Assistants play a crucial role in the success of their organisations. Beyond administrative responsibilities, Assistants are often highly visible representatives of the executives and teams they support. This makes authenticity and values important components of a strong professional identity. Authenticity: The Foundation of Trust Authenticity is about being genuine and true to yourself. For an […]
Life can often feel like a twisted skein of yarn! We feel tangled, confused, and overwhelmed. It is difficult to have influence when we feel less than our best. Our personal management tools must stay sharp in order to perform our best work and be able to contribute to our individual success as well as […]
In today’s breakneck business climate, speed is often seen as the ultimate virtue. Leaders are praised for rapid execution. Teams are rewarded for racing deadlines. But here’s the uncomfortable reality: speed alone is a blunt instrument. Without agility, it can cause more harm than good. Speed vs. Agility: A Crucial Distinction Speed is the rate […]
Trust is not only about whether other people believe in you, it is also about whether you trust yourself and whether you are prepared to place appropriate trust in others. For Assistants, that can sometimes be surprisingly difficult. We are often responsible for making sure things happen correctly and on time. When you are used […]
When your executive has no idea how much you already have on your plate, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, overburdened or both. But if they genuinely do not know what you are carrying, the solution is partly in your hands. Rather than take on more and risk getting burnt out or doing a less-than-optimal […]
Whenever we do good for others anonymously, our sense of intrinsic worth and self-respect increases. Studies have shown that our job satisfaction and performance is driven more by intrinsic motivators rather than monetary rewards or incentives. We can find small ways to perform some secret service at the office. Several years ago, one of my […]
In times of significant change, the ways you cope can either speed up or slow down your ability to adapt. Problem-focused coping This method involves taking proactive steps to address or lessen the root cause of the stress. For instance, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by a new software system, a problem-focused approach would see you […]
If you’ve ever had one of those days when every request feels urgent and every ping demands attention, you’re in familiar territory. Your executive is rushing to a meeting, a department head wants a “quick” briefing packet, a vendor needs approval, and your inbox is filling with calendar conflicts. In the middle of all that […]
In his book Canoeing the Mountains, Tod Bolsinger shares an observation about anxiety. He writes, “Anxiety isn’t a bad thing; it’s a creaturely thing. It just is. We feel anxious when reacting to a threat, whether real or imagined. Sometimes the anxiety is a gift that tells us that something bad is threatening the clan.” […]
In every team, company or group, there is that one individual that is always asking questions. You can see the wheels turning in their minds and the sparks shooting, as they try and figure out a new, better and more creative way of doing things. These people are what I call Curiosity Giants. I see […]