managers'. And although you may feel that it's <em>them </em>that need to change, short of them reading last week's blog, the fact is that change might be a long time coming. But that's not to say that you can't influence their style and put in place some strategies to improve the situation and ultimately improve the relationship between yourself and them. </span><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 'I want to be across everything you're doing' manager</span></strong></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Commonly this is the manager that thinks that their way is the better way, they have little trust in your ability and as a result want to be across or be copied in on anything and everything that you do. Most refer to this type as the 'micro-manager'. Whilst this is frustrating there is a strategy and approach you can take here that should soon enough put them back in their box - they want to know everything you're doing? then show them everything you're doing! Meet with them daily, copy them on every email, and frequent their desk to give them updates. Eventually they'll get so bombarded that they'll want you to stop. Either that or you'll actually prove yourself straight up and the requirement will become redundant. The message here is simple, just give them what they want. I know some of you may not agree with this approach and are probably thinking just talk to them about it, but I tend to disagree. Don't ever tell an experienced assistant how to do their job. It will only sour the relationship and annoy them more. The goal here is to improve your working relationship, not aggravate it further.</span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 'I could care a less about you' manager</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have you ever worked underneath another assistant who could care a less about leading their team and providing any guidance or mentorship? Their focus lay solely with <em>their</em> manager, and their manager only. Perhaps they don't see it as their role to lead you, perhaps they're too busy, or perhaps they just don't like you! So what do you do?! Similar to the previous point, you can't tell your senior assistant how to do their job, but you can drop subtle hints and implement some strategies to create some formality between you. The most obvious way to build on the relationship is to ask them for advice; ask them for tips on how to deliver something; or ask them to meet with you to review particular projects that you've been asked to work on. Another great way to light the fire underneath them is to suggest ideas on things that they can do as a team; suggest improvements to processes; or simply take the lead and initiate some EA team meetings or social catch ups. Now this may not always be received well, and sometimes be pushed back on time and time again. But my best piece of advice here is just to persist. If you repeat something enough the message will get through and eventually they will have a light bulb moment and realise what it is you're trying to achieve. </span><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 'I don't know how to manage' manager</span></strong></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Similar to the previous point, when you think there is room for improvement, and in this case because the EA manager doesn't actually know how an effective team manager should operate, it's acceptable for you to drop some subtle hints. I think in this scenario too, it's actually acceptable for you to have a conversation with them about it. Be subtle and gentle and simply suggest things that you all could be doing as a team that would improve the team dynamic. Don't point fingers or come across in an attacking way, but rather say that it would be good to see for example, a monthly EA meeting implemented, or it would be great if we could have a one on one each week, etc. Depending on their previous experience they just may not realise the expectations on them, or perhaps they've never worked underneath another assistant before which would give them nothing to model themselves on. </span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 'I'm too busy' manager</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">As assistants we are<em> all</em> busy, that's a given. But when recruited into a senior EA role, things can get especially rough with an increased workload and increased hours of work. And although EA's in these positions know they should be leading and managing their team they just struggle to find the time. But the fact is, it's part of their role and it's something that must be done. That's not to say though that certain parts of the management role can't be delegated and outsourced to other assistants within the team. My suggestion here is to simply offer to help them, either with their normal workload, or with some of the management responsibilities. If you can free them up a little it will leave more time for them to be there for you. Most importantly if you do meet frequently and have EA meetings, ensure the actions/outputs of the meeting are delegated out evenly and not all left to the head EA for action. Similarly when the EA team is asked to tackle larger projects/events together, make sure the responsibilities are distributed out evenly. When in a position of EA leadership its not uncommon for you to be approached first to manage larger tasks and consequently you are left doing it all. If these things can be tackled though as a <em>team </em>it should improve the workload of the lead EA, allowing them to have more time to support their assistants. </span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 'I'm more senior than you' manager</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">This last type of manager essentially is one of those EA's that perceive themselves as being a lot more senior than everyone else and will either want to control your every move or want to weigh in and comment on everything you do, just to reinstate their position of seniority. Unfortunately in our field these personality types can be quite common and generally because these EA's feel the need to boost themselves by bringing others down. Whether they actually doubt your ability or they just have a chip on their shoulder, unfortunately this is the type of manager you just need to prove your worth to. Kill them with kindness I say, and then kill them with efficiency second to that! Similar to my advice for the micro-manager, involve them in everything you're doing and prove your worth. Above all just be the person that you want <em>them</em> to be. Don't get your nose out of joint because of the way they act, as clearly there are some deep seated psychological issues there around their own self worth that they feel the need to counter. Use the mirror strategy and whether they change or they don't, feel confident in yourself that you are conducting yourself in the best possible way. Truth be told, you probably wouldn't want a person like that managing you anyway!<br />
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Never feel that you are trapped when working under another assistant that has a poor management style or that is micro or mis-managing you. Don't just go home each night in tears hoping that tomorrow will bring her resignation or worse still that she'll get hit by a bus! There are always things that can be done to improve the situation and their management style, no matter how bad or bitchy things can be. Lead by example, be the EA that you want them to be, rally the other assistants in your team to do the same, and in time the management situation should hopefully improve.<br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-46721677686880614852017-02-06T21:58:00.001-08:002017-02-06T22:01:52.553-08:00EA’s managing EA’s: The key to building strong relationships - Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For most assistants that work in larger sized companies, working alongside <em>other</em> assistants is not a foreign concept, and for most teams a <em>head EA</em> 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 <em>EA's managing other EA's</em>. 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. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've blogged before on <em><a href="http://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/the-importance-of-ea-network.html" target="_blank">the importance of the EA network</a></em> 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<span style="color: black;"> 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. </span></span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) Don't cross the line</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">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 <em>used</em> 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! </span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) Make time </span></em></strong><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">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.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>3) Learn their strengths and</em></strong> <strong><em>customise your management style</em></strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">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. </span></span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4) Trust is key</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5) Managing those that can't stand to be managed</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">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 <em>do</em> 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 <em>you</em> can do to help <em>them</em>. 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 <em>them</em> 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. <span style="color: black;">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.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">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! </span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-82314227167090852482017-01-19T19:44:00.000-08:002017-01-19T19:44:03.186-08:00Becoming a kick-ass EA: The steps to nailing 'mind reading'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When it comes to describing the essence of what EA/PA's do, a certain concept comes to mind (and 'mind' being the operative word) that essentially sums up what our role requires - and that is being a mind reader! In a job that is difficult to define on a daily basis, there is one element that is consistent and that is ability to be always two steps ahead, pre-empting whatever it is that your manager is going to need and want. And you are probably as aware as I am that it's not an easy feat! I cannot tell you the amount of conversations I've had with other assistants where they are ripping they're hair out when things have gone wrong, or things have not been done, all because there was a lack of communication between them and their manager. But we're just supposed to be able to read their minds, right? Right. But unless you are some sort of psychic, reading minds does not come naturally to the average person, but that's not to say that you cannot learn the art of getting inside your manager's brain. As with other skills, this is just something that will come with time, but there are some things that you can do to help switch on your mind reading skills which will in turn have your manager/assistant relationship working like a well oiled machine.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Ask questions always</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even if you know you won't get a response for whatever reason, always ask the questions that need to be asked. Don't just assume you will know what they want, especially if the relationship is fairly new. You will never get to know the inside workings of your manager's brain and what they're expectations are unless you find out what they're thinking. So even if you cannot extract the answers you need to deliver the task at hand, try to think back to other similar situations and what they requested then....you may just find your answer. It's important to bank all the knowledge you can when you do get question time with your boss as this is your learning time - it will all be beneficial later when it comes to 'test time' when you are left to make decisions on their behalf without the luxury of being able to consult with them. But if you still are not confident and have not had enough 'question time' with your manager, make it a priority to find someone on their leadership team that does understand the workings of their brain. There will always be one person on the team that has worked with them longer than you that you can always run things by, until you find your 'mind reading' feet.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Learn from your mistakes</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ok so you under delivered on something you were asked to do, and all because there was that silly expectation for you to just to 'know what to do'. And although we all strive to be perfectionists, the reality is sometimes things just don't go the way we planned. But don't get down and out about it, just re-asses the situation and identify what you could have done to avoid this error. This is always a great opportunity too to sit down with your manager and explain that although you can usually anticipate their needs, you aren't a mind reader and as such shouldn't really be treated like one. Open up those communication channels at any opportunity you can get!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Buddy up</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although you may not believe it, the skill of 'mind reading' will eventually come and you will get to a point where you feel comfortable making decisions based on what your boss will want. But until that time does come its always great to engage with another assistant or assistants and ask them what they would do. Doesn't hurt to hear other's points of view, especially if they are more experienced than you are. And although they may not know your boss that well, they may very well have some great advice on how to extract those answers you need at the time, either via different channels or through trial and error. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Get personal</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The great assistant/manager relationships are usually those that are not just formed in the office. If you can get to know your manager on a different level other than how they are in the workplace, it can give you great insight in to their morals, values and most importantly their expectations. Although its always difficult to get one on one time with them during work hours, consider taking things offline and having the occasional coffee, lunch or even glass of wine with them so you can understand what's going in their lives outside of work. If you can talk to them about things other than work, you'll probably learn a lot about them, which will be of great benefit to you. Ok maybe you won't know who they want in the meeting that they've asked you to arrange, but you will have better insight as to what their pressures and priorities are outside of work which may in turn answer some questions around what sort of support they need when they are at work. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Sit in on meetings</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are all busy and usually too busy to sit in on endless meetings, but unfortunately the reality is if you want to understand what your manager's priorities are and what they need, its necessary. The leadership team meeting is essentially the most important meeting for you to attend and generally it is part of our role to sit in and take the minutes and/or actions anyway. But don't use this as an opportunity to zone out, or catch up on emails whilst you're in attendance. Listen, participate and learn! You'll more often than not pick up on a bunch of meetings that your manager will need with others in order to prep for certain business priorities - and without even being asked you'll find yourself putting in meetings and magically starting to learn that special art of mind reading and pre-empting what they need!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I mentioned earlier, all of this will usually come with time, but it won't come to you unless you work at it. Implement the above and in time watch your boss start to relax and connect with you, and wonder how on earth they function without you!</span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-79751989867322722182016-12-20T21:13:00.002-08:002016-12-20T21:13:41.003-08:00Hump Day Hint #15: Holiday coverage - My top 8 tips to ensure you can have a worry free break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With just three days till we all finish up for the Christmas break its not uncommon to feel so burnt out that you literally are on your knees crawling to the finish line. But putting your exhaustion aside, you need to ensure you cover all your bases before you take off on your break and make sure there is adequate coverage or plans in place for your absence. We all know that things run smoothly when we are in the office, so when we are not around things have the ability to go pear shaped (that is unless the offie is actually closed for the holiday period)! So for my last blog of the year I thought I would share with you my top 8 tips to safeguard yourself whilst on leave, allowing you to go off and have a well deserved and <em>worry-free</em> break:</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Out of office on - check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First things first, make sure you actually put an out of office on! Although we all know it's Christmas and there are obviously public holidays in the mix, it's still important to put your out of office on instructing others on who to contact for when and what. Make sure you detail who should be contacted for the different facets of your role (i.e for invoicing/PO approvals; for diary requests etc), and last of all </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">put yourself down as the emergency contact. But I stress, state that you are only contactable in 'emergencies'.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Adequate coverage - check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In an ideal world its always good to ensure there is at least one other assistant in the office that can cover you during the holiday period. But if you are in a small office and you are the only assistant, or the office is closed and you are forced to take leave, it's a good idea to keep a quiet eye on your email. Now I don't mean reading and responding to every email that comes in your inbox, as you are on holidays after all! But keep a silent eye on things to ensure there isn't any huge dramas going on that need your attention. And even if you do have someone covering you I am still a firm believer in checking that email every day, just once, silently. Keeps you in the know/loop on things too.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Pass on your passwords - check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you are going on holidays and are going to be completely uncontactable, ensure you pass on all your relevant passwords for yourself and your manager to your delegate so they can approve requests on your behalf. This is especially important if your manager is away on leave at the same time as you. Its naïve to think you can both go on leave and the whole business will just stop until you come back. It just doesn't work that way. So make sure you pass on your logins and passwords, as sensitive as this is, just ensure your delegate is trustworthy and they are stored in a safe place (i.e don't email them, and don't write them on something that can be lost, or worse still, stolen). </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Ensure you're up to date before you walk out the door - check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the hype around the Christmas period and all the Christmas drinks and events that fill your final week, don't let your work fall by the wayside. You'll regret it when you come back in the new year. Its stressful as it is coming back from leave and trying to catch up on weeks of emails, so don't create any more unnecessary work for yourself. Just be organised and be on top of as much as you can before you depart for those Christmas drinks, or last minute bout of Christmas shopping!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Forward your phone - check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ensure your phone is forwarded to the other assistant covering you, or if there isn't anyone then ensure you change your voicemail to advise you're on leave, giving your mobile number for emergencies only. Similarly, change your voicemail on your mobile advising you are on leave and that in the event of an emergency please have them text you so you can respond. Its not uncommon for your phone to ring when you're on leave and even during the Christmas period, but that doesn't mean you have to answer it. However its difficult to decipher what's urgent and what's not by screening and listening to voicemails, so make it clear that in the event of an emergency they should text you.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. Look forward at the calendar - check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The last thing you want is surprises the day or week you return to work. So have a forward look at the calendar before you go and make sure you put in place any plans you need to for that first day, or first week back so that there isn't any last minute stuff going on when you walk in the door on your return.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. Take your tools - check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's really important to take your laptop (and charger) home whilst you're on leave. Heaven forbid anything happens on the work front you will be well prepared and able to login and action anything urgent. Its better to be safe than sorry in these situations. You may think, "well I'm on leave - they can deal with it!", but a good assistant would be organised enough to have their tools at their fingertips with the ability to logon and act if necessary. Of course if you are off jet setting around the world you can't always do this, but none the less ensure you have your (work) phone at the very least. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8. Check your emails the night before...check!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I mentioned before, there is nothing worse than coming back to thousands of emails after being away for even just a few days. So my best advice is to do a cull the night before you are due back so that you know what your priorities are. Respond to any of the quick emails, and delete out all the junk that has filled your inbox. Don't spend hours doing this as technically you are still on leave, but you'll be grateful you did this when you return the next morning!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Will all the above plans in place, you will be able to have a well deserved break, with every base covered so you can actually relax! We all do such a demanding job and when the end of the year comes most of us are just ready to fall in a heap. But don't drop the ball just yet. Make your list (not to Santa!) and check all the boxes before you walk out the door.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GBng8qaWl8mZI8roOLwNhZIW5k1yk4xyVYIghvBx-pb4lG730fHHIm7fN1vbnV4J8FJdo4w4BFNK3j7ypg5LRWWceewRNlb1vm6rX0yuIINBr7EY-QXgUus7VDEc3u89epF31YJCK0Kw/s1600/merry-christmas1-300x214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Merry Christmas" border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GBng8qaWl8mZI8roOLwNhZIW5k1yk4xyVYIghvBx-pb4lG730fHHIm7fN1vbnV4J8FJdo4w4BFNK3j7ypg5LRWWceewRNlb1vm6rX0yuIINBr7EY-QXgUus7VDEc3u89epF31YJCK0Kw/s320/merry-christmas1-300x214.jpg" title="Merry Christmas" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lastly before I sign off for the year, I wanted to thank you all for your support and kind comments over this last six months. I have literally been blown away with the acceptance of my blog by you all which is so encouraging, making me want to post and expand my platform further. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hopefully next year I'll have some exciting developments to share with you.....I just need to find some time to work on them all......lucky its the holidays! Guess what I'll be doing on my two weeks off?! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wishing you all a fabulous festive season and happy and safe new year. </span><br />
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-2189882287966940962016-12-02T04:52:00.000-08:002016-12-02T04:52:19.321-08:00The value of recognition and why it should be embraced at all levels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you work in administration roles, unfortunately for most it is the norm that when you do something right or do something well, you rarely receive any thanks or recognition. But on the flipside, when you do do something wrong, boy oh boy do you hear about it! It's well documented that appreciation is fundamental human need for many, and when it is absent in our closest working relationships it can often leave us feeling undervalued, unrespected, and questioning whether in fact we are doing a good job. Many assistants I speak with explain to me that appreciation expressed through recognition confirms for them that their work is actually valued. And when you feel your work is valued, satisfaction and productivity go up, along with motivation and your desire to maintain or improve your good work. So with such a simple recipe for success, why is it so difficult for some manager's to express their thanks and appreciation to their assistants? Why are some manager's so reluctant to show their gratitude to the one's that are basically running their lives? It made me curious to investigate this on a psychological level, in the hope that perhaps we can actually shelve the idea that their lack of recognition is personal or that they don't respect the job we do, and instead reveal its just something to do with how they're wired internally.</span></div>
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<strong>Those with higher than normal expectations</strong><br />
We've all worked with or for one of these personality types before - these are the managers that have expectations so high that you need a ladder just to catch a glimpse of them. So when you work with these types you find them questioning the need to have to thank others for the things that must be done anyway. For these managers, their view is that appreciation should only be expressed when someone goes above and beyond what’s generally expected, and even then they struggle to find the words, and perhaps as not to show weakness - which leads me to the next type.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>Those that see it as a sign of weakness</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">These are the overly confident and cocky types that seem to think that others will see them as inadequate or weak if they have to rely upon them and thank them for their help. A misguided thought, as sharing our thanks and appreciation actually encourages others to do the same. On the flipside, the opposite of this is one we all know very well and that's the insecure and incredibly nervous type who constantly thank you over and over again, for the most insignificant of things (and it's usually the same type that apologise profusely, even when its not necessary). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>Those with baggage </strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Most of us associate being gracious and saying ‘thank you’ with our parents always publicly reminding us to be polite and thank others. Additionally we’re told as youngsters that we should be grateful for what others do for us, and as adults our partners like to remind us of that too! So for some the idea of thanking others is a forced set of words, rather than a heartfelt expression. So for those that carry around this childhood (and even adulthood) baggage often avoid recognition at all, mostly as an internal protest or inner rebelliousness that makes them feel more in control. <br /><br />
<strong>Those with social anxiety </strong><br />
Lastly there is those that are so socially awkward, they avoid any heartfelt thanks for fear that something else should need to happen or need to be said after saying that 'thank you'. So its avoided altogether, to prevent any undue focus on themselves or any feeling that one always has to do something similar to reciprocate. In effect, not saying 'thank you' keeps the communication channel closed, conveniently for them.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To me, all the above are just excuses, especially in the workplace. Despite how your brain is wired, as leaders it's your responsibility to learn the art of recognition and how it should be dealt out. There are three simple rules that should be followed when it comes to recognition, and perhaps something that you too can adopt and use, as to lead by example. Show your manager, or manager's around you, that being gracious is not that hard, and can go a long way for some:</span><br />
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<strong>1) </strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Customise the recognition for the individual</strong> - if an employee doesn't like to be thanked publically and put on the spot, then don't do that to them. Similarly, if they love the lime light, then acknowledge them in the right setting. Ultimately you want them to feel comfortable being recognised, and if they are likely to become highly embarrassed then its necessary to tweak your approach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>2) Be specific</strong> - don't just say 'thanks for your help', thank them specifically for what they've done so it shows you are genuine and that you understand the effort that was involved in the task.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>3) Be sincere</strong> -Thank and recognise them because</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> you mean it, not because you are forced to. Be genuine, make a big deal about it and be consistent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gratitude is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it gets. Daily acts of gratitude also release that lovely and pleasurable hormone, dopamine, into the brain. Which is just another good reason why we should all be more gracious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These principles of recognition should be embraced at every level in the workplace– not just manager to assistant, but colleague-to-colleague and even assistant to manager. For many assistants and support staff, a small amount of recognition can be valued more so than a pay rise – yes you read that right! Many assistant's that I speak to say a simple pat on the back and acknowledgement of their hard work would suffice any day of the week. An interesting thought. When all that's wanted is some simple thanks, it seems incomprehensible that some managers and leaders in the business world can't deliver on something so easy and not to mention free.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Thanks for reading ;)</span><br />
<br />The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-33291863643428768802016-11-24T01:13:00.000-08:002016-11-24T01:13:03.495-08:00Gracious like a swan: The importance of perception in the EA role<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi7qjNqrYAwI67FDPwXW0T2PBb4ug3kXFEDp4mK90P_WMoTM0_R5IuimBQI1Fj0cmPv4lbmLN1rwxc4K2gvEe2WapkgQgmlSflo4zcqcpnbczg5bukyT_CZDAL5R-Pc3UgYwUwTDubTsb/s1600/graciouslikeaswan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="perception of executive assistants" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi7qjNqrYAwI67FDPwXW0T2PBb4ug3kXFEDp4mK90P_WMoTM0_R5IuimBQI1Fj0cmPv4lbmLN1rwxc4K2gvEe2WapkgQgmlSflo4zcqcpnbczg5bukyT_CZDAL5R-Pc3UgYwUwTDubTsb/s640/graciouslikeaswan.jpg" title="perception of Executive assistants" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><em>'Like a swan: calm on top, paddling rapidly underneath'</em></strong> </span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That is one of the best analogies I've heard when it comes to describing the complexities of the EA role, and funnily it was used quite a few times by the presenters last week at Intrepid Mind's annual <strong>EA Congress</strong> in Sydney. With a great line up of EA's and professional facilitators, there was so much to takeaway from each of the sessions on the agenda. Although probably not intentional, the conference had a heavy theme than ran throughout it on the importance of perception, presence and credibility as an EA. Three things that are very close to my heart, as I have always preached that the level of respect you receive as an assistant will always be in line with the level of executive presence you exude. If you want to be treated like a senior EA, then act like one. </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As human beings, we will always </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">make judgements on others based on how they present themselves. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You need to be bought in an instant, your credibility is everything in this role. With that in mind, I've listed below some of the key points I noted at the conference that really highlighted for me the importance of perception, presence and integrity in the EA role:</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>1) Self examine yourself</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Think about how others actually perceive you. The way you dress, the way you hold yourself, the way you speak, the quality of work you produce. Are you doing the best job you possibly can? </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How does it look when you come in late, or leave early, for example? And what message does it give to others when sit at your desk all day with your headphones in? Look at yourself through your colleague's eyes - are you being the best EA you can be? Think about the areas where you could improve, make a list, and work out how you'll counter them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>2) Keeping your</strong><strong> integrity </strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We've all been asked something before where we don't know the answer. But if you don’t know the answer, don’t admit to it. Your integrity is what’s at stake here – take a note and let them know you'll get back to them. Its not always about having all the answers, its about having all the right questions to ask to ensure you give them the best answer. The key here though is actually keeping your word and getting back to them. If you say you are going to do something, then do it.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>3) Managing your emotions</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">When things get crazy, and those little legs of yours are paddling frantically underneath the water, its essential to remain calm on the surface. But it's easier said than done. Take a walk or a breather to get it together and return only once calmness has been restored. You don't want to be known as the EA that cries or explodes when it all gets too much - go and do it somewhere else, but never at your desk or in the company of your colleagues! There are many strategies you can adopt to help manage your emotions and your stress, but the idea here is to be proactive in managing your emotions, not reactive. Try practising meditation or mindfulness to ensure you are balanced and centred, and ensure you do something positive and gracious for yourself and other people every day - it will fill your brain with enough dopamine to be able to deal with the constant 'threats' that get thrown at us on a daily basis and set us up to be able to cope with them a lot better. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";"><strong>4) Your body language</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">Think about how you carry yourself. When you interact with other people they are constantly reviewing you - how you stand, how you speak, what you do and what you say. All of these things contribute to your credibility, and w</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">hen you don’t have credibility it can create a distraction, meaning you don't get heard. For example, how hard is it to concentrate on someone when they're talking to you and they've got food in their teeth?! You don't hear a word they're saying right? But this isn't about making sure you don't have food in your teeth (that's a whole other subject!), its about controlling your body language. It's the same when speaking with someone and your biting your nails, or twirling your hair around your finger, these distraction take away from being heard. Also consider other essential body language characteristics that will shape your credibility - like always keeping e</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ye contact and not looking at the ground; not entering other people's p</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">ersonal space; </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">not having your arms crossed or having your hands on hips; and staying centred and steady when you talk. Always b</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">e confident, be present, and be you.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";"><strong>5) Your language</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">Have you ever referred to yourself as 'just an EA'? Well don't! There is nothing 'just' about what we do! Watch your language and stay away from disempowering and minimising language like this. Phrases like 'I'm no good at that', or 'I'm not sure I can do that' lack confidence. Your words become their thoughts, remember that. Similarly, stay clear of hedging language, and words like 'maybe' which sit you on the fence and deem you as being indirect. Always be direct, especially with those that are demanding of your time/skills. You can say no, but nicely and with respect. Don't apologize for your inabilities, or seek permission <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from others unnecessarily - you know what I mean here - these are the phrases we all so often use, like 'I'm sorry, do you mind if I.....?' or 'Is it ok if I....?'. More than anything else it just drives other people crazy! Lastly, always listen, something that is essential in our role - if you don't listen, you won't be able to deliver.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>6) Your voice</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Similar to language, think about your voice and how you use it. Is your voice too nervous? Too low? Too high perhaps? Are you a quiet talker? Or an up talker (when your voice raises up at the end of the sentence, which is often misinterpreted as a question)? Create more confidence in your voice, be more commanding, talk down and without inflection to ensure you are always taken seriously.</span><br />
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</span><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>7) Your attitude</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Being an EA is a profession, not just a job, and the attitudes of all EAs need to match that mentality. Choose your attitude everyday, and choose to do it with a smile. We are here to help, so be a </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">facilitator, not a gatekeeper. Seek feedback from your colleagues where it voluntarily isn't given out, and consider doing a 360 degree feedback survey to get holistic view of your attitude and they way you perform. You might be very surprised how others perceive you. </span><br />
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</span><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>8) Have the smarts</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">If you feel like you are seriously flying by the seat of your pants in your role and just don't feel educated enough with what you are doing then speak up and get the training you need. Don’t be afraid to ask. Alternatively get a buddy to help you where you have downfalls (i.e in excel or reporting). Make a list of go to people to help you with the areas where you need assistance. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">You need to be invaluable to your Executive, you need to be the ‘go to’ person - so if you feel you are not that person, or not invaluable to them, then do what's necessary to make yourself that person. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>9) Attention to detail</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="color: black;">What's your quality of work like? Do you proof read everything that comes your way? Handing things to your Exec with mistakes reflects on you. Make your boss’ job easier by giving them things that are clean and correct the first time. Are you reliable in this respect? Aim to always get it right the first time. </span></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>10) Leadership and management</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Leadership and management are integral parts of our roles. No longer are we considered the admin
support, we are managers and leaders- managers of our Executives and leaders in our own right. We are no longer restricted by our positions, the only restrictions are from our own mindset. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" (Eleanor Roosevelt). A quote that is so very true and it goes back to my point earlier - if you want to be treated with respect and seniority, it has to come from within. We need to very mindful of the way we speak of ourselves and the image we portray. If you want to be a leader, then act like one. </span></span></span><br />
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The power is with you to improve your executive presence and your perception to others. Change your mindset to one that is willing to learn and grow to be a stronger EA. Challenge yourself to be a better and more gracious swan on top, with stronger and more efficient legs underneath that will efficiently and effectively get the job done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Next year <a href="http://www.intrepidminds.com.au/" target="_blank">Intrepid Minds</a> will host their annual EA Congress again in August in Melbourne, and this time yours truly will be there to present! As I've mentioned before, I highly encourage you to have those conversations with your boss on the value and importance of investing in training and conferences for yourself and your fellow company EA's. Whether you're new to your role or been doing it for years, the motivation and inspiration conferences and workshops like this bring is awesome, and is something that we need every year to ensure we are striving to be the best 'swan's' we can be.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-37935006404875493192016-11-16T15:02:00.000-08:002016-11-16T15:03:29.999-08:00Hump Day Hint 14#: Email vs Phone - What's your operating style?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Email vs phone - which do you use? This may seem like a trivial question and probably one that bears no significance at all, but in actual fact your operating style - whether you use phone or email - determines what kind of assistant you are and what you're like to work with. And you may not realise it, but your operating style can actually affect others. I'll explain why.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I embrace the email operating style myself, and with good reason. In a job that shows no boundaries in what's asked of us, its essential for us to be able to track what we do. When managing thousands of requests from all directions, the use of email can actually come in handy, especially when you are asked what the status is on something, or you need to pick up on a task after parking it for some time. A simple search of your inbox will uncover it all - the original request, the trail of action and the status of where it's at. Exactly what you need when you are being asked for an update by your boss! But when the original request was issued and followd up with over the phone, all that you've got to rely on is your memory. And when there is 10,000 things going on at any one time, let's face it, your memory can get a little fuzzy. Ideally for me I have a relationship with my manager that is carried out entirely over email, so that he can too can track what he delegates to me. When it comes to working with other assistants, email is also my preferred method of operation, so much so that when the phone rings I sometimes just don't answer it - as it will no doubt be followed up with an email anyway, that can be actioned and tracked, and so the process begins. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Perhaps its a generation thing, or perhaps its just individual style, but I personally find other assistants that want to do everything via phone, utterly frustrating. Its nice to be personal, polite and friendly, but when we are all doing the same mind blowingly huge job and trying to achieve the same thing, you should be excused for wanting to revert to email to converse. With flags, categories, task lists and folders all there at your finger tips to organise every piece of work that comes your way, why would you to work any other way? </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But of course there are those that want to do things via phone - they want to follow up everything invite they send you with a courtesy call; or they want to call you to check your manager's availability when they can seen it right there in the tracker; or worse still they want to call to explain an email they sent you that already explains itself. And I hate to say it, but I just don't have the time for it. We are ALL time poor, and with that in common we should have the intent to help each other out with our workloads by not picking up the phone. Don't steal precious minutes out of the day with unnecessary phone calls. When that phone rings you are forced to stop what you are doing and concentrate on the new request, which then must be either actioned there an now or recorded for later. When we are all so time poor, interruptions in our productivity are not welcomed especially when we often are working to very tight and short deadlines. But its not just the interruption that discredits phone calls, moreover, everything that is spoken of over the phone is untracked, and unrecorded. Unless that is, you are manually taking notes of what's been discussed. Yes that can be done, but is it a pain in the butt? Yes it is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what style are you? And do you ever think about how your style effects other EAs that you work with? In an era where the EA/PA role is moving towards being one of operating purely online, with online talk tools at our finger tips including Jabber, Google Talk, Text buddy and Lync, and the emergence of virtual assistants working completely remotely for their managers, the idea of using the phone will soon feel like something from the dark ages. Perhaps next time you go to pick up the phone, think twice and consider whether its really necessary, and whether an email would suffice instead. An email that can be managed in the recipient's own time, and something that can be tracked and filed by both of you.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">When you're receiving up to 250 emails a day however, sometimes we need to ensure we aren't sending unnecessary emails or emails that aren't concise. The intent should always be to ease the workload for us all, so leave the phone on its hook and start typing, with the following in mind:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>The subject line should always summarise</strong> the email's purpose so the recipient can prioritise it at a glance. Consider using headings like - Meeting Request; Information; Invitation; Response; Reminder; Action so the recipient knows exactly what is required of them.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Don’t send thank you emails</strong> - they are unnecessary and just one more email you don't need. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Be brief and concise with your writing - </strong>get to the point or the purpose so the recipient can immediately review if they are going to Do it, Defer it, Delegate it, or Delete it.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Limit use of reply all function</strong> and the copying staff unnecessarily - do we ALL need to know? Probably not.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Use Outlook's functionality</strong> - Use voting buttons where you can; set reminders/expiry dates for items that need actioning by a deadline; set rules in your inbox to filter out unnecessary emails such as meeting invite acceptances.</span></span></span></li>
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-39155974996528704392016-11-08T02:37:00.001-08:002016-11-08T02:37:35.298-08:00Hump Day Hint 13#: Being proactive - Implementing an operating rhythm for your department <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uAQzoTObOsBYO0NsVWcB_n9huEPT02YbdMMuJceFR4u3Fnfb_vAGxowi8OHprNk8D8oi25SZAX6HgtBdlwWtrHHPEXD7Yv1Z9gWOjJ6cfA2uYDR4z4Cnlw6nQkWwyp1DwNZJ9ov09Ix1/s1600/DOR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="operatin rhythm; executive assistant responsibilities" border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uAQzoTObOsBYO0NsVWcB_n9huEPT02YbdMMuJceFR4u3Fnfb_vAGxowi8OHprNk8D8oi25SZAX6HgtBdlwWtrHHPEXD7Yv1Z9gWOjJ6cfA2uYDR4z4Cnlw6nQkWwyp1DwNZJ9ov09Ix1/s640/DOR.jpg" title="Operating rhythm; executive asssitant responisbilities" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">he Departmental Operating Rhythm (DOR) is an essential and effective planning tool for all businesses and is something, in my opinion, that should largely be undertaken as part of the Executive Assistant's role. A</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">s the end of the year fast approaches, it also </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">something that we should a</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ll be working on now, before the new year begins and before we start being asked by our boss and our team to set up all their meetings for the new year!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although it's not something that is written into our job descriptions (although 90% of what we do isn't!), the DOR is something that should sit as part of the responsibilities of the EA, whether you are aware of it or not, and it's something I encourage you all to take the lead on. Essentially the DOR comprises of the series of meetings for your department that cover off all the needs and requirements of each of the levels of leadership within the team. As an EA you'll get asked to set up what seems like a bunch of random meetings each year, including the likes of one on ones, steer com's and team meetings etc. But the longer you're in your role you'll begin to learn exactly what the team's requirements are and when, which should lead you to proactively initiating these meetings by way of a DOR. What I'm saying is, don't sit back and wait to be asked to set up meetings that you know will happen each year, instead take the lead and do a review of what needs to happen and when, forming your DOR now. And even if you've been in your role for many years and the meetings don't change year after year, the benefit of having a visual planner with the operating rhythm plotted out can be of great benefit to everyone, even if you don't think you'll need it or use it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So where do you start with what can seem like a large and daunting job? First up, do your prep:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>meet with</strong> <strong>finance </strong>to understand the different financial periods of the year that will dictate certain meeting requirements and reporting requirements </span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>meet with</strong> <strong>HR</strong> to understand the time frames throughout the year for people reviews; their expectations around all team meetings/town halls; and the expectations of your Executive to conduct team listening sessions etc</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>meet with each of your</strong> <strong>Exec's direct reports</strong> to understand their meeting requirements (that involve the Executives leadership team), these might include decision making forums for their area, LT meetings with their direct reports etc</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>meet with your</strong> <strong>Executive</strong> to obtain his /her expectations around frequency of meetings for one on ones, team meetings, team off sites, workshops etc (unless you're confident it is to be replicated from the previous year)</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>meet with project leads</strong> to understand project steer co requirements and the frequency of how often they need to happen. Also obtain timelines for each project so you don't have steer co's running beyond their delivery date.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Obviously every industry, business and department is different, but I've listed below a guide of the meetings that should be considered when forming your DOR, which I've broken down by level. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At an Executive level</span></strong><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1:1 meetings with each of their direct reports</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Half yearly/ full yearly performance and salary reviews with their direct reports </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Annual reviews of staff salary and performance with HR</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Any mentoring/coaching sessions that your Executive either leads or does</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Their presence/attendance at the team meetings or huddles of their direct reports </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Leadership team level </strong>(direct reports of your Executive)</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">LT workshops or offsite days</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Weekly/fortnightly LT meetings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">People reviews</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Project steer com meetings</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Councils meetings - for adherence to policy i.e privacy; accessibility; security etc</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Results/sales meetings/period end reviews </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Senior leadership team level </strong>(direct reports of your Executive's direct reports) </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Weekly SLT huddles</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Monthly/Quarterly SLT meetings or workshops</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BPR (Business Performance Reviews) - if your department has a few different functions, this is an opportunity for a regular update to the LT.</span></li>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All team</span></strong><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All team huddles/ town halls / all team meetings- frequency dependent on team size and venue accessibility </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>For your Executive to host</strong></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Departmental listening sessions</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Education sessions/Brown Bag lunch sessions (i.e. educational/informative sessions for the wider team on topics such company initiatives; industry trends; project updates etc.)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Team visits (either teams onsite or offsite, or at different offices) </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Other</strong></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Deadlines for reports - board reports, weekly departmental reports etc </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Team communications - specifically for certain periods, i.e performance reviews, end of year results etc </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Inclusion of any Executive meetings/Board meetings your Executive attends as a Chief/Director - this will dictate preparation required by the LT to ensure your Executive is prepared to talk to certain updates and agenda items </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Once you have your list of required meetings by level, ensure you have a frequency for each and plot them out into a visual calendar/planner. This will allow you to see where there are overlaps and allow you to spread your meetings more effectively, as well as visually being able to see deadlines for reports etc. At this stage present it to your Exec as the proposed operating rhythm for the department,<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span>take on board any edits or feedback and then begin the process of duplicating it into Outlook and sending out the meeting invites for each of the meetings for the year. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslziVRJFWQBsr-O4bbzuwBaL7hyphenhyphenl2IoYNciF0K6pwVULGvt11lLyhXeJVUdi_i44fiZsNPivL7lch4osKxIvcXvko1EHU8u1gY4yzAHk0qeXYNVnVjDco6cWgiRrZ1ALn8gIQeakKsPqU/s1600/1621992276-istock_reactive_proactive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="224" id="id_d3f8_9c49_65e_a2f4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslziVRJFWQBsr-O4bbzuwBaL7hyphenhyphenl2IoYNciF0K6pwVULGvt11lLyhXeJVUdi_i44fiZsNPivL7lch4osKxIvcXvko1EHU8u1gY4yzAHk0qeXYNVnVjDco6cWgiRrZ1ALn8gIQeakKsPqU/s320/1621992276-istock_reactive_proactive.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> proposal like this presented to your Executive and the wider LT goes a long way, and will show you to be a proactive assistant who puts the needs of the team first. Move away from being that EA that has to be asked to do things, and instead be one that that just does. The difference between a good EA and a great EA is the one that is proactive instead of reactive, so start your planning early and get the recognition you so deserve.</span></span></span></div>
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The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-20262411483222151362016-10-27T16:07:00.003-07:002016-10-28T16:33:51.608-07:00Training and Conferences: why EAs should be invested in<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you are like me you probably get sent at least three invitations a week to register for various EA conferences or master classes. And if you are anything more like me you probably don't bother asking your boss to attend them. Why? Well its usually got something to do with those <em>very tight</em> company budgets that we constantly have to hear about, and the unlikeliness that they would choose an EA or a PA to send on a conference when the budgets are so tight. Meanwhile other member's of the team request to attend seminars and conferences, often overseas, and are approved to go at the cost of thousands and thousands of dollars to the company. So why is it that they get to go and we don't? Firstly let me say, if you don't ask, then you don't get. Secondly, lets eliminate the idea in our heads that they may be considered more 'valuable' to the company than us, and lets look at why we are just as valuable, if not more so. Like any sales pitch, there is a particular way you need to sell yourself to ensure </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">you are empowering and enabling yourself to reach your full potential. There is only one person in your working life that can ensure you are investing in your future, and it's not your boss, its you!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6RjS_dRWItpg91pdcuy5vyxxQaEixlVSm55TFQE70OmoPCj5M3moeYnKRz89amY4Tb1PRjc0jE8gf4BEeIg8pBfv53R2wOWVb8iHFev30kJagfcDC8MEOX1fCvYAmP1ryrUhueo3asSo/s1600/event-software-all-features.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6RjS_dRWItpg91pdcuy5vyxxQaEixlVSm55TFQE70OmoPCj5M3moeYnKRz89amY4Tb1PRjc0jE8gf4BEeIg8pBfv53R2wOWVb8iHFev30kJagfcDC8MEOX1fCvYAmP1ryrUhueo3asSo/s640/event-software-all-features.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've mentioned before that its the EA's that are the glue that hold any company together, and in turn they should be nurtured and invested in in the same way leaders of the company are. And as the right hand woman/man to the leaders of this world, there is just as much expectation leaning on our shoulders as there is resting on theirs, and as such more should be done to improve our skills to ensure we can assist them properly to achieve their goals. When Executives are paired with EAs that are lacking in certain skill sets or are lacking in drive and motivation it can be detrimental to the productivity of that Exec. Precious time is taken away from them delivering their objectives, and instead is spent doing monotonous admin that should be well within their EA's skill set to handle. The EA conferences and workshops emails that populate our inboxes each week are not sent to us just to clog our inboxes, they are actually constructed and well thought out by these conference organizers to allow for all administration professionals to step away from the office, switch off from our roles and take an opportunity to freshen up our skills, obtain new ideas, listen to how others handle things, and of course network. But sadly, when company's do send their EA's to EA/PA conferences it is usually just one (and the most senior) that attends with the objective to brief the others with the knowledge that they've learnt. A theory that makes little sense to me given its often the Junior ones that need the investment on their skills, and maybe others that have been with the company for years that need the injection of motivation. All these conferences offer group discounts to allow for multiple EAs to attend at a discounted rate, and its something that we should all be upselling to our bosses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>So how do you choose a good EA Conference?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I mentioned, we do get inundated with many conference opportunities that all can look alike. But be warned, they are not! I will always scan the proposed agendas of these conferences to check out who the speakers are, as that will always determine my decision on whether I ask for permission to go. As good as it is to see various motivational speakers, its disappointing to often not see any real EAs in the line up. And whilst it can be beneficial to see motivational people speak from other areas outside of administration, I often wonder whether they actually understand what its like to be an EA, and my guess is that they don't. When I do see a conference though with a huge EA line up it does grab my interest. In fact a conference email hit my inbox just last week that got my attention.......<br />
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The <strong>Executive Assistant Congress </strong>being held next month in Sydney has a fantastic line up of EA speakers and subsequently I went through the process to obtain approval to go! If you can manage the 2 days away from work and of course can work your magic with your boss, I highly recommend this incredible learning and development opportunity. The speakers include 12 distinguished Executive Assistants who will share their valuable insights and experience including <em>Jane Righton-Stapley, the</em> <em>Senior Personal Assistant to the Governor of New South Wales</em>; <em>Wendy Barrie, EA to the CEO of Uniting Care QLD</em>; and <em>Denise Keen, EA to the CEO Arup</em>. On top of that also gain exclusive insights from three senior executives on their expectation of us and our roles. Click <a href="https://mymail.ezemsgs.com/ch/33649/1fdfp/2480110/3043dw6j0.html" target="_blank">here</a> for the full agenda. To lock in your place at this inspiring event, click <a href="http://www.intrepidminds.com.au/events/executive-assistant-congress/" target="_blank">here</a> to register online, <strong>and if you mention my blog - who's the real boss - you'll receive a $100 off your registration!</strong> Remember too if you register more than three delegates you'll secure some excellent discounted group rates.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>How to get permission to go?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It's important not to ask too frequently to attend these seminars, and instead eview the content of those that are sent to you (or research them yourself online) and wait until you see one that takes your fancy. Look for speakers of interest or topics on the agenda that could help improve your skills. Be prepared to call out to your boss when asking permission the skills that need some development. If you are honest in where you fall down and show that you are prepared to work on yourself to improve those skills it will show dedication and commitment to being a better EA. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>So prepare your case in the following way:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>1.</strong> Point out the relevant topics /speakers/workshops that you are interested in and how you see them benefiting you personally.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>2.</strong> List all the benefits of you attending - to them and your working relationship, to yourself, to the company and to your fellow EA network.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>3.</strong> Detail the cost involved of registering, highlighting the early bird rates and group discount rates. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>4.</strong> On pointing out the group discount rate, use the opportunity to raise the idea of sending some other EA's in your team, or within your company. Mention how they too will benefit personally and give your opinion on how you think it will help them to be a better assistant. Offer the idea that this could be a team building opportunity for the EAs, or perhaps it could be used as a 'thank you' for their extra efforts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>5.</strong> Detail your plan for coverage whilst you are out of the office.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Its always a great idea come performance review time to raise the idea of training and investing in your skills and the future of your career. Get it on their radar then so that they know there is an expectation there that you want to attend these sorts of conferences. Get HR on your side and the strength of other EAs too. You may be able to get some budget allocated to the training of the administration staff if you can sell the benefits of it to them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Before I sign off I wanted to let you know of an exciting giveaway I have to offer this week! </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With thanks to Intrepid Minds, its is my pleasure to give away one free ticket to attend the Executive Assistant Congress, mentioned above, being held in Sydney on 16-17 November 2016 at Rydges Sydney Central!</span></strong> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVo9p636AcyMs_m6ejkMvhi7d77VLCZP8W4TAbI89eK64bPvMlMjBIgaTTtNYwoGqwrrNe_8vtIULxOtq-Fif58hewvpkmdya4wyEmDVTOw3-YuYUu6mZVAkfX4bAvOOLZeOyQU3yBUs4/s1600/giveaway-time.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVo9p636AcyMs_m6ejkMvhi7d77VLCZP8W4TAbI89eK64bPvMlMjBIgaTTtNYwoGqwrrNe_8vtIULxOtq-Fif58hewvpkmdya4wyEmDVTOw3-YuYUu6mZVAkfX4bAvOOLZeOyQU3yBUs4/s400/giveaway-time.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you are the lucky winner you will have the opportunity to attend the two full days of the conference and get to be inspired by the line up of great speakers they have on offer. Not to mention you'll get to meet me too!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It's simple to enter, just follow the four simple steps below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With just one week to enter this fantastic competition, entries must close 6pm AEDT Friday 4 November 2016 and the winner will be announced and contacted on Monday 7 November 2016.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Entrants must be Australian residents and 18 years or older.</span>The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-54074149146369201942016-10-15T04:43:00.000-07:002016-10-19T03:48:11.784-07:00Loyalty to the EA, when it doesn't exist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1dCqXIe_IcpU4-DhJvnH1cLnAHSuRPn1ge658EnEUdzr_9vv_nk6-xHW2Ulc39KIYNc6wVoti1uAj4XTVZZKYIxMDRID_e9lm-zLDXF5JIxy-qtziiNe53M5JopGusMHRm5viwF-yI5V/s1600/DollarPhotoClub_Loyalty_350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Loyalty" border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1dCqXIe_IcpU4-DhJvnH1cLnAHSuRPn1ge658EnEUdzr_9vv_nk6-xHW2Ulc39KIYNc6wVoti1uAj4XTVZZKYIxMDRID_e9lm-zLDXF5JIxy-qtziiNe53M5JopGusMHRm5viwF-yI5V/s400/DollarPhotoClub_Loyalty_350.jpg" title="Loyalty" width="400"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let me set the scene for you: you have what you think is a great working relationship with your boss. Throughout the year you go above and beyond for them, working harder than the year before, feeling more confident and senior in your role than ever. You feel incredibly proud of your efforts, and although you don't get a lot of praise, you feel confident that come pay review time, your boss will come through with the goods and look after you (after all you've looked after them!). But you sit in on team meetings listening to where the company is at in terms of their EBIT, their budget, their need for a headcount freeze, and the pressures to conform to the dreaded bell curve during performance reviews, and although you are aware of all these pressures being dictated from above, you still feel comfortable that this won't affect you. As after all, you've got the big boss on your side, right? Wrong. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you really do bust your booty year after year out of loyalty for the person that you work for, there is an expectation that they will bestow the same loyalty on you in return. But unfortunately just because you expect it, doesn't mean it will happen. Its in your nature, as an EA, to go beyond the expectations of your role, because you genuinely care about your boss, and you care that they shouldn't have to feel any extra stress or pressure than necessary, so you take on more and more just to help them. You accept the wage that is paid to you, even though you feel it doesn't match your efforts, continuing on with your efforts because that is the sort of loyal EA you are. So when performance review and pay review time comes around, and you sadly find yourself sitting in with the masses, with the same mediocre rating and pay rise as everybody else, it leaves you feeling nothing but heartbroken (and that's the best word to describe it). Not dissimilar to a romantic relationship, where you give it your all, only to have your partner treat you no differently to the last partner they were with. It makes you wonder, where is the loyalty?</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But loyalty isn't just a question of you working hard and getting a monetary reward for your efforts. Loyalty can be as simple as having your Exec side with you or defend you in a time of need. When you find yourself defending them day in and day out, protecting their reputation and honour, its nice to think they would do the same of you. Sadly though I hear many stories from other EA's of situations where their boss would openly side with other member's of the team, which is never a good look for anyone. When weakness can be identified between the Exec and the EA it can often open doors for some staff to take advantage of the break down, playing one off against the other to get their way. Its essential that the Exec and the EA always present as a united front, always being on the same page, and if this isn't happening then there is something wrong.</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3JefTSXO7nhAeInewlj6W9Z022qvkOk43YM-H8P9l17WJQmYkc99IEYsuLsp2sxZuc0bLPLLZ_Bgzc1v7Ivxp_Mi8oJe09n3QD_7bpnEGNWr_t2kM6b_085WCxN2eH4KPcxtQw5Sw2vA/s1600/working-hard-no-money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="workers pay, pay rises" border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3JefTSXO7nhAeInewlj6W9Z022qvkOk43YM-H8P9l17WJQmYkc99IEYsuLsp2sxZuc0bLPLLZ_Bgzc1v7Ivxp_Mi8oJe09n3QD_7bpnEGNWr_t2kM6b_085WCxN2eH4KPcxtQw5Sw2vA/s320/working-hard-no-money.jpg" title="workers pay, pay rises" width="320"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've written a lot about the little thanks and non existent rewards that can go along with the EA role, so when it comes to the time for pay increases and even bonuses, the expectation is that this is the time they will look after you as a thanks for your extra efforts. But when you are handed your rather below average pay rise or bonus letter, it can leave you feeling nothing less than jaded. Thoughts go through your mind of the whopping salaries and bonus they receive, in a role that they just could not do without us. However somehow the company can afford to pay their huge increase, but they can't afford to look after their right hand man just that little bit more.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So the million dollar question is, do you take this lack of loyalty <em>personally</em>? And what do you do about it?? Questions will swirl around your head making you genuinely question your own ability as to whether you are actually a good EA? Maybe they are just complying with company budgets or directives from above? Maybe you are seriously doing an amazing job, but their hands are tied? Maybe. But maybe not. I'm of the opinion that Executives in those positions always have the power to override these sorts of things. They forget though that we see all the other bonuses/pay increases of the rest of the team, so when the excuse that the company did not perform well is presented to you, of course it is not going to fly.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I see it though there are three things that you can do when you're put in this situation, and whether right or wrong, its something that you must decide yourself on whatever you feel most comfortable with:</span><br>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Say nothing</span></strong><br>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you say nothing, you must be prepared to let it go. There is nothing worse than letting issues stew between you and your boss, not addressing them and just allowing things to get awkward. Assess what it is you do for you boss and think hard about whether they are trying to give you a message (that maybe you're not doing a good job) and if that's not it then put it down to directives from above, and just LET IT GO. Will you be able to continue on at the same capacity knowing that the loyalty is not being returned? You're just going to have to, or otherwise start looking else where.</span><br>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Say something</span></strong><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbAt-HZ3u3Y0fQYQSceGT_ooOK7cBT2ote03W7s5jbj3byOe4XCgjJz-GsRIY2167tGivrt4nyhJua7Yw_yID_lkbGqifWGfmCmRN98rzvfS361ep0ecSBjOPiy61enI2Xw7_ilpfjqyz/s1600/019A46310D785705B4E9768BE2AC688C1F-main-article-6771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="bridging the gap" border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbAt-HZ3u3Y0fQYQSceGT_ooOK7cBT2ote03W7s5jbj3byOe4XCgjJz-GsRIY2167tGivrt4nyhJua7Yw_yID_lkbGqifWGfmCmRN98rzvfS361ep0ecSBjOPiy61enI2Xw7_ilpfjqyz/s320/019A46310D785705B4E9768BE2AC688C1F-main-article-6771.jpg" title="bridging the gap" width="320"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you can't let it go, and I don't blame you, you're going to need to sit them down and express your disappointment with this particular outcome. Its important you ask, what is it that you need to do to bridge the gap, to take your performance rating to the next level, or to get a higher bonus/pay rise. Or in some sad cases, the question may be, what is that you have to do to just get some thanks? An awkward conversation, but sometimes a necessary one. My best advise though is not to get emotional, just build your case and state the facts. </span><br>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Review your extra efforts</span></strong><br>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My mum once said to me, if you feel under appreciated in anything you are doing in your life for another, then stop what it is you are doing. They will soon appreciate your extra efforts, once they are no more! Again assess what is you are doing for them that is over and above what you are paid to do. Working late nights, working weekends, taking calls at unreasonable hours and jumping when they say jump could be scaled back just to your 9-5 hours. Although this may not give you the same level of satisfaction that the extra efforts once did, you'll probably find that your pull back will initiate some sort of conversation on their behalf which will lead you to stating why your behaviour has changed, and ultimately will bring the issue to ahead anyway.</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjOrY2kwsNDpPXSMKFrYenz6bN2me8-9o32WAksCZEM07_rLlegZhQ-OTr7IgwQrNLVySM86di6vN3ZzSLZKmO8n1tzl7pRYRjGiGxdVwz75loaHVSFm5zUYdNRfaAggsy05Fzv6f3tTm/s1600/SmartTalent-Four-Steps-to-increasing-Employee-Loyalty2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="job love" border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjOrY2kwsNDpPXSMKFrYenz6bN2me8-9o32WAksCZEM07_rLlegZhQ-OTr7IgwQrNLVySM86di6vN3ZzSLZKmO8n1tzl7pRYRjGiGxdVwz75loaHVSFm5zUYdNRfaAggsy05Fzv6f3tTm/s400/SmartTalent-Four-Steps-to-increasing-Employee-Loyalty2.jpg" title="job love" width="400"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not all of us are in these 'one way' work relationships, just some of us. And throughout your work life you'll usually have the experience of both - the loyal and the not so loyal. But there are wonderful Execs out there though that do look after their EAs, and I've heard marvellous stories of them paying their EAs a 'sling' out of their own bonuses each year, just as a thanks for looking after them. Now that's loyalty right there, not to mention generosity. If any of you are lucky to have this sort of boss, I strongly advise hanging on to them! Again it's a case of being prepared to find that ultimately happy EA/Exec relationship until it kills you. We all go through the bad to get to the good, it's just a way of life. Keep at your journey. You'll get what you are after in the end. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">And remember keep pushing the idea to #raisethepayfortheEA. </span>The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-33560342841103445032016-10-12T03:30:00.000-07:002016-10-12T03:54:11.116-07:00Hump Day Hint 12#: Searching for perpetual happiness, the interview questions every EA must ask the Exec.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8q5NkivsjUoZ1fwEtVzs7gplIOOeeKsaqG3r5mWgEbQ0OqF3OCe95lk94S1H7mi-f_VmDGMPrGQpbW35RPq1d9aggbHT2WWEPDV1O7Xzduh06tx0ycwpIX9qGhVmJdhtHWYe5cydhDPJF/s1600/FINDINGTHERIGHTFIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Job Interviews; EA jobs" border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8q5NkivsjUoZ1fwEtVzs7gplIOOeeKsaqG3r5mWgEbQ0OqF3OCe95lk94S1H7mi-f_VmDGMPrGQpbW35RPq1d9aggbHT2WWEPDV1O7Xzduh06tx0ycwpIX9qGhVmJdhtHWYe5cydhDPJF/s400/FINDINGTHERIGHTFIT.jpg" title="Job interviews; EA jobs" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The internet has an abundance of articles on it of questions you may be presented with when it comes to job interviews. And where most of the questions online are applicable for the EA roles you're interviewing for, its important to keep in mind a few key things when doing your interview prep. It's the interviewer's role to determine whether we are the right fit for the position by asking all these questions of course, and more. The preparation you do to answer these questions is paramount for you getting the role, but its not just their questions that you need to prepare for. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Y</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ou also should also be armed with what questions <em>you </em>will ask them too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you reach the end of an interview and are asked finally, 'and do you have any questions for me/us?' and your answer is 'no', then you can kiss that job goodbye. I've interviewed many candidates in my time and the ones that don't have a single question prepared for the interview's end, will not get a look in to the next stage at all. If you have no questions to ask you are basically stating that you have no interest in the role, no interest in the company or the job you would be being employed to do. Now why would you want to employ anyone who has no interest in what they're doing or where they're working? Or moreover, no interest in <em>who</em> they're working for and how they operate?! Even if throughout the interview all the questions you had prepared have been answered be ready to just make a couple up on the spot! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what should you ask? Remember that these are not just general questions, you are interviewing them! The relationship with your Executive should be a two way street, and where they are trying to establish if you will be a good fit with them, you too should be trying to establish if they will be a good fit with you! These are my top ten questions that I always ask when interviewing and am happy to lend them to you for you to use too! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>1. Can you describe how you work? And how you interact with your EA?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have them explain how they manage their email and calendar and what is the EA's role in this? Th</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ere is nothing worse than starting a job to find out you have a boss that likes to manage his own calendar, when that's something you've always done for them in previous roles. Also have them detail to you how they see the role, what they see the delegated tasks to be and anything else specific that you'd be required to do? This is also the time to touch on whether you will be expected to do any personal errands for them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZJ2KLwmMyUM80PanvCkbo3JaHB-ShvSunmL-uB7FY87FloM6eQoMLmfsAOG6FD7yM1pwlchb4IaN-Zqttl-cdH7UEvddxdGkXmyKnVZYqF4IeKul-OVJ9ykfmAH8KN6oTVhAbD9rsM0J/s1600/cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Job interviews; EA jobs" border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZJ2KLwmMyUM80PanvCkbo3JaHB-ShvSunmL-uB7FY87FloM6eQoMLmfsAOG6FD7yM1pwlchb4IaN-Zqttl-cdH7UEvddxdGkXmyKnVZYqF4IeKul-OVJ9ykfmAH8KN6oTVhAbD9rsM0J/s640/cartoon.jpg" title="Job interviews; EA jobs" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>2. Who is in your leadership team and is there an expectation to support any of them</strong>?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This one is an important one to ask, if they haven't covered it already. Its rather cheeky of them to employ you in a 1 to 1 capacity supporting the Executive only to have you start and find out you have the calendars of eight of their direct reports too. Boundaries need to be established from the get go. Have them explain the way the team is structured, what the percentage of women in the team is (if that is important to you), who does what, and how many in the wider senior team etc.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. What sort of hours do you keep?</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They may fudge the truth a little here as not to scare you off, but try to read their body language none the less. You need to determine whether there will be any expectation for you to match their hours. Ask them what time they start their day each day, and what time it ends. Do they expect their EA to be there at each end of the day? Although we are their support, we also don't get paid as much as them, so for us to be there 12 hours a day can be somewhat unreasonable. These are the pieces of the puzzle that you can asses following the interview to establish whether it will the right fit for you, not just the right fit for them. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. How would you describe your management style with your EA?</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Again they may just be inclined to tell you what you want to hear and then in reality do the opposite. I once was interviewed and asked the Executive this question, he replied back saying he let their EA work very autonomously and put full trust in them with the tasks he delegated to them. When I started with that particular boss I soon found out he was a complete micromanager and wanted to oversee every single thing I did and wrote. Complete and utter fail! And a mistake I made that I'll never make again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">how do we take the answers they give us as gospel when we are just being told what we want to hear? This is an issue that applies for both parties. The interviewee will also upsell themselves even if that means fudging the truth a little. But the key is to start asking questions that will be revealing of their character. Its time to get strategic, in the same way they are strategic in what they ask you. How many times do you answer questions that start with "tell me about a time when........", well now's the time to ask them back! Perhaps don't start your questions with that preface, but maybe ask some questions like this:</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. What are your priorities in your role and how do you see me helping you achieve them?</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whether you actually care about their priorities or you don't, this question is actually designed to find out how they see you in the bigger picture. Are you actually going to be heavily involved in their day to day priorities or are you just going to be the assistant that sits there and screens their calls and get their coffee? You are obviously looking for a partnership that has mutual respect, so if you can get them talking about how they see you two working with each other it will reveal a lot about how they see the EA in their eyes, how valid the EA is and how much respect they have for them. Needless to say you don't want to end up with someone who doesn't see you as their equal.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. How do you see me sitting on your leadership team and will I participate in your team meetings?</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you didn't get any insight from the previous question then this one should reveal how they actually see you. It's obviously important that you are made to feel like part of the team and being part of their team meetings and any other team activities they do, should serve that purpose. If you aren't getting a straight up 'yes' on this question then alarm bells should be going off with you.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. Tell me about the relationship of the best assistant you've ever had. What was she/he like? What was it that she/he did well? What made you work well together?</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is an awesome question as they should literally tell you want they're wanting here. If what they tell you doesn't sound like you or sound like something you can do, then its time to exit stage left! And likewise, if they can't tell you anything about their best assistant be very wary. They either have way too higher expectations or worse still just don't see the EA role as being one of importance.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8. How has this role come about? And how long was the last EA in the role for?</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's really important for you to do some digging here and find out what happened to the last EA. Did they leave on their own accord? Did they get sacked? How long were they there for? You won't always get the truth with this question, in fact you probably won't at all. But listen carefully to what they do tell you as you can usually put the pieces together and work it out. How they left should generally give you some insight in to what the Executive is also like to work with. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>9. What would you describe to be the single biggest challenge for me in this role?</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I mentioned in my other blog </span><a href="https://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/the-struggles-of-being-eayourre-not.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The struggles of being an EA, you're not alone</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> there are always going to be similar struggles wherever you go and whoever you look after, but this question should reveal to you what <em>they</em> think will be your biggest challenge. And if they try to dart around this, or they don't give you a definitive answer then push a little harder. Every company has its weaknesses and although the interviewer/Exec may not be quick to reveal what that weakness is and how it will impact you, they may provide some sort of insight that you can read in to.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">10. Am I the only EA in this company/ or in this team? If not how many EA's are in this team and do they have a strong network?</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><em>Network</em> is the key word in this question. Unless it is your intention to work in a small company as the only EA, its always better to go for a company that has a good strong EA network that can support you with your on-boarding and then beyond. Again, the interviewer will always tell you that the EA network is a strong community that will always be there to support you, but this is where you need to ask questions beyond that, like "do they meet regularly for EA meetings?" and "what sort of leadership does the EA to the CEO give?" and finally "is there any type of mentor programme for the EAs, official or not, that I could get involved in?". These direct questions should reveal what the EA community really looks like and how active it is. Interviewer's will often use the strong EA network as a selling point to you, so make sure you delve deeper with these questions to find out whether they're being truthful or not. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In this day and age it's difficult to be picky or selective when jobs are so few and far between. But if you already have a job and can afford to be selective then by all means do it. If you are committed to finding one of those perfect and happy Exec/EA relationships, then you need to be prepared to change companies until you find your perfect match. This is a concept that not all generations get, my parents generation in particular struggle to understand my position on this. They often say to me that I'm not paid to be happy, I'm paid to work. And perhaps that might apply to other jobs, but I'm adamant they don't understand what it means to be an EA. The EA/Executive relationship is nothing like the normal employee/manager relationship. You work so closely with your Exec you basically know what they ate for breakfast this morning and when their last bowel movement was! To say you are close is an understatement. So to sit in an unhappy relationship 8 hours a day, 5 days a week is not something any one wants to do, and its not dissimilar to those wanting to get out of an unhappy marriage or relationship. If you get on each other's nerves or don't work well with each other then its a recipe for disaster and ultimately will just not last. So I'm all for searching for perpetual happiness in your work life. If you want something that badly then go get it! </span><br />
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<br />The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-84861473162537489002016-10-08T05:44:00.000-07:002016-10-15T04:43:41.975-07:00The great satisfactions of the EA: A deep dive on the positive elements of our role<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With such a great response on my blog <a href="https://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/the-struggles-of-being-eayourre-not.html" target="_blank">The struggles of being an EA, you're not alone</a>, a lot of you were quick to point out that although there are challenges with our role, there are of course positives that come with the territory too. And I couldn't agree more. Although I think sometimes however, that it can come down to what type of day you're having! As I'll mention below, no two days are the same, and that applies to how we feel about our roles too. We all have days (or weeks, or months!) where we are just 'not feeling it', we lack motivation and everything feels like a massive effort. But then there are also those days where our jobs give us great satisfaction and joy. These are the days that you sit back at the end of the day and reflect, feeling nothing less than proud of yourself on what you achieved. And with roles that are completely undefinable, some of the tasks we are delegated seem completely unachievable. But once those tasks are complete, the self satisfaction and pride we feel out-weigh those other bad days, leaving us to think that those days were probably just due to a bad case of PMS. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkvK1LB5VgZ7HQ_AiBJ-MWZRQWNtCMiNnPa-GuGJjFimwY-5hhs8b4KG8bZn2XIkjqBiH_PfWfE1WHfhEU7pE9e1tgi0sNVZXhLA6lTQcUStYsa7oNaOGg1_hifLJR8G7gM1PF2VQo6S0/s1600/tumblr_o4yoieWDYC1u3vseto1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Wonder woman in the workplace" border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkvK1LB5VgZ7HQ_AiBJ-MWZRQWNtCMiNnPa-GuGJjFimwY-5hhs8b4KG8bZn2XIkjqBiH_PfWfE1WHfhEU7pE9e1tgi0sNVZXhLA6lTQcUStYsa7oNaOGg1_hifLJR8G7gM1PF2VQo6S0/s400/tumblr_o4yoieWDYC1u3vseto1_1280.jpg" title="Wonder woman in the workplace" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The days where you love your job though, can roll on, one after the other, providing you with a natural high that makes you want to work harder and smarter, to feel that high over and over again. Like a drug, we chase that feeling of self worth, knowing that we are capable of doing anything and everything that is thrown at us. We are, after all, a work-version of 'wonder woman'!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But even with all these positive elements of our roles, sometimes it is necessary to have to sell our job to others. As we all know there is major misconception of what we do, with us often being labelled as 'just the admin person'. But there is nothing 'just' about our roles. So that in mind I've detailed the top 14 positive aspects of being an EA, combined with some gracious contributions from my dedicated readers. Feel free to reel them off to the non-believers in your workplace, or to that relative at your next family get together that asks you "how that secretary job is going?"......grrrrrr. Read on and let them have it!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) The role is what you make it</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The great thing about being an EA, is the role is whatever you really want it to be. On top of the daily hygiene of diary, emails, coordinating travel etc, you can basically get involved in whatever you want to. As long as you don't spread yourself to thin and your regular tasks don't suffer, you can create or get involved in whatever projects you wish. Identifying processes that need implementing or reviewing; assisting with team events; getting involved with the EA community; or embarking upon or even implementing a mentor program - the world is basically your oyster. Whether you work for a large company or small one, it doesn't matter. Just have the conversations with the relevant parties, including your boss, and start building on your role. Make sure you write down what you do though or add it to your job description so when it comes to annual review time you don't forget mention all the great additional things you do. You can get involved in a lot of 'extra curricular activities' outside of your role, and implement a lot of things that your boss would know little about. That's the beauty of what we do, we can work so autonomously and seamlessly that our bosses are none the wiser of what we actually do each day. Which leads me to my next point.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) No two days are ever the same</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Everyday when I wake, I open my eyes and reach for my phone to check my emails. Its an absolute <em>must</em> do each morning to see what I'm up for. No two days are ever the same when you're an EA, and no matter which industry or business you're in, each day will present different priorities and urgencies that you and your Executive will have to deal with. But whatever the day looks like you will need to manage the usual tasks in an around those priorities. It definitely makes for excitement. Our roles could never be described as boring, regardless of what others think. With a misconception that we are desk bound, typing letters and answering phones, you could not anticipate or predict what any day will look like. It's definitely not for everyone.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3) The flexibility to work around your boss</span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NJsxRYGjVRkxYUtKl2acW-PFJ6BM4tXkzDEcR9BW2dxw86ynpJBoH35ETo2bVrPU86gNC51q4RCA7MzOr9tdQrc8yOvzGhdxZUB0rcHpBsH4B4BQPK80m4XvDRyguUQHA5_IvuEBjzKn/s1600/womanworkingfromhome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="working from home" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NJsxRYGjVRkxYUtKl2acW-PFJ6BM4tXkzDEcR9BW2dxw86ynpJBoH35ETo2bVrPU86gNC51q4RCA7MzOr9tdQrc8yOvzGhdxZUB0rcHpBsH4B4BQPK80m4XvDRyguUQHA5_IvuEBjzKn/s320/womanworkingfromhome.jpg" title="working from home" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speaking of <em>not</em> being desk bound, another positive of being an EA (usually) is you have the ability to work around your bosses presence in the office. So if you're lucky and you have an Executive who is a frequent traveller, you may have the luxury to actually take some time away from the office and work from home. This is a clever little thing to do so you can actually get things done without being disturbed! Obviously this is only possible if your boss is agreeable of course, but they must understand how many times a day you can get interrupted, just by sitting at your desk. It's a documented fact that productivity in the work place goes right down with the interruptions of emails, telephone calls and other staff coming to your desk. It then takes a considerable amount of time to regain the same amount of concentration you originally had. If you have the flexibility of being able to work a little at home (on the basis you won't be distributed there too) to knock some of those big items off your task list it can be extremely beneficial and a great perk of our role. Additional to that, EAs get set up with all the tools we need to work wherever we want. Most of us have laptops and smart phones giving us the ability to work on the go, and as long as this doesn't encroach on your work/life/balance this can be a real positive. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4) The care-factor</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Do you ever feel like the relationship you have with your male boss could literally be a second marriage? Do you find yourself looking after them in the same way you do your partner or husband? Trying to get them to drink a litre of water each day; ensuring they eat good healthy food; and are not working too long hours? When they ring you when they're on holiday, do you find yourself telling them to go back to their family and stop thinking about work?! And if you've got a female boss do you revert to the mother/daughter relationship? I don't know about you, but this is one of nice and cheesy parts of our roles, where we click into our maternal drive and just want to look after them, because we care. It's nice, if nothing else, and even better when they care back. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5) You've got the power!</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is great satisfaction knowing that you're in control. Whether it be the control you have over your boss and everything he/she does; control of who has access and time with them; or perhaps it's just the control you have over the way the office runs in general. At the end of the day, you're the one with the power, and power is a sweet taste that you could literally roll around in your mouth forever (especially when it comes to some of the struggles we do have to deal with in this role).</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I must caution you though, as sweet as that power can be, do not get carried away with it. Some EA's end up with a nasty gleam in their eyes, where the power has gone to their head, walking around the office like they own it. There is a fine line that is not to be crossed. So by all means, bask in the glory, but just don't get carried away. Which leads me to the next point.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6) Others fear you</span></strong><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_9ku8ZEWVnJ2s6Ax6I29nc4muNA0oFeO12cGaD_rgnXM8sXmm2OzRh12tNmRQmU2S2jP0bK-HTnNSjHOadrnnrMTQhnuhY2EV2eiODl5SXfoLfe-ZasXOaEXwKM_5og_22xBbGZq6nS6/s1600/MW-BQ853_pfboss_MG_20131212183730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="others fear you" border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_9ku8ZEWVnJ2s6Ax6I29nc4muNA0oFeO12cGaD_rgnXM8sXmm2OzRh12tNmRQmU2S2jP0bK-HTnNSjHOadrnnrMTQhnuhY2EV2eiODl5SXfoLfe-ZasXOaEXwKM_5og_22xBbGZq6nS6/s320/MW-BQ853_pfboss_MG_20131212183730.jpg" title="others fear you" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you're the one who has to deliver all the messages on behalf of your boss, it's only natural for others to start to fear you in the same way they fear them. And when I say fear, I'm really referring to respect. Sometimes we have to get a little 'dirty' when it comes communicating things to people who just continuously do the wrong thing, and sometimes we have to pop on our 'fear face' when it comes to ensuring staff member's comply with policies and process. But there is always a certain element of satisfaction when you see that bit of fear in their eyes, or you suspect the tone of their email to you is nothing less than fearful. It instils the seniority in your position that we all fight so hard for, and the respect we all deserve. You can't help but smile when you feel that respect. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7) Rubbing shoulders</span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVLOL15Lx2VlJc0hlh8mrDbXGh3SjCH10y1gMwuwcqr3uz_yprGCHBg2Hv691tGe9Sx_NimYrXyWTaaNfQ5YH2_NAbS39d4qo10V_Qs-bJtPhW1JHowILPqIi19NcLxgeIykQRuVZZzN7/s1600/Business-Talking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="networking" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVLOL15Lx2VlJc0hlh8mrDbXGh3SjCH10y1gMwuwcqr3uz_yprGCHBg2Hv691tGe9Sx_NimYrXyWTaaNfQ5YH2_NAbS39d4qo10V_Qs-bJtPhW1JHowILPqIi19NcLxgeIykQRuVZZzN7/s320/Business-Talking.jpg" title="networking" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another time you'll be filled with self-satisfaction in our roles is when you get to rub shoulders with senior executives that other staff member's could only dream of associating with. It might be as simple as the CEO knowing your name; or perhaps you get to attend functions with the top company executives; or maybe it might be your boss' mate who happens to be a major 'media mogul' calls up and through conversation ask you how your weekend was. Its these sorts of things really make you smile on the inside, like you're really dealing with some important people here! Which in turn makes you important, of course!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8) Mentoring others</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you strip back the daily hygiene of what we do each day, you actually reveal some of the seriously rewarding things that we get to do for other support staff alike, and that is mentoring of course. I don't know about you, but this is an element of my job that I just love, and mainly because I like to share what, I myself, have learnt over the years. As I've talked about in one of my other </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">blogs, <a href="https://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/hump-day-hint-4-benefits-of-mentoring.html" target="_blank">The benefits of mentoring,</a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> there is a lot to be gained for both the mentor and the mentee, especially as EAs, and it's something we should all be engaging in. There is great satisfaction in seeing your mentee grow and develop, but if you're not at a level where you can mentor, then be mentored! It's just as satisfying, knowing that you have another person there to be your sounding board and to give you guidance on whatever elements of your career or life you need.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">9) When it's a success </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you spend weeks, or even months, working towards the delivery of a project or an event that you are managing, it can be incredibly satisfying when it finally reaches delivery. But even more so when that event or project goes off without a hitch, it can literally be the best feeling in the world! To know that every piece of organising you did contributed to its success is a feeling that can not be replicated. All that pride you feel then gets topped when you do get acknowledged and thanked by your boss for your efforts in such a successful event. The praise makes it all worth it. But even when that praise is not there as I discussed in my last blog, the inner satisfaction you feel knowing that you <em>created that</em> is awesome. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">10) You're in the know, on everything</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How many times a day do you get nudged by fellow co-workers for information on certain company secrets? The way they manipulate conversations in the hope that you will let something slip is seriously funny. But how great is it that we are trusted by our Executive's with all this company confidential information in the first place? There is nothing more satisfying than on a day when some serious stuff is going down, for your boss to pull you aside and give you the heads up on what's going on, to ensure you find out before the masses. Further still to sit in on senior leadership team meetings where sensitive information is discussed, never to leave that room, is just another sign of the trust and respect we are given. Which brings me to my next point.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62eIoysh23X3UlXLJ_Ui1nFB_Wzopp3DpkRnps_iC1u2aL2JgnVSzL7fiZJoMVBmNesKoJ7hbpsM5rAprCL9wUzCnWngeKc3V5ROc_rnkv-1TOqdgTTj9JkX9oBd19UVMc5Tmk2ATV0HA/s1600/co-workers-meeting-table-conference-room-7148571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="senior leadership team" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62eIoysh23X3UlXLJ_Ui1nFB_Wzopp3DpkRnps_iC1u2aL2JgnVSzL7fiZJoMVBmNesKoJ7hbpsM5rAprCL9wUzCnWngeKc3V5ROc_rnkv-1TOqdgTTj9JkX9oBd19UVMc5Tmk2ATV0HA/s320/co-workers-meeting-table-conference-room-7148571.jpg" title="senior leadership team" width="213" /></a><strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">11) Your seat at the table</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although I did detail on my last blog the feeling that we are not always felt to be as important as others, you cannot go past that we do in fact sit on the leadership team and partake in all the same activities that those senior leaders do. We all know there are some that don't like us being there, but the fact is we earned that seat at the table, along with everybody else. That in itself is a good and satisfying feeling. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">12) Set for life</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've mentioned before that not many of us have studied to become EA's, yet each and every one of us have a skill set that others would kill for. Just a couple of years spent in the EA's chair will literally set you up with skills for life. The organisational skills you utilise in your every day work life, come in handy when it comes to your personal life (assuming you make time for your own life of course!), not to mention the other skills you obtain when it comes to booking extensive overseas travel and arranging events........you'll have the BEST holidays and throw the BEST parties, I can assure you. Your friends come to you when they want help organising their wedding or event, or want advice on the latest and greatest restaurants and venues to wine and dine at. You are the go-to person, which makes you feel pretty smug about yourself. Another tick for being an EA!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">13) We are one team</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If there is one thing that we are good at, that is building networks amongst us. Most of us (although unfortunately not all of us) see the value in binding together and supporting each other as I detailed in my blog on </span><a href="https://whostherealboss.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/the-importance-of-ea-network.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Importance of the EA Network.</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> And when we do successfully build these communities and networks there is a great deal of satisfaction for all of us. The support we give each other is paramount, and if it's you that is the glue that is holding your company EA network together, then hat's off to you! Strong EA networks equal happy and content EA's, I will definitely vouch for that!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">14) The perks</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the upsides of doing what we do is that often we will be on the receiving end of some great perks, or be exposed to some rather glamorous events and people! It can depend on the industry you work in and what it is your company does, but it's always fun to coordinate (and hang out with!) celebrity speakers for events your arranging, or get invited to the races or flashy events by your company's clients. Better still when you get substantial discounts on your company's products/services, or you're lucky enough to get samples of the products they make/sell. I find whenever they're trying to decide on who to give the limited number of these samples, it will often enough come to us, as the minority in the office.....another upside! We love freebies!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So that's it, my top 14, but we all know there are definitely more positives than that. They just change on a day to day basis, just like our jobs do! I'd love to hear your take on the positives, and what other aspects of our roles make you smile. </span>The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-70738204206699540902016-10-04T01:41:00.000-07:002016-10-08T05:19:00.916-07:00Hump Day Hint 11#: Making the 'impossible' possible<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSPTKLUv35-nWFBNckqBfNrBc2cGVJ-oXdytgmisF3zfFA0HhD3MGLeXpxGukXsz_a2DLHXz7rtVNTdCLklZjhRTrH_zX8C9vGa0oWtzyG6NSHoRASgCMGrN2VTLMc9ghN2zeuKSeP2_y/s1600/stock-vector-woman-soldier-housewife-concept-of-feminism-and-services-the-woman-salutes-and-says-yes-sir-retro-31581611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSPTKLUv35-nWFBNckqBfNrBc2cGVJ-oXdytgmisF3zfFA0HhD3MGLeXpxGukXsz_a2DLHXz7rtVNTdCLklZjhRTrH_zX8C9vGa0oWtzyG6NSHoRASgCMGrN2VTLMc9ghN2zeuKSeP2_y/s320/stock-vector-woman-soldier-housewife-concept-of-feminism-and-services-the-woman-salutes-and-says-yes-sir-retro-31581611.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Do you ever hear excuse, after excuse, after excuse, coming out of the mouths of other assistants? Are you an EA like me, that no matter what is asked of you, you <em>will </em>provide some sought of solution for the person asking, even if what they're asking is just physically impossible? Perhaps this is an 'old school' mentality, but when I first started as an EA, I was coached with the idea that we were here to help out with whatever it was that your boss, or fellow team member's needed. And if you couldn't help them you would always offer some sought of solution, at the very least. And aside from the fact that it's our job to help others, I always found pride in being helpful and doing what I could. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So when I hear p</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hrases like, "I can't do that", or "I don't think that's possible", or "there's no way that can happen" coming from the mouths of other assistant's, it takes me by surprise and makes me wonder what it is exactly that they think they're there for? </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> As I've said before, in a job that is undefinable, its often our job to make the impossible possible. So how do we do that and satisfy others when you really cannot do what they're asking? Well there are a few simple steps you can follow when you find yourself 'blown away' by certain requests that are asked of you:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Listen...</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First things first, you must listen fully to what is being asked of you. Even if you can tell within the first few words that what they're asking is not going to happen, just hear them out. If the shoe was on the other foot, you would expect the same respect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Ask Questions...</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ask detailed questions to define the specific details around the request. Is there a deadline or a set date that this needs to happen by? Do they have their own ideas around how they see this challenge playing out? Is there anyone else that could help you with this? And what's the expectation around how you are to complete this, on top of your regular duties? Get all the info and facts before you even think about relaying your point of view on the viability of it being achievable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>Review the other options...</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So on review of the request you feel there is no way you can do what is being asked - perhaps you can't deliver it within the timeframe they're asking, or it maybe its just something that physically isn't possible. But before you break them the bad news, there must always first be an attempt to 'try' and deliver what's being asked, and if you cannot even do that then the next best thing will be to come up some alternative solutions for them. A simple response of, "I'll see what I can do" should be ample and should buy you some time whilst you explore your options.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can't help <em>everyone...</em></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7lp3AvgmhgCTI-rxfShRiK2CH8QChfvwbMVHHbPwR9CNtpc4dTLw9zVRd7DXO1qEA2Dg0iUSfru_QEmg-ATwzeUHvbHb9PQLvJeM2GcsNKmus7ksmiRoMbllVByx-6J_RjEG6oobVIbs/s1600/38758877-hommes-et-les-femmes-diff-rends-la-femme-dit-non-et-il-dit-Oui-pop-art-comics-style-r-tro-demi-teint-Banque-d%2527images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7lp3AvgmhgCTI-rxfShRiK2CH8QChfvwbMVHHbPwR9CNtpc4dTLw9zVRd7DXO1qEA2Dg0iUSfru_QEmg-ATwzeUHvbHb9PQLvJeM2GcsNKmus7ksmiRoMbllVByx-6J_RjEG6oobVIbs/s320/38758877-hommes-et-les-femmes-diff-rends-la-femme-dit-non-et-il-dit-Oui-pop-art-comics-style-r-tro-demi-teint-Banque-d%2527images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">On a side note, have a think about what it is that you are being asked to do, and by whom. Do you think this is actually something that sits naturally with you? Or is this a case of someone trying to palm something off to the team EA because they don't want to do it themselves? Never let yourself be taken advantage of, and I don't mean by your boss. I'm talking about those fellow colleagues that frequently forget they do still have the use of their arms and legs (or brain!) and seem to ask you repeatedly to do things that are well within their own capabilities. In these situations it is completely acceptable to push back, as at the end of the day although we are there to help, we are not there to help <em>everyone</em>. If the request still comes around your way again after you've said no, its time to talk to your boss and gain their support. Your colleagues really should not be asking such impossible requests of you without gaining the support of your Executive anyway, especially if its a task that will take away from the quality of your support to them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><strong>Sell your solutions....</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So you can't do what they've asked, and it's not a great feeling - that is unless what they've asked of you is actually so outrageous that its hilarious! So now is the time to present your solutions. We are smart cookies, and generally whatever it is that we come up with is nothing less than good ideas, if not better than the original. But unfortunately for us, our point of view isn't always considered (for various reasons that I've detailed in other blogs about how valued we are), so it will come down to the way you sell it. If you don't have a proper solution however, at least offer up some options, whether it be pushing out the time frame, involving others for more man power, or tweaking the concept so it does work. Either way offer up something, don't just say you can't.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihX7Som8lCsFOAR4DgbAvypfn3MOzthSAK_HAa79v-KmvWV5VjcgaULjoyrZnVue1gbZJKzEKl5sQpxImE4T_P9VDTU4-oQMX00ztGXo9fXN2VrpJtVndfzxE8y2-vX4tFiEZvgUVln_d_/s1600/stock-photo-woman-with-glasses-we-can-do-it-the-power-of-feminism-retro-style-pop-art-315566382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihX7Som8lCsFOAR4DgbAvypfn3MOzthSAK_HAa79v-KmvWV5VjcgaULjoyrZnVue1gbZJKzEKl5sQpxImE4T_P9VDTU4-oQMX00ztGXo9fXN2VrpJtVndfzxE8y2-vX4tFiEZvgUVln_d_/s320/stock-photo-woman-with-glasses-we-can-do-it-the-power-of-feminism-retro-style-pop-art-315566382.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">So next time you're asked the impossible just listen; ask all the right questions; explore if it will work; and then provide a solution that will. All done without the use of the word 'no' or the phrase 'I cant'. If you are starting sentences with 'I can't' then it's probably worth checking yourself. Think about it, you're an EA and you're there to help your boss and their team. If you're not helping them, then you're not doing your job effectively. Whatever the request, however unreasonable it may be, you must try. Even if its the biggest headache in the world, it will undoubtedly give you a great sense of achievement having provided a solution to them rather than just a big fat NO.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><br />The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-54415955298995492382016-09-29T05:48:00.000-07:002016-10-08T01:26:29.097-07:00The struggles of being an EA.....you're not alone<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFwve_qcGBmS_o9ug3gA5XKnQRG0IY8cKfyOq_3Obhl-0g_Dt__IoKTW22WanQwf4i5IBSFfyyXhSQcv3-7JGJtzWHAaROAUzhp6q7JsREVlaFw9NjMjajm4MGe8IcVbiP9ZGdoN_5Ohs/s1600/unhappy_worker_istock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="work struggles" border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFwve_qcGBmS_o9ug3gA5XKnQRG0IY8cKfyOq_3Obhl-0g_Dt__IoKTW22WanQwf4i5IBSFfyyXhSQcv3-7JGJtzWHAaROAUzhp6q7JsREVlaFw9NjMjajm4MGe8IcVbiP9ZGdoN_5Ohs/s400/unhappy_worker_istock.jpg" title="work struggles" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Through writing this blog I've found that commonly we all seem to share the same thoughts, feelings and challenges. Where there are good rewarding elements of our roles, there are also challenging elements, and those challenging elements come with a feelings that we <em>all</em> struggle with. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Depending on where you work and who you work for, some of us sadly will walk out of the office each day very rarely thinking, 'what a great day I had! I feel appreciated, valued, and integral part of my team!'. We all know that being an EA is a thankless job, and mainly because there is a perception that the tasks we do are just part of our job description. So a pat on the back for just doing your job, is just not going to happen. The thing is though, most of tasks we undertake each day are not actually in our job description, as these jobs we get delegated are so various and vast that they could not be listed, let alone anticipated. But yet we do whatever gets thrown at us, as if we don't do them then who else will?! So given that I thought I would highlight the top 10 challenges I think we all commonly face in our roles. I have no doubt you will all relate to the concepts and the feelings that go with them. I'd love to hear back from you how you manage these feelings too, as it helps us all to have tactics when presented with such challenges. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. You're not considered as important as others:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As much as our bosses try to make us feel like an equal in our teams, there are certainly those days where you just don't feel as important, or worse still you are <em>made to feel</em> less important than others. Perhaps we don't get paid the same, we don't have the same KPIs to deliver, or have the same budgets to meet as our counterparts, but our roles are as important as anyone's. In tight times though its always the administration and support staff that will get the cut first, but with those heads removed from the team, the realisation is quick to surface how valuable those people were. My rule is that whenever you are made to feel like you are not important then simply act that way in return. If they think they can live without you then let them. They will very quickly realise your importance and once again your value will be restored, in their eyes and in yours. Never underestimate your worth, as if you do you will never gain the respect that you deserve. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. You're little Miss/Mr fix it for EVERYTHING:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As the least valued in the team we seem to bear the brunt of anything that needs to be fixed. Ironic, I know. None the less we get things fixed and tended to, whatever it may be. The video conferencing system in one of the meeting rooms isn't working? We fix it; the teleconference number they're using for a meeting isn't working? We fix it; your team needs a meeting room all day long with 1 minutes notice? We fix it; a team member has checked into a hotel whilst travelling and has no credit card to pay for his accommodation? We fix it; your boss' flight has landed early and their driver isn't there to collect them? You fix it. Do I need to go on, or have you got the idea here? Everybody else's problems become your problems, and this is all on top of the daily hygiene of regular tasks you fulfil for your boss every day. In fact I'm sure your boss doesn't even realise all the other fires you put out on any given day, on top of their daily requirements. It just what we do, we literally are a Jack/Jane of ALL trades! But that's ok, as long as you still have the word 'no' in your vocabulary. If you are constantly saying 'yes' to everything, be careful you are not being taken advantage of. Always assess the request as to whether they can actually solve the problem themselves. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. You're a mind reader.....aren't you??:</span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVP_XmlEMoatOnnqbPwoSaMzT8RW3L02YujReQCDEK8u1Rgd4qxfqbKth5a4GqYiIbptmHBZzwyQKKT0IlPhzMwS_qSGJeUnWvhKJpZd5ZPfjgFiVbq9Db3aKdrVOhf8WdkFTdvB0N3Myw/s1600/head-massage-628x363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="mind reader" border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVP_XmlEMoatOnnqbPwoSaMzT8RW3L02YujReQCDEK8u1Rgd4qxfqbKth5a4GqYiIbptmHBZzwyQKKT0IlPhzMwS_qSGJeUnWvhKJpZd5ZPfjgFiVbq9Db3aKdrVOhf8WdkFTdvB0N3Myw/s400/head-massage-628x363.jpg" title="mind reader" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is one skill that we as EAs are all expected to have, yet it is never listed on any job ads or within any of our job descriptions. This skill is essential to do our jobs, yet it is never acknowledged. And that skill is? Mind Reading of course! It is basically impossible to do any of our work unless you are a mind reader. In the fast pace world we live in and the super fast paced businesses we work in, who has time to write out or list full details of what is required when delegating a task? With just the 'gist' we will inevitably interpret our boss' needs and requirements and hopefully be spot on with what they wanted. A skill that is highly sought after in the real world, unfortunately in the business world its just something we need to be able to do. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. You're expected to be always available and you'll respond straight away:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even though we have the largest workloads, we are expected to always be immediately responsive and always available. If your phone rings, you answer it. If you get a message, you respond to it. And if you get emailed (275 times a day) you respond to every single one! And might I add you do all of these in a timely manner, and when I say timely I mean right away! I can't tell you how many times I will get an email from someone, and 10 minutes later they're walking over to my desk to ask me if I got their email. It drives me crazy as I have no doubt it does you as well. But none the less, we smile and politely say, 'yes, I'll get right on it', yet inside we are cursing and telling them where to go! Funnily enough it's acceptable for other staff members to respond and get back to you in their <em>own time</em>, and some times not getting back to you at all! And it's usually those staff member's that are the ones that are walking towards your desk when you haven't responded within 2 minutes of them hitting send. Don't you love double standards. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. You're the clean up person:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This challenge makes me laugh and mainly because of a story a fellow EA told me once. She came to me absolutely astounded one day after having an encounter with one of the company Executives when attending a company meeting in the office cafeteria space. When the Executive went to take a seat at one of the café tables he pushed a dirty plate towards her and said 'can you get rid of this please'. She was, to say the least, gob smacked that she had been asked to remove this dirty dish, especially when it wasn't hers. The funny thing is, regardless of whether we make the mess, it always ends up being us that must clean it up. And when you've thrown a team drinks in the office and the whole team decides to continue on to the pub, its always the EA that's left behind to clean up all the bottles and the mess, as who else is going to do it?! Unfortunately that is just the way it is, unless of course you're smart (and somewhat bossy) and request the assistance of others early to help you clean up so you too can enjoy a drink at the pub with the rest of the team. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. You get dragged into everything:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Its no secret that an EA's workload is nothing less than huge, and it doesn't help our situation when we get pulled into every meeting to take minutes/actions. So how do we manage this? To actually take minutes/actions involves paying attention and listening, so its difficult to try and action emails or work at the same time. So in my mind there are three courses of action you can take when presented with this challenge:</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIsSBBmACHCpvgJnrD_kdMs7-9jauCVuGOvC8e3IhdroM7D886bHw5J4uC8qlMD0zDXTsjeUS1hJNk-lb2ceWaN8p_gk9rjiRyCKHv1O135fBiALYxUsSF81IzS8L9UxO72-cyNsFrHwW/s1600/Boring-meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="meetings" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIsSBBmACHCpvgJnrD_kdMs7-9jauCVuGOvC8e3IhdroM7D886bHw5J4uC8qlMD0zDXTsjeUS1hJNk-lb2ceWaN8p_gk9rjiRyCKHv1O135fBiALYxUsSF81IzS8L9UxO72-cyNsFrHwW/s400/Boring-meeting.jpg" title="meetings" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Accept to sit in the meetings on the basis you will only take actions, not minutes. That way you can do emails at the same time (but you will need to master the art being able to do both at once!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Share the load of the meetings across the other team EAs so its not the same EA sitting in all the meetings taking the notes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Discuss your workload with your boss and explain you cannot afford to sit in hours of meetings with your workload and present a solution of another team member to take the actions. Alternatively present a solution whereby a different team member takes the minutes/actions each week on rotation so it's a shared exercise. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. You don't get paid as much as everyone else:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No revelations here I'm afraid. And sadly its us that see all the other team member's salary increases and bonuses, that we get to compare to our own take home wage. When we ask to be considered for a pay review the response is always that 'times are tough' and 'there is a freeze on all increases and headcount', yet they forget that it is us that submit and approve the increases and bonuses in the first place. So why are we not worthy of an increase? And why do we get paid significantly less when we basically are our bosses' counterpart? As I mentioned before, you remove us from the structure and things start to fall apart. A role that is seriously undervalued and underappreciated, there should be a worldwide movement by EAs to push to raise the salary bracket we sit within. You cannot train to learn the skill set we carry, you either have the intelligence for it or you don't, yet this is not recognised. Sometimes I think that there is a perception that anyone could do our roles, but I'd like to see that happen one day as an experiment. I'd like to put a (very) non-EA in an EA role and see how long they last, if at all. We should definitely start this movement #raisethepayfortheEA</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>8. You get no recognition:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Its sad to see that many large companies we work for have reward / award programs for their staff members that acknowledge them for doing things above and beyond their role. Unfortunately many of these companies exempt their assistants from being nominated for these awards as the expectation is they should go 'above and beyond' anyway. Shocking stuff, huh? If you were to dig out the job description of an EA and then write a list of what we did in any one day it would be clear how much we <em>do</em> go above and beyond in our role. Although I must admit it does depend on who you work for when it comes to recognition. Ive worked for some amazing Executives who would publically acknowledge me for my efforts which would in turn make up for all the additional hard work put in. But when the acknowledgement is not there, but the hard work still is, it can be damaging to the relationship of the Executive and the EA. Worse still I've seen Managers publically humiliate their EAs in an attempt at humour, which I find completely unacceptable. When EA's contribute and organise anything that is above their role they should always get thanked, whether its personally or publically, as it makes all the difference in how valued you feel. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">9. Your desk is a dumping ground:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How many times have you arrived in to work in the morning, or arrived back from lunch, to find various items that have been left behind (some for you, and some not) for you to just 'sort out'. From lost property, to mobile phones that have been left in the toilet, to items of clothing and glasses, or piles of mail. Anything that doesn't have a home will inevitably find its way to your desk. The EA will sort it out, she'll know what to do! At least 3 times a week I'll have a mobile phone handed to me that was left in the kitchen or in the ladies toilets. My response is simple, 'put it back where you found it!' The owner will come looking for it eventually, don't move it on them, especially when they will be retracing their steps! Its another case of every body else's problems becoming ours, but in this case I will always push back. Its not my problem either!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">10. You're time poor for yourself:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you spend 100 per cent of your day tending to the needs of other people its not uncommon to find yourself completely time poor to do your own things! How often do you write a list of all the things you need to do for yourself on a particular day (might be paying a utility bill, booking a hair cut, picking up some bread and milk, and getting some petrol) and you do NONE of it! You can do all the scheduling in the world of your own personal tasks and still just not do them, and mainly due to sheer exhaustion at the end of the day. Its frustrating to have your bosses life running like a perfectly oiled machine, but yet our own life is just loosely strung together with calendar reminders of all the things you need to do, only to never get around to doing them! Yes it's frustrating, but at the end of the day we are only human and only capable of so much. But sometimes you need to just take an hour for yourself to do what you need to do, regardless of how busy you are and what's going on with your boss. You have a life too and it shouldn't be put on hold on account of your job. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No doubt some of these challenges resinate with you, and whether we solve them or not, sometimes its nice just to have a vent and know that we are all in the same boat, all trying to paddle up the same creek with the same broken paddle. You're not alone with your frustrations, and when you're having a 'I'm not feeling appreciated' kind of day, take solace in the fact that there is another EA out there feeling exactly the same way!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have a great weekend.</span>The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7078084121797876266.post-86522475722525807912016-09-14T03:03:00.000-07:002016-10-08T01:27:25.031-07:00Hump Day Hint 10#: It's planning time!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jCShvsaM073_sZP4RVn8L_MQ4tm4kyqGF6KDPL1jSghYdI64vp_coBiXrLGlu17ka1kaHUdSiPWQ3WjMN7VWuMss0MLXUDfczQIfwpQNA9RHPzUqrunX95C7O0RfnJi7tYPhxaRmlSJg/s1600/shutterstock_131767742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jCShvsaM073_sZP4RVn8L_MQ4tm4kyqGF6KDPL1jSghYdI64vp_coBiXrLGlu17ka1kaHUdSiPWQ3WjMN7VWuMss0MLXUDfczQIfwpQNA9RHPzUqrunX95C7O0RfnJi7tYPhxaRmlSJg/s400/shutterstock_131767742.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Happy Hump Day! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Today's hint is a rather practical one. As we fast approach the end of the year its time to start doing the planning for 2017. Although we still have another three months of this year to go, the last thing you want is to be caught out on your return to the office in January trying to book in the year's worth of meetings and not being able to secure any meeting rooms! It doesn't matter where you work, I'm sure we all have the same problem worldwide, with trying to book meeting rooms and them never being available. But the solution is simple, start your planning early and you won't have a problem. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have started my 2017 planning and have locked down most of the departmental meetings/rhythm and have done it all by following these simple steps:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>1.</strong> Make a list of all the regular meetings that occur throughout the year, that come from your bosses calendar. Include the weekly leadership meetings, any team huddles, monthly/quarterly workshops, planning days, listening sessions, team events etc etc. Base this all on what has occurred in the current year. You can review the occurrences and requirement of meetings at a later stage when you review with your boss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>2.</strong> Make notes against all the meetings of the rhythm/frequency of each and start to plot out in the calendar around other significant dates/meetings that you are aware of (i.e corporate board meetings, holidays etc). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>3.</strong> Book your meeting rooms based on the frequency of each of the meetings. For meetings that go offsite, get ahead and start checking availability so you an secure venues early.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>4.</strong> Review attendees for each meeting and issue invites. For the re-occurring meeting invites, ensure you put an end date on the reoccurrences (whether you just issue 6 months or the whole year) as ongoing meeting series can just end up corrupt and are difficult to deal with when adding/removing attendees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>5.</strong> Create a yearly planner in excel and plot out all the meetings that make up your departmental rhythm and sit down and review with the boss. Planning is a key responsibility in our role and this will ensure you tick that very significant box before the new year even begins. Its also a good idea to include special company periods on the planner including mid year and annual review time, public holidays and any corporate board meetings that will impact the departmental rhythm and flow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>6.</strong> Issue the planner to the leadership team so they all have visibility of the frequency of the meetings and update it throughout the year and re-issue where required. I like to print it out and pin it up at my desk so its there and easy to glance at when you are asked when the next particular meeting is. Just to note, this planner should only include significant and re-occurring meetings/workshops/events - not your every day meetings (but it is a good idea to include the weekly/fortnightly leadership meeting in it to ensure it doesn't clash with anything thing else of significance). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I said, its a good idea to get on to this now. It may take some time and its not something that should be left to the last minute. You'll be thanking your lucky stars you booked all those meeting rooms when the new year comes. We all know however, that nothing is ever set in stone, but at least you will have put down some foundations early that can be moved at a later date if need be.</span>The Real Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664073396613155632noreply@blogger.com0