Category: Personal Development

As Lisa Olsen, senior executive assistant and speaker, shared at the recent Admin Pro Forum 2024, effective communication is crucial for administrative professionals looking to maximize their leadership potential. She opened with a quote from George Bernard Shaw: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

If leaders want their companies to thrive, winging it will not work anymore. The saying “you have to spend money to make money” has never been truer.

Your role demands a delicate balance of responsiveness and self-preservation. In a fast-paced and demanding environment, it’s all too easy to find yourself overextended, burnt out and unable to perform at your best. That’s why setting clear boundaries is essential for your well-being and long-term success. Here are some strategies for establishing healthy boundaries, both with your executive and your colleagues.

Finding the perfect balance between independent decision-making and seeking guidance from your boss is a delicate dance. The key lies in understanding when to take the lead and when to involve your executive, ensuring a seamless workflow and optimized productivity. Thankfully, there are strategies to organize your responsibilities, handle urgent matters promptly and cultivate a harmonious working relationship.

Prioritizing your jam-packed day … mastering the art of interrupting tactfully.

When our jobs require us to research information to back up reports, articles and advertising generated for our organizations, managers and executives, the task requires due diligence to ensure the resources are factual and verifiable.

Sometimes it’s worth taking time out to practice the basic skills of your profession. Inattention to the basics could be a real career killer for any professional. That’s why we have identified what we consider the 10 essential responsibilities that administrative professionals share.

As an executive assistant, you are inevitably faced with high-pressure, stressful situations regularly. Whether dealing with a frustrated executive, mediating conflicts between colleagues or handling a crisis, keeping your cool is essential. This is where emotional intelligence becomes an invaluable skill.

In the complicated workplace of 2024, training the administrative staff is a must-do, not a nice-to-have. Budgets must be enthusiastically created to support and retain the staff who are the backbone of companies and a hugely stabilizing force.

Some situations you encounter in the workplace can feel troublesome, trying and challenging. As an EA, these moments rarely come as surprises, but they can also be approached from different angles and turned into opportunities to shine. Here are a few scenarios you can benefit from reframing.