Here are seven concrete examples showcasing how Assistants can strategically enable effective leadership through everyday actions. 1. Strategic Alignment After a quarterly board meeting, an Assistant distils a 70-page board pack into a three-page executive brief and an action log with owners and deadlines. They embed those deadlines in each leader’s calendar and schedule a 10-minute “decision […]
We are not being helpful to ourselves, our sanity and wellbeing if we always say “yes.” We need to be clear about where our work priorities lie – what the boundaries of our role are in order that we concentrate our time and energy on the right things. Saying “no” then is an absolute “yes.” Helpful ways to say […]
How much power do you think you have over the events in your life? Here is an exercise to help you find out. Draw a line on your page with the word Internal at one end, and External at the other. Now plot where you are on this line based on the definitions below. They […]
Workloads often expand faster than available time, creating stress and inefficiency. Here are five tips to help you understand your time and resource needs better. 1. Improve Time Estimation Most people underestimate how long tasks take. Track your daily activities for 2–3 days using a simple log. This reveals interruptions, hidden inefficiencies, and tasks that consistently overrun. Use […]
1. Everyone Has Their Own Story Don’t judge others based on your story. Part of being emotionally intelligent is having the ability to see others’ points of view. We cannot make decisions or judgments of other people based on our experiences and values. We need to understand the other person’s experiences and values. 2. An Exceptional […]
Congratulations! You have landed a new job after being laid off for many months. With interview after interview and many rejections, you finally landed a new opportunity. You took the knowledge and experience gained from every interview and rejection, dug deep, and persevered. It is only natural that you may be concerned and nervous about starting a new role. Here are my top tips to help you through the first few […]
Modern organizations operate in environments rich with management frameworks, productivity systems, and professional terminology. While these tools support performance, their impact is often lost in both internal and external interviews when candidates rely on naming concepts rather than explaining how they apply them in real situations. Having participated in numerous interview panels across a range of roles, I have consistently observed that many applicants possess strong qualifications and […]
Cultivating a diverse network opens doors to international opportunities with introductions, leads, and referrals. Establishing a diverse network allows for deeper relationships and fosters understanding. These types of benefits encourage empathy, self-awareness, and additional soft skills for professional, social, and business development. How can professionals develop global networks and communities to take advantage of these opportunities? How can professionals utilize resources to sustain and grow […]
Managing your 168 (the number of hours you have in one week) can be difficult. Managing multiple 168s can be maddening. For the people who manage multiple people and responsibilities, it can all become overwhelming. If you’re busy in all facets of your life, the tendency is to take it all on…at one time. Here’s how you can still be productive […]
The temperament of a leader is an important ingredient that goes a long way in determining his or her success. In short, behaviors and attitudes matter. Here is a list of 10 common courtesies every leader should remember. The list is not exhaustive but is a good place to start. They are in no particular order: 1. How to say “thank you”, […]