April is for Administrative Professionals

Administrative Professionals Day is April 26, 2017, the day we shine a spotlight on those highly visible, collaborative team members, who provide valuable support to our organizations by utilizing their wide range of skills and extensive knowledge to perform their role. I have been an Administrative Professional for a little over 15 years and would like to take this month as an opportunity to celebrate, mentor and connect with other assistants, as well as the executives, managers, and staff they support by sharing the knowledge I have acquired throughout my career.

As technology automates some traditional administrative tasks, the role has evolved, however, the core of a great administrative professional remains the same. A good assistant works invisibly, behind the scenes, anticipating needs and managing day-to-day work flow and projects. They are constant learners and networkers, building relationships with not only their internal customers, but with those in the community that help them to be star performers. The list of attributes an assistant carries is wide and varied, quite astounding and admirable if you ask me. A few that stand out are:

• They create systems and processes
• They are excellent project managers
• They are great communicators, both written and verbal
• They understand technology and how leverage it
• They are resourceful
• They anticipate needs
• They have excellent judgment
• They master the calendar and therefore, time

It goes without saying, that no assistant is an island.  To create an exceptions teal, it’s crucial that expectations are clearly set, and communication is excellent and ongoing. Miscommunication creates mistrust and unclear expectations create misperception. An administrative professional that is supported by their team, can in turn create a productive, efficient, and profitable organization.

I am looking forward to sharing my insights with you this month and hope they can be used to become a more productive and valuable assistant and team member.