Category: Tactfully Speaking

You already know that emails can be misinterpreted. So sometimes you must simply forgo them and deliver a message in person or, at the very least, over the phone.

Follow these five steps to ensure that your meetings are efficient, as well as beneficial to the bottom line.

The elevator pitch—a brief speech to create interest in your company, your product or yourself—is a staple for those in sales. You may be thinking, I’m an admin, why would I need an elevator pitch? We’re all in sales, whether we’re selling a product, an idea or ourselves to potential customers, our team members or upper management.

We’re about to be inundated with “year-in-review” stories from nearly every media outlet. Follow their lead and conduct your own review for the previous 12 months.

The importance of discretion was recently reinforced during a panel discussion with four senior executive assistants who work for high-powered individuals.

Con­­sider these resources to refresh you on your career path.

Even the most efficient and organized admins can get sidetracked by unforeseen interruptions and unplanned demands on their time—endless emails, chatty co-workers and yet another to-do from the boss. But before you boil over, adopt these boilerplate responses so you’re not tongue-tied in the moment when you need to speak your truth.

Here’s a list to keep handy as you journey through your career.

Many admins no longer see simple tasks as their role and become resentful when a re­­quest comes their way. So, what to do?