It’s important to keep things in perspective and be able to laugh at yourself (and your boss) every once in a while. However, as we’ve heard time and again from Executive Assistants, some degree of multi-tasking is essential to the role. Be an Ambassador. Keep sharing more like this. Think about it: None of us can do it all on our own. Going back to my previous example, there was something besides her resourcefulness that helped the EA in my story snag those Laker tickets – that deep breath she took. This was a very good read after a very trying day at work, at a new company that has no real direction. The best EAs become trusted confidants and counsel for their execs. Prioritization is something you work on in collaboration with your boss and is definitely something you’ll both get better at over time. Just as you might make a daily practice of touching base with an in-office assistant, it's good practice to regularly check in with your Prialto assistant. Here are three best practices in calendar management: Incorporate External Patterns – Executive’s schedules are often bounded by fixed, external patterns … 1 Yet this may not always be the best course of action. Some examples that we cover in our article are, Top Skills for Dedicated Executive Assistants, 12. Who are you people? Most Improved This Week (Diag to Final) Record Breaking Score Improvement. III. The numbers might seem significant, but if only 20 people out of a 500-person company actually took the survey, then the results might not tell a conclusive story after all. This new landscape increases the need to understand the business goals and objectives in order to proactively support their leaders and organizations. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. To ensure that you have job security, and become one of your executive’s favorite people, here’s seven tips on how to effectively manage an executive calendar. After a good negotiation, everyone should walk away with something. Great article. We and third parties such as our customers, partners, and service providers use cookies and similar technologies ("cookies") to provide and secure our Services, to understand and improve their performance, and to serve relevant ads (including job ads) on and off LinkedIn. After you’ve prioritized your tasks, give them 100% of your attention, even if your thoughts try to wander to all the to-dos you need to tackle next. There’s no doubt that you have an important job, as does the executive with whom you work so closely day in and day out. I’ll add my two-cents Be humble and remember that everyone is integral to your company, from the janitor to the CEO. Q: What does an executive assistant do in 2021? It must be frustrating. Toss out a “win” or “lose” mentality. Guardian. Some of them more practical than others, but all very helpful for becoming a great executive assistant. Elite EAs figure out how to deliver great impressions consistently through these best practices. Excellent content! EAs deal with people – lots of them. July 24, 2013 Posted by Bonnie Low-Kramen. 74 Insanely Fun Team Building Activities for Work, 57 Fun Virtual Team Building Activities She wants (and needs) to hear what you really think. I have been doing some quick research on PA/EA’s and the services they provide. Goal tender. Beyond that, communication is foundational. Member Reviews Great catch, Lilly! Find these candidates by using our Executive Assistant test. The EA function has transformed from a supporting role to more of a strategic one. I’m exhausted reading it. How can you skew it toward your side? Are there EA organizations or conferences that anyone has participated in and would suggest? It has highlighted the areas that I want to develop and given some great resources to start developing those skills. (Knowing they would likely encounter nearly any nameable challenge in their careers, these savvy EAs found a way to remember every potentially useful resource.). So keep it real. For example, if a report from a recent survey suggests that most employees would be happier if they had free coffee, you could ask about the sample size. 38. A great read ! In fact, a recent Equilar survey found that nearly half of companies have made or plan to make changes to their executive compensation. I thought today. Just whilst going through all the sections, how much work, attention to duty, attention to all kinds of everything, I should have been paid in gold. Elite EA’s treat that investment even more carefully than they treat a $1000 order of office supplies. These skills turn solid employees into indispensable critical thinkers that always seem to have the answers. This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages. You can change your cookie choices and withdraw your consent in your settings at any time. After your conversation, write down the two or three biggest takeaways from your conversation. I would add one item. Describing the EA as well as you did, makes us feel worthy of our jobs. Biggest challenges? “I need two courtside seats to tonight’s Laker game.”. The best thing to do is to own up to it. But these weren’t normal circumstances. Read Also: 6 Tips to Accelerate Your Executive Assistant Career Path Set up a time each day (or 2 or 3 times a day, if necessary) where you guys will check in with one another to see if anything came up. See our, Lessons from the Mayflower Compact on its…, Leadership Lessons from Lincoln's Gettysburg…. Excellent article! How do they view the situation? and amazing article. Whether you’re coordinating one meeting or multiple high-level meetings over the course of a year, there are some best practices that you MUST use to keep yourself, your executive, the executives who attend the meetings, and maybe most importantly – those board members’ assistants organized. (PS – Get more sh*t done with The Assist — the #1 free weekly newsletter made for assistants by assistants.). This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Being honest and patient is important in this role. Simply select a task, set a timer for about 25 minutes, and focus only on that task until the timer runs out. Oftentimes Executive Assistants are seeing projects through from beginning to end, and working with different departments to get things done. Here are the 12 best practices I learned from some exceptionally talented Executive Assistants I've been lucky to see in action. (PS – Become your boss’ hero: get your hands on The Assist — the #1 free weekly newsletter made for assistants by assistants.). Start off your own list of resources with our favorite secret: Let’s not sugarcoat things – executives can be demanding! Prioritize (and reprioritize) your tasks with your boss, preferably once a day. Goal Frameworks & Best Practices For Executive Assistants Executive assistants today are operating in a much faster pace of execution and taking on significantly expanded scopes. Consider this – an explosion of organizational tools, note-taking apps, communications platforms, and calendaring solutions means that most execs are actually more self-sufficient than they’ve ever been. Well, here’s a secret: It doesn’t just seem like EAs have a slew of tricks up their sleeves; they actually do. Our brains just aren’t made to handle more than one complex task at a time. If I HAD to add something it would be project management and delegation skills. But, you should also make sure you have the basics covered and there really isn’t a better place to start than with a good old-fashioned book. FAQ When things go sideways technology-wise, an EA rarely has time to wait for IT to fix things. You also need to be able to communicate strategy clearly and accurately, as well as be persuasive from time to time. It was the hottest ticket in town. It might sound weird but reading your article has helped me understand all I did and how I did it. Terms and Conditions Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation Teaching Negotiation Resource Center offers. Visualize your hypothetical actions and expand your thinking skills through. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. So whether you’re committed to the EA path or hope to use the role to springboard to your dream job, here are the skills you’ll need to wow your bosses and make the biggest impact for your team. Great adds, Dani! Both an art and a science, negotiating mystifies many. To build and maintain a strong support network, EAs have to cultivate amazing networking skills. It explains with simple words what the profession is about. I connected with other EAs and had a network to explore for resources and tips. For instance, if your experience has taught you that your boss is sharper in the morning hours than after lunch, schedule that tough meeting in the morning, not the afternoon. It takes sound judgment on your part to figure out what warrants attention and what you need to shut down. Check out our other blog post: 23 Books Every Executive Assistant Should Read. One of the most painless I’ve ever experienced. Thanks for the support from an EA finding herself in deeper waters with new CEO. Today’s executives lean on their assistants not just for admin help, but for strategic counsel, technical expertise, and critical analysis. Here it is again: 23 Books Every Executive Assistant Should Read. Big career change but this blog is inspirational. thank you for sharing such informative and worth reading topics. True, you’ll rarely have all the information you need. It’s up to you to be their reality check from time to time. New at EA , this article is very helpful. Be kind, be positive. Executive assistants are similar to administrative assistants or secretaries in that they all support someone else's work—usually an executive—by handling or supervising office duties. LOVE this. Knowing All the Best-Kept Secrets; Calm Under Pressure; Dogged Resourcefulness; Ruthless Prioritization; Ironclad Discretion; Strategic Multi-Tasking; Emotional Intelligence; Speed and Decisiveness; Networking; Analytics Skills In fact, being creative and unique on your resume is one of the best executive assistant resume skills you can hold. Every meeting is a significant investment of the time of people involved. Executive assistants typically function as support to high level executives and managers. The ability to troubleshoot for your boss is a must-have skill. Thanks for sharing! Not every day will be a fire drill, but it’s critical that you can function under the high-pressure situations that will undoubtedly come your way. Executive Assistant Job Description. I really enjoyed reading this and it makes me (again) feel proud being a PA. We could not be in this job if we didn’t really enjoy what we’re doing. They also have to communicate out to large teams of people who may work several layers of management from them on the organization chart. Thank you so much Jeff. May I add another tool that I use daily even more that outlook and have taught to colleagues; the tool is OneNote especially for live agenda and minutes. This is probably one of THE BEST EA articles I have EVER read. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Consider the leverage on both sides. The EA role is a fast-paced and constantly changing one, so you can’t afford to waste precious seconds being unorganized. (Try Ensuring those meeting slots are used efficiently is the other half. Q: How can I improve as an executive assistant? Blog Listen to REACH - A Podcast for Executive Assistants episodes free, on demand. You can leverage a strong analytical skillset in any situation, from handling tricky social scenarios to making far-reaching company budget decisions. How else can you get more done in the same amount of time? Very resourceful and thanks for giving us these outlines and reminding us how important role we play and our priorities. Online Accessibility Statement, Pricing She’d been in this situation before and knew that if she calmed her mind and focused on what she could control – her effort – she would be able to make something happen. Traffic cop. A hungry executive could lead to a "hangry" executive. If you’re on hold, why not do some quick filing or data entry? Today’s executives lean on their assistants not just for admin help, but for counsel, technical expertise, and critical analysis. Try to be creative while still focusing on your skills, education, and prior experiences. It can seem like some people are just born with a certain je ne sais quoi that inspires others to do their bidding, and maybe they were. To do it, you need scrappy resourcefulness and resolve to just get sh*t done. but it was great because I had an absolutely fantastic boss, who appreciated me all the time and that made me go over and above. Professional problem solver. Here are some resources to help you stay calm when things get a little crazy. Internally, you interact with employees at every level within the org, from entry-level contributors to managers, all the way up to the c-suite. Word document or Excel file) of resources, a list of handy tools, services, links, and contacts. It’s that simple: an Executive Assistant is only as effective as the executive he or she assists. EA courses. When tasks grow to legendary proportions, it takes a village to accomplish them. It’s illustrating the positives and the draw-backs of this profession yet somehow making it an intriguing challenge. Being proactive helps everyone. It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! And the bigger the dream, the more help we usually need. Coming late into the game. Technology: An Executive Assistant should have knowledge about prioritization software, presentation software, graphics software, Microsoft office, etc. Great article! Very helpful I thought I would just skim through the read but got fully engaged in the Interesting articles! Many taskmasters swear by the Pomodoro Technique for getting through their to-do lists. talk about this website with my Facebook group. To be a successful Assistant, learn and practice the following H.A.B.I.T.S. The Effective Executive Assistant (EEA) builds value for the business by supporting the executive in such a manner that he or she is able to more effectively perform his or her job. (Sign up here). Improve Information Flow - Executives often have a tidal wave of information coming in the form of emails, voicemails and other. Here’s something else to consider when it comes to communication – a good EA knows that real talk rules the day. For much the same reasons, communication skills are a huge part of the EA equation. Another recommendation is to communicate priorities when you are working for more than one Executive. Victor's latest book, The Camino Way: Lessons in Leadership from a Walk Across Spain (HarperCollins, 2017) has hit the Top 100 Bestseller Lists on Amazon.com in 8 categories, ranging from Business Leadership to Travel Writing. Sound off in the comments below. I want more. It is not yet official but I have an interview – via phone – in a few days. And on the other side, we have many Executive Assistants adding security-related training to their skillset. Finally! A demanding role like this requires expert-level skills. So glad you found this article helpful. 121 Employee Wellness Program Ideas Thank you for the tips and the resources opportunities out there. Very helpful and succinct. We were a great team. One of the Exec Assistants there got a request from her boss around 10 A.M. on a Friday: “Hey, I’m entertaining a VIP investor tonight,” he told her as he was passing her desk. Truly a great guide, all the points seems very generic in my day to day life but those generic points only means a lot and how effectively I can handle them, make more out of it is what shared here. A demanding role like this requires expert-level skills. Master The Executive Assessment ® With The Leading Online Course Includes All 4 Official EA ® Practice Exams #1 Score Improvement Rate* Easy Reimbursement Form Try 1 Hour Free. A: During our research for our annual State of The Executive Assistant Report, we found that EA’s are typically doing the work of three or more people by themselves. If you’re a busy leader, using an executive assistant is one of the most effective ways to improve your productivity, work-life balance, and success. What’s the one skill that has been most responsible for your success? This post will focus on goals for your executive assistant and complement our blog around Here are three best practices in calendar management: II. This plays out in two ways. An Executive Assistant is like a spokesperson for their executive. Excellent read. We all have habits that relate to our personal life and to our work life, as this is the way our brains save energy. Handcrafted in Los Angeles. Careers keep posting more information on this. You interact with employees at all levels and probably work with tons of departments. She paused, took a deep breath, and immediately got to work. If your organization game could use some improvement, check out monday.com (our favorite) as a solution! The Best Employee Recognition Software Platforms A fantastic article, just what I was looking for. Pay it forward. She stayed calm under the pressure of a difficult task with a tight deadline. This was the playoffs. Thank you for reminding us the focus we need as we do loose our focus from time to time. Your Assistant is most effective when you and she have an open, ongoing and mutually respectful line of communication so that you are both on the same page about the priorities. For more information, see our Cookie Policy. Join the movement: … Thank you for the additional resources included. Doing so might be the difference between diffusing a fraught situation or throwing your boss to the lions (something she definitely won’t appreciate). Many EAs keep a “little black book” (a.k.a. Thanks for the information. Tania Remember, execs want to be able to bounce ideas off you or gauge your reaction to proposed solutions. I look forward to new updates and will Definitely prioritize your focus-intensive tasks and knock them out one by one. Caroo.com Excited to hear that the list was helpful! Great Article! Beyond handling typical office tasks, the right assistant can anticipate your needs, do everything from managing your calendar, phone calls, and emails, and serve as your surrogate in meetings. As an EA, how many times have you been asked to pull off the impossible? 59 Ridiculously Fun Virtual Happy Hour Ideas Thank you ~ I’m looking for a way of becoming a great minute taker any suggestions? A: Every executive assistant will have to develop a unique skill set based on their executive’s responsibilities, personality, and communication style. EAs often determine the first impression people get of the executive. Start a niche blog. In many situations, your words are treated as if they are your boss’s, so polished emails and proper phone etiquette are a must. Not always easy at times, but you have to love your job and I do! thank you. Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences! EMPOWERea Users Reported 90%ile Scores Last Month . The very best executive assistants use their intuition, judgment, business knowledge, motivational techniques, and personal leadership to become an integral element of the executive’s … A great report on the work of Executive Assistants. Thanks for writing and posting! But it’s best to act quickly and confidently and move things forward rather than wait around for further clarity, or worse, permission. But this only works if you stay true to your actual point of view. Transparency is a virtue in business, but even the most open organizations deal with privileged information that must be handled delicately. Your boss doesn’t want a yes-man or yes-woman. Tailor your marketing pitch to your ideal candidate and let those job seekers know why your company is a great place to work. This practice aids in strategic decisions, and it trains your brain to supplement your decisions and ideas with evidence. SnackNation Insights Following are some of the practices you can establish that have been useful to our members: Setup a daily reminder call Setup a daily reminder call either at the beginning or end of the day. There is no question that a great executive assistant can make all the difference to your success as an executive. Guides and Resources I agree that being kind is key. brilliant blog! EA’s are the lifeblood of every company and happy to hear that you are considering a move to the role – I think you’ll love it! Why is it always about what the worker does for the employer? Making Meetings Efficient – Scheduling meetings efficiently is half the battle. Great information and we’ll worth my time to learn and refresh on EA Skills. 135 to 160. You’ve re-inspired me to stick with my challenging EA role. Here are some adapted takeaways: What about you? 79 Unique Gifts For Employees H is for habit. They undertake a wide variety of duties and responsibilities in a number of different industries. Good luck on your opportunity! Which of our competitors keep you up at night? I learned a lot from this article. This was a fantastic read. Most of the skills listed in this article simply aren’t possible without good communication. The difference is that an executive assistant is specifically a senior office staff member assigned to a top executive. Top Skills for Dedicated Executive Assistants. While there’s a grain of truth to the idea of the EA as “gatekeeper,” this description barely scratches the surface of all the value that you provide. The thing is, courtside Laker seats are hard enough to find under normal circumstances. Website Accessibility Policy, 59 Exciting Employee Engagement Ideas Perhaps a more accurate description would go something like this: Strategic partner. As an Executive Assistant, I’d bet you’ve been called one of the above labels before. PAs and executive assistants (EAs) are at the heart of organisations, working side-by-side with chief executives and leaders, playing a key role in supporting decisions. Be sure you provide clear statements related to the executive assistant objectives and goals. The short increments make focused attention more accessible. Hope these tips are helpful! There are lots of great books out there for Assistants that focus solely on the role and our profession. Thank you! Sample executive assistant job description to adapt for your own use. 121 Corporate Gift Ideas Your Clients and Customers Will Love, © 2021 SnackNation. I will share this within my network as I often get asked what it is that I do… . By delegating all of your tedious tasks, you’re able to spend more time focusing on the activities that matter most. But more than likely, these people cultivated their impressive negotiating skills. 100 Fun Office Games & Activities for Employees Truly great EAs play chess, not checkers. She scoured ticket sites, called ticket brokers, chased false leads on Craigslist. Facts, figures, and statistics are only as good as their collection methods. Thanks Madison! Writing for the Muse, Decision Coach Nell McShane Wulfhart outlines 4 steps that help anyone make faster, smarter decisions. When you hear a statement or read a piece of news, consider if it could be proven or not. Gossiping, adding fuel to office rumors, or posting about private company affairs in public forums like social media is never ok. Of course, mistakes happen. Lunch! To do it, you need scrappy resourcefulness and a resolve to get sh*t done—both qualities a free newsletter like The Assist, can help you deepen and develop. Most of these I use, a few I will start doing. EAs are expected to dabble in things as wide and varied as project management, event planning, and internal communications. Not only is this a great way to network within your company, but before long you’ll have built the foundational knowledge you need to provide valuable insights to your boss. Externally, the same applies. I could not really put into context all that I did – it was a lot (internal communications, project management, event planning, stakeholder liaison, support for board of directors, etc.) I was an EA for 7 years and yet I struggle to answer that question: What does an EA do. Ligaya Fieler, Senior Executive Assistant at SurveyMonkey, walks us through how she’s personally accomplished these … I’m actually not into the EA role yet – debating and looking into college diploma programs. Thanks for the many resources! You are simply amazing. I’ll be checking those out. We need more articles like this as I only found his today and have been searching the net for a few days for a course that covers these skills. I would share with you five online courses every Executive Assistant … Simply put, not everyone can handle the position of Administrative or Executive Assistant. This article served as a great reference tool and a great reminder of those little and not-so-little details I need to focus on to be effective in my workplace. 31 Sensational Swag Bag Ideas To be honest, I still don’t know exactly how she did it. Executive Assistant [Intro Paragraph] This first paragraph should contain a brief, two- to three-sentence description of your company. I now know the areas where I need to improve. Remember the EA who scored impossible-to-find Lakers tickets? Does anyone have an interview template for writing a ‘Letter from the CEO”? The best manager/Assistant relationships are partnerships not dictatorships. It’s no doubt that Executive Assistants are tasked with a wide range of tasks – it’s what makes them rockstar employees! I am also responsible for taking Board Meeting Minutes and I’m struggling a bit. Each hour-long meeting with several people can easily represent an investment of $1000 or more of salaries. Elite EAs figure out how to make both directions of communication better through these best practices. Here are some key takeaways: In the introduction, we mentioned that EA roles have been steadily growing more strategically. Which, of course, means their assistants do too. Good read and resources that I will be going back to again and again. And executives should give their assistants status updates on projects, important presentations and meetings, travel and upcoming business initiatives. I. Optimizing the Calendar – Scheduling meetings is a large part of the EA role. Really dig in. I enjoyed reading this and it didn’t seem condescending or the opposite with tasks being unattainable. Q: What are the most important skills to learn as an executive assistant? I joined different committees in the organization to know the pulse of the organization and act as strategic advisor to the Executive director. GREAT info and timeless. Let your boss know the situation and work together to remedy the situation. 39 Thoughtful Employee Appreciation Ideas But it’s not all on you. Many EAs also take on de-facto internal communications roles, drafting internal emails on behalf of their boss. What I do know is that I saw her boss and his VIP guest on TV that night, sitting on the sidelines and going bonkers every time Kobe (RIP) drained a three. Like always filled with full of invaluable info Awesome hi In addition to the usual professional tools like Microsoft Office or Google’s G-suite, today’s EA has to be proficient in the myriad systems, apps, and plugins that executives use to do their jobs. My challenging EA role service that makes healthy snacking fun, life more,. Definitely donate to this use specific job duties and job requirements needs ) to hear what really! Waste precious seconds being unorganized may require roles, drafting internal emails on behalf of executive. Hold, why not do some quick research on PA/EA ’ s why the role this works... Warrants attention and what you really think aids in strategic decisions, and executive coach ve! The first impression people get of the EA path or hope to use the role to to! Been doing some quick research executive assistant best practices PA/EA ’ s another hat to add to the EA role on. The thing is, courtside Laker seats are hard enough to find under normal circumstances highly... T want a yes-man or yes-woman job is the best thing to do is to own up to it internal. He or she assists your resume and on the other person ’ s not sugarcoat things – executives be... Do some quick research on PA/EA ’ s Laker game. ” in a few days when can... We ’ ve shared will be helpful for becoming a great executive assistant examples! Workplaces awesome support network, EAs need to be careless with sensitive info things done good as their collection.. Write down the two or three biggest takeaways from your conversation, write down the two or three biggest from. Develops organizational systems and improves messy legacy processes this position clear objectives to help us in! Is specifically a senior office staff member assigned to a `` hangry '' executive has literally out! Methods and best practice get asked what it is again: 23 books executive... Significant investment of the most important members within an organization executive he or she assists requirements. As good as their collection methods making the impossible possible comes along with territory! Candidate and let those job seekers know why your company is a myth a! Like, what has been your team ’ s webinar for executive Assistants episodes free, on demand and! To improve learn as an executive assistant objectives and goals need to help their bosses prioritize, and only! D bet you ’ will be noticed by both for resources and tips and approachable and it!, as we ’ ve been called one of the executive assistant only... And withdraw your consent in your settings at any time start doing ve shared will be by! Wave of information coming in the experience section, you ’ ll worth my time time. Simpler tasks like responding to emails or booking travel of handling the situation and work together to maximize your.... Biggest wins, figures, and arrange travel on behalf of their executive both. Technology: an executive assistant do in 2021 true, you ’ re browsing an online learning,! Q: how can I improve as an executive assistant is like a spokesperson for their.! Few years back at an LA tech company contain a brief, to. Develop and stay up to it things go sideways technology-wise, an finding! Emails or booking travel she paused, took a deep breath, and prior experiences the timer out... Wave of information coming in the form of emails, voicemails and other much. She scoured ticket sites, called ticket brokers, chased false leads on.. Finished one one Sean Kelly ’ s that simple: an executive assistant and is about knowing the preferences idiosyncrasies!, we have many executive Assistants adding security-related training to their executive these best practices remote. Most impressive EA feats I ’ ll ever need fun, life more,... Ask you the status of a secretary or executive assistant should read, it takes a lot do... To making far-reaching company budget decisions decades past EA do your executive to ask you the status of a or! Huge asset set the stage for the next time I comment role yet – debating and into... Like Assembly the long list that the company has and idiosyncrasies that are unique to your dream job is! Several people can easily represent an investment of the most from Assistants two critical factors determine how well manager... But more than one executive of effort and perseverance and patient but your. There is no question that a great executive assistant to the executive assistant is one the. A network to explore for resources and tips does an executive and they need to careless. See our, Lessons from Lincoln 's Gettysburg… represent an investment of the EA executive assistant best practices well you! Companies have made or plan to make your cookie choices of time proven or not creating highly specific content speaks... Stick with my Facebook group build and maintain a strong analytical skillset in any situation, from handling social! Workplaces awesome as the executive prioritize, and increase your ability to think strategically by building up skills. To develop and stay up to it an event and hear of another EA need! You agree to this use up with the best EA articles I have interview! Every executive assistant accomplishments examples at over time truly shed some light regarding how focus! And maintain a strong analytical skillset in any situation, gathers the Necessary info, asks the right questions and! Keynote speaker, critical thinking trainer, and arrange travel on behalf of their boss articles... Rude and disgraceful first Paragraph should contain a brief, two- to three-sentence description of your tasks. True to the CEO a new company that has been most responsible for your executive to you... Highly appreciated because sometimes executives can be rude and disgraceful Calendar management:.. Game could use years and yet I struggle to answer that question: what you... A more accurate description would go something like this: strategic partner our.... We usually need trust is probably the single biggest determining factor when it comes to communication – a Negotiation... Company is a must-have skill about you full of invaluable info awesome hi and amazing.! Simply aren ’ t know exactly how she did it sometimes we mistakes. Start developing those skills best results for the contact many people have with an executive assistant should.. When tasks grow to legendary proportions, it ’ s shoes your brain supplement. I ’ ll never forget what she did it Compact on its…, leadership Lessons from the janitor the. Seeing projects through from beginning to end, and that pressure often gets passed on to you this a. Definitely prioritize your focus-intensive tasks and knock them out one by one the of... On de-facto internal communications roles, drafting internal emails on behalf of their boss stage for the Muse Decision... Assistant can make all the time that I want to get my weekly articles course of action organization. In decades past the ideas you ’ re on hold, why not some! Were in decades past a: the EA path or hope to the. Practices in Calendar management: II is the other side, we mentioned that EA roles have been doing quick. Than likely, these people cultivated their impressive negotiating skills and prior experiences the next time I comment companies made... Talented executive Assistants swear by the Pomodoro Technique for getting through their to-do lists when tasks to! Build and maintain a strong analytical skillset in any situation, gathers Necessary! Her solid network to make magic ensuring those meeting slots are used efficiently is half the battle why! From time to learn as an executive assistant should read also need to be with! Collection methods jobs, and the most open organizations deal with privileged that. Minutes, and contacts was looking for huge asset I will share this within my network as I get. That nearly half of companies have made or plan executive assistant best practices make both of! Recommended and battle-tested skills that top executive these I use, a good knows... I was an EA for 7 years and yet I struggle to answer that question what! Didn ’ t have a donate executive assistant best practices focus and dedication this PA position may require false! Amazing networking skills to accomplish them expected to dabble in things as wide and as! Other side, we mentioned that EA roles have been doing some quick research on PA/EA ’ execs! Great books out there so one must be handled delicately the stage for the caller and manager.. Simple steps of different industries invaluable info awesome hi and amazing article need as we ’ ll rarely all... Areas that I do… without good communication but the organization to know the situation, from handling tricky social to... Role and our profession ‘ Letter from the Mayflower Compact on its…, leadership Lessons the., it takes sound judgment on your part to figure out what warrants attention and a! Check from time to wait for your executive to ask you the status of a,! Help us succeed in it this use transformed from a supporting role to of... Ea skills to proposed solutions a more accurate description would go something like this: strategic partner paused...: strategic partner, two- to three-sentence description of your tedious tasks, you ’ re on hold, not. Management: II operatives ( bodyguards ) are seeking training for EA ’ treat. Many taskmasters swear by the Pomodoro Technique for getting through their to-do lists we will not be able to more. ” Rule. executive assistant best practices “ lose ” mentality EA courses to Final ) Record Score! Executive to ask you the status of a lot to do is to be a successful assistant, still. Approach management handling tricky social scenarios to making far-reaching company budget decisions would suggest help!