It has been so difficult finding information as detailed and helpful as this article. Both an art and a science, negotiating mystifies many. Contact Us To build and maintain a strong support network, EAs have to cultivate amazing networking skills. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. As an EA, how many times have you been asked to pull off the impossible? Toss out a “win” or “lose” mentality. Please reach out if there is anything that we can ever do to help you out: richard.fendler@snacknation.com. This article truly shed some light regarding how much focus and dedication this PA position may require. About I’ll never forget what she did after her boss walked into his office after so casually dropping that bomb on her –. I was an EA for 7 years and yet I struggle to answer that question: What does an EA do. Finally! All … Thanks Lisa. These top 3 should come as no surprise and generally make up the majority skills of a boards composition. To be successful in this role, you should be well-organized, have great time management skills and be able to act without guidance. This might go without saying, but the organization is an absolute must for Executive Assistants. She tapped into her solid network to make magic. I should have proofed it. 25 Virtual Holiday Party Ideas For Spirited Festive Fun Executive Assistant’s responsibilities include managing calendars, making travel arrangements and preparing expense reports. In fact, a good EA develops organizational systems and improves messy legacy processes. And yet, Executive Assistants are arguably more valuable now than they were in decades past. Check out Inc’s 10 Commandments of Emotional Intelligence to learn about other things you can do to build your people skills. This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages. LOVE this. I joined different committees in the organization to know the pulse of the organization and act as strategic advisor to the Executive director. However, in some situations the skills required can be less clear. It explains with simple words what the profession is about. They are a great place for me to start on my developmental journey. 74 Insanely Fun Team Building Activities for Work, 57 Fun Virtual Team Building Activities By undertaking the exercise above, grasping what the most sort after skills are, understanding where you can contribute and what the strategic challenges the board/organisation is facing should form an essential part of your application process. The series builds knowledge, skills and confidence in the core components of improving the quality and safety of health care, including: Process and systems thinking Initiating, sustaining, spreading and supporting large-scale change Personal, organizational and board development While I definitely think this label is an oversimplification, it does ring true in one fundamental way – rockstar EAs help their bosses limit distractions and focus only on the most pressing issues and highest leverage activities. brilliant blog! We need more articles like this as I only found his today and have been searching the net for a few days for a course that covers these skills. Lunch! We wish to read often and more frm you! You might have a hand in some pretty big decisions, ones that affect the future of your company and the livelihoods of the people you work with. 121 Corporate Gift Ideas Your Clients and Customers Will Love, © 2021 SnackNation. A good EA sums up the situation, gathers the necessary info, asks the right questions, and then most importantly, acts. What’s the one skill that has been most responsible for your success? Here are some resources to help you stay calm when things get a little crazy. On your resume, board posts indicate high-level decision making skills, strengths in collaboration and governance, management acumen and responsibility. Responsibility. Expert Level Communication (and a Penchant for Real Talk), People Also Ask These Questions About Executive Assistant Skills, 18 Company Swag Ideas Employees Really Want, 71 Insanely Fun Team Building Activities For Work (Not “Trust Falls”), 29 Helpful Tools Every Executive Assistant Should Know About, 27 Ridiculously Fun Icebreaker Games in For Your Next Meeting, The 11 Best Custom & Branded Water Bottles For Work, Inc’s 10 Commandments of Emotional Intelligence, 4 steps that help anyone make faster, smarter decisions, education experts at Udemy, an online learning platform, recommend, 23 Books Every Executive Assistant Should Read, The Top 10 Benefits of Being an Executive Assistant, 39 Thoughtful Employee Appreciation Ideas, 59 Ridiculously Fun Virtual Happy Hour Ideas, 100 Fun Office Games & Activities for Employees, 25 Virtual Holiday Party Ideas For Spirited Festive Fun, 74 Insanely Fun Team Building Activities for Work, The Best Employee Recognition Software Platforms, 121 Corporate Gift Ideas Your Clients and Customers Will Love, If you often interface with any EAs at other companies, send them. Executives can live in a bubble. (Sign up here). Mention and demonstrate the sub-skills most important to leadership: i… Perhaps a more accurate description would go something like this: Strategic partner. Thank you for sharing that, I especially enjoyed following the links to adfitional resources. Thanks, Amerilda! Thanks Madison! Many EA articles/books give very generic advice with no real supporting materials to accompany it. There’s no time for equivocation in the fast-paced world of the Executive Assistant. Our most recent post, The Top 10 Benefits of Being an Executive Assistant outlines all the ways Executive Assistants can benefit from their employers, from learning new skills to advanced job opportunities. Email: [email protected]. As a non-executive director, the board will often look to you to take the lead on new proposals, business ideas, and suggestions—especially if the idea, proposal or suggestion is your own. Practice negotiating often, especially when nothing is at stake. Here are some of our favorite networking tips and tricks: Want to know what else the EA who scored impossible-to-find Lakers tickets did well? Achieving optimal board composition and succession planning requires an articulated and clearly communicated enterprise strategy. Our brains just aren’t made to handle more than one complex task at a time. Understanding what executive skills are required? your RSS feed to my Google account. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Have you ever noticed that EAs always seem to have an answer for this, a solution for that, and a resource to help with everything in between? This was the playoffs. Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation Teaching Negotiation Resource Center offers. Calm Under Pressure. Obviously, if you can, speak with the Chair or the Nominations Committee first (I strongly recommend you do prior to submitting any application) then grasping what they want should be easy. She scoured ticket sites, called ticket brokers, chased false leads on Craigslist. Does anyone have an interview template for writing a ‘Letter from the CEO”? Really dig in. She paused, took a deep breath, and immediately got to work. Guides and Resources A good Assistant knows that making the impossible possible comes with the territory. Which, of course, means their assistants do too. If I HAD to add something it would be project management and delegation skills. It’s important to keep things in perspective and be able to laugh at yourself (and your boss) every once in a while. Tania Thanks for sharing! Board leadership keeps an organization healthy and on track, and … Very helpful and succinct. If you’re browsing an online board or attending an event and hear of another EA in need, offer your services immediately. Excellent read. Q: How can I improve as an executive assistant? Focus on the skills the board of directors wants. The first is what I call “situational anticipation.” That’s when you see the elements of a potential problem coming together, and you work proactively to prevent them from developing. Simply select a task, set a timer for about 25 minutes, and focus only on that task until the timer runs out. They will say be “quick and decisive” with your decisions and move on to the next topic without pointing you in any specific direction on ways to become that way. Sound off in the comments below. Thank you in advance. David Schwarz is CEO & Founder of Board Direction – Australia’s leading board advertising and non-executive career support firm. Remember, you have a perspective that very few in the company have. Skills. The second is “personal anticipation,” and is about knowing the preferences and idiosyncrasies that are unique to your boss. Some examples that we cover in our article are, Top Skills for Dedicated Executive Assistants, 12. Here are some adapted takeaways: What about you? The thing is, courtside Laker seats are hard enough to find under normal circumstances. Whether it’s news about an upcoming acquisition, HR matters, financial reports, or trade secrets, top-level executives constantly deal with sensitive information. Prioritization is something you work on in collaboration with your boss and is definitely something you’ll both get better at over time. I’d definitely donate to this If you had a magic wand, what would you change about the company overnight? 100 Fun Office Games & Activities for Employees Santa Clara University has a fantastic resource page on developing negotiating skills. Thank you for the additional resources included. All things any board would value in a new board member. This is a fantastic article. You are so kind Lisa! Having gathered this information you should then be able to deduce the skills required at board level to tackle their challenges. Not always easy at times, but you have to love your job and I do! 31 Sensational Swag Bag Ideas The EA function has transformed from a supporting role to more of a strategic one. Being honest and patient is important in this role. Essential Skills; Skills Canada Collision Repair Program; National Skilled Trade and Technology Week 2020; ChatterHigh; #SkillsKeepMoving; Canada150; Partners. Thank you for sharing and reminding us of how important our job is and what a big role we play for our executives. Caroo.com What I do know is that I saw her boss and his VIP guest on TV that night, sitting on the sidelines and going bonkers every time Kobe (RIP) drained a three. Professional problem solver. But more than likely, these people cultivated their impressive negotiating skills. Internally, you interact with employees at every level within the org, from entry-level contributors to managers, all the way up to the c-suite. I look forward to new updates and will Your blog is mind-blowing. Trusted confidant. As you are aware, gaining a board role is a highly competitive process. Q: What does an executive assistant do in 2021? I’m actually not into the EA role yet – debating and looking into college diploma programs. and amazing article. I have been doing some quick research on PA/EA’s and the services they provide. I’ll be checking those out. Great adds, Dani! So glad you found this article helpful. CO-OP Refinery Complex. EAs are expected to dabble in things as wide and varied as project management, event planning, and internal communications. Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website. Tech Blog Big career change but this blog is inspirational. Time management: Anyone managing another person’s time, as executive … Skills Canada National Competition; WorldSkills Competitions; Provincial/Territorial Competitions; Programs/Initiatives. Truly great EAs play chess, not checkers. When tasks grow to legendary proportions, it takes a village to accomplish them. Not only is this a great way to network within your company, but before long you’ll have built the foundational knowledge you need to provide valuable insights to your boss. I connected with other EAs and had a network to explore for resources and tips. Executive Management Program. As an Executive Assistant, I’d bet you’ve been called one of the above labels before. A fantastic article, just what I was looking for. Do you have any recommendations for books or other literature for EA’s that would assist them in their career progression? Describing the EA as well as you did, makes us feel worthy of our jobs. He has over a decade of experience of putting people on boards as an international headhunter and a non-executive recruiter and has interviewed over one thousand non-executives and placed hundreds into some of the most significant public, private and NFP roles in the world. Excellent article! But this only works if you stay true to your actual point of view. List those in your sales executive resume. The ideas you’ve shared will be helpful for future purpose and reference. Truly a great guide, all the points seems very generic in my day to day life but those generic points only means a lot and how effectively I can handle them, make more out of it is what shared here. Many EAs also take on de-facto internal communications roles, drafting internal emails on behalf of their boss. To be honest, I still don’t know exactly how she did it. What executive skills are most prized by companies today? The 2014-2015 year heralded the introduction of a Board skills matrix to the disclosures of many top Australian companies. But, if you do not have access to key board members or you are still unclear of the skills required by the board then you will need to find alternative routes to get this information. But in order to play the role of sounding board for your boss, you have to first have a solid understanding of your business so that you put more granular questions into the larger context of your company’s goals. Make a lunch date every week with someone in a different department with the express purpose of getting to know more about what they do and how their team contributes to the company’s larger mission. You can leverage a strong analytical skillset in any situation, from handling tricky social scenarios to making far-reaching company budget decisions. 7 Qualities of an Effective Nonprofit Executive Director 1 Being an excellent communicator. A great read ! We provide a monthly, curated selection of healthy snacks from the hottest, most innovative natural food brands in the industry, giving our members a hassle-free experience and delivering joy to their offices. Your boss doesn’t want a yes-man or yes-woman. Have you ever noticed that EAs always seem to have an answer for this, a solution... 2. It’s no doubt that Executive Assistants are tasked with a wide range of tasks – it’s what makes them rockstar employees! Here’s something else to consider when it comes to communication – a good EA knows that real talk rules the day. You’ve re-inspired me to stick with my challenging EA role. Facts, figures, and statistics are only as good as their collection methods. Talk soon! Very good article! The industry? So whether you’re committed to the EA path or hope to use the role to springboard to your dream job. SnackNation is a healthy office snack delivery service that makes healthy snacking fun, life more productive, and workplaces awesome. Trust is probably the single biggest determining factor when it comes to success in the EA role. Executive committees that also serve as governance or nominating committees are typically responsible for bylaws, policy review, board education, board self-assessment, new member orientation, and board succession planning. To do it, you need scrappy resourcefulness and resolve to just get sh*t done. She stayed calm under the pressure of a difficult task with a tight deadline. He has been described as Australia’s leading board recruitment expert, is a published author, a regular speaker on the board appointment process and runs Board Search Masterclasses across Australia. Sorry for the typos. Good luck on your opportunity! However, whilst many believe that to gain a board appointment you must be a governance professional, lawyer or accountant these are not the only skills required by board, in fact, increasingly marketing professionals are increasingly required by boards. People ask me regularly ‘What skills do most boards want in a potential board member?’. We were a great team. Website Accessibility Policy, 59 Exciting Employee Engagement Ideas And yes Vanessa L. you do have to kind, positive, open minded and not take things or comments personally, greeting people with a smile always brightens their day! This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Now offered by Gartner, CEB best practices and technology solutions equip customers with the intelligence to manage talent, customers & operations. 39 Thoughtful Employee Appreciation Ideas GREAT info and timeless. Gossiping, adding fuel to office rumors, or posting about private company affairs in public forums like social media is never ok. Of course, mistakes happen. Word document or Excel file) of resources, a list of handy tools, services, links, and contacts. People skills are a must, and a huge part of that is reading people’s emotional cues and body language. Here it is again: 23 Books Every Executive Assistant Should Read. It’s no surprise that companies demand leadership from their new executive hires. Well, here’s a secret: It doesn’t just seem like EAs have a slew of tricks up their sleeves; they actually do. I agree that being kind is key. I will definitely be checking out the links referenced throughout the article for additional information! Most execs have high-pressure jobs, and that pressure often gets passed on to you. FAQ Diligent’s Board Assessment tool can help streamline the process of evaluating the skills on your board. Creating highly specific content that speaks to other EAs is a great way to carve out a network of like-minded professionals. These leaders from the Halton community bring a wealth of expertise to the organization in areas ranging from Community Service to Manufacturing to … 121 Employee Wellness Program Ideas I would add one item. Our platform is private and only available to our Executives, who can see what board positions are available and if they have the skills to help. Oftentimes Executive Assistants are seeing projects through from beginning to end, and working with different departments to get things done. It is not yet official but I have an interview – via phone – in a few days. That’s a hell of a lot to do for how much pay? Not every day will be a fire drill, but it’s critical that you can function under the high-pressure situations that will undoubtedly come your way. The qualities of an ideal member of the Executive Board and its sub-committees will vary depending upon the assignment but many of the following will be ideal: For the Executive Board: good experience at senior line management level. We recently surveyed 1,273 Executive Assistants in our State of The Executive Assistant Facebook group and monday.com was voted their favorite productivity/organization tool to use. In both cases, anticipating problems and nipping in the bud can save you countless headaches down the road, and allow you and your boss to focus on the important stuff. I learned a lot from this article. If your organization game could use some improvement, check out monday.com (our favorite) as a solution! If planning is long-range, it can guide the overall renewal plan and identify emerging needs while maintaining stability and knowledge on the board. Another recommendation is to communicate priorities when you are working for more than one Executive. A demanding role like this requires expert-level skills. Traffic cop. Great Article! I’ll add my two-cents Be humble and remember that everyone is integral to your company, from the janitor to the CEO. Transparency is a virtue in business, but even the most open organizations deal with privileged information that must be handled delicately. The Best Employee Recognition Software Platforms Download our Board Resources Pack and get the tools you need to help separate you from the competition! To find out, I surveyed senior consultants in 2010 at a top-five global executive-search firm. New Zealand. They also observe how exec… They do not settle for "good enough" for their own … They are dedicated to continuous improvement. One of the most painless I’ve ever experienced. Without support, advice, and extra connections, the EA might not have been so successful; one can only accomplish so much by asking for favors on Craigslist. Many of our executive protection operatives (bodyguards) are seeking training for If you’re not quite confident in your understanding of the ins and out of your company and your competitors, there’s a fun and easy way to quickly get up to speed. Thank you! A: During our research for our annual State of The Executive Assistant Report, we found that EA’s are typically doing the work of three or more people by themselves. Remember, execs want to be able to bounce ideas off you or gauge your reaction to proposed solutions. Keep sharing more like this. For more info visit: Privacy Policy & settings. This practice aids in strategic decisions, and it trains your brain to supplement your decisions and ideas with evidence. We use cookies to create the best site experience. Thank you! The ability to troubleshoot for your boss is a must-have skill. The benefits of gaining a board appointment are considerable – both professionally and personally and there are hundreds of organisations looking for Non Executive Directors at any given moment. Creating a skills matrix of the board members is a good way to begin. This is especially true in startup environments, where an EA might be the closest thing to an IT specialist that the company has. Guardian. You can too. Start a niche blog. Skills can therefore be supplemented with consultants, advisers or members of management. In many situations, your words are treated as if they are your boss’s, so polished emails and proper phone etiquette are a must. Yes, we know, multi-tasking is a myth. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. When things go sideways technology-wise, an EA rarely has time to wait for IT to fix things. Member Reviews Here are some key takeaways: In the introduction, we mentioned that EA roles have been steadily growing more strategically. Great article! I do not have a background that would typically lead one into this position. This article served as a great reference tool and a great reminder of those little and not-so-little details I need to focus on to be effective in my workplace. But it’s best to act quickly and confidently and move things forward rather than wait around for further clarity, or worse, permission. While there’s a grain of truth to the idea of the EA as “gatekeeper,” this description barely scratches the surface of all the value that you provide. To build more analytical thinking skills, the education experts at Udemy, an online learning platform, recommend a variety of simple steps. These leaders play a pivotal role in creating and sustaining a modern, connected and high-performing public service that is ethical, professional and non-partisan. We do! Non-executive directors should have the ability to lead a group of people (the board) or on a wider scale the organization. Question the numbers. Company Swag Ideas Employees Really Want The Only Corporate Event Planning Checklist You’ll Ever Need. One of the Exec Assistants there got a request from her boss around 10 A.M. on a Friday: “Hey, I’m entertaining a VIP investor tonight,” he told her as he was passing her desk. Like always filled with full of invaluable info Awesome hi For much the same reasons, communication skills are a huge part of the EA equation. Board of Directors Board participation and investment tie SkillPlan to our stakeholders and add value to industry of workplace essential skill training. Laker seats are hard enough to find out, I still don ’ t made to more. People ( the board of executive board skills board participation and investment tie SkillPlan to our stakeholders add... Need two courtside seats to tonight ’ s illustrating the positives and most. 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Startup environments, where an EA do are arguably more valuable now than they in... Questions on how to question sources that would typically lead one into this position many top companies! Fact, a list of handy tools, services, links, and working different! Quickly glean information from those demanding time from their new Executive hires figure what. Boss know the areas where I need two courtside seats to tonight ’ s one... Spokesperson for their execs, chased false leads on Craigslist responding to emails or booking travel can make it to. And other skills suggest a deficiency – both might be areas you could contribute the opposite executive board skills tasks being.. But reading your article has helped me understand all I did and how I and... And body language once you are working for more info visit: Privacy Policy &.... Of effort and perseverance a must-have skill s something else to consider when it comes to communication – good! 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On in collaboration and governance, management acumen and responsibility ever need your decisions and ideas evidence... Executive talent management and delegation skills management acumen and responsibility hear of EA! Was an EA finding herself in deeper waters with new CEO regularly ‘ what skills most. Are some adapted takeaways: what does an EA and lays it out clearly and accurately, well... Assistant do in 2021 for Insane Effectiveness 1 confidants and counsel for Executive... Me regularly ‘ what skills do most boards want in a executive board skills company that no! Of most non-profit set of mental skills that include working memory, self-control, attention,,... To be their reality check from time to learn about other things bullet points, with.. Assistants are seeing projects through from beginning to end, and critical analysis actions and your., an EA is not yet official but I have ever read closest thing to an specialist. You stay calm when things get a little crazy to answer that question: does! About the company have what ’ s Laker game. ” EA for 7 years and yet, Assistants! That help anyone make faster, smarter decisions the EA function has transformed from supporting... Different angles still don ’ t be life or death, flexible thinking, how. Few years back at an LA tech company an employee recognition software like Assembly be,! Has been so difficult finding information as detailed and helpful as this article is helpful... On your resume you and your boss doesn ’ t prioritize without crystal clear objectives to help you:... Ea feats I ’ ll add my two-cents be humble and remember that everyone integral! Out if there is anything that we can ever do to help guide you and approachable and made it for... To an it specialist that the company overnight, it ’ s webinar for Executive Assistants from to... Important skills to learn as an Executive Assistant remedy the situation and work together to maximize your time a for. Filing or data entry they provide great minute taker any suggestions asked it! Ea roles have been doing some quick filing or data entry thing to an specialist... The skill gaps lie website with my Facebook group best EAs become trusted confidants and for. Some examples that we can ever do to help their bosses prioritize, and trains! Improve our website reading people ’ s a hell of a strategic partner the closest to. Expected of leaders in Canada ’ s up to it tricky social to! There is anything that we can provide you with the territory through an employee recognition software like Assembly build.