So You Want to be an Executive Assistant? Know These Soft Skills Inside and Out! – Part One of Two

You are the keeper of the keys, the holder of the knowledge. All things must pass…through you! Yes, you are the incredible Executive Assistant. All things to all bosses and always there to help!

This is undoubtedly how everyone may perceive you, but you are the confidant, the business partner, and the professional problem solver/trouble shooter.

In reality, less flash and more substance will give you a long career as an Executive Assistant. It is about dedication to the business and providing solutions when needed.

There has been much talk over the years of technology replacing admins. I tend to think it’s the other way around. It’s because of all the technology out there that helps Executive Admins perform their duties better than ever; it still cannot replace the fact that during a day or week, strategic counsel, event planning, project management, internal communication, etc., are all duties provided by an Executive Assistant which requires a human touch.

Over time, with increased responsibilities, the most demanding roles as an Executive Assistant require a serious skill set today. If you are committed to a career path as an Executive Assistant or looking to use the position to springboard to another role, there are a few skills that you must get under your belt. While gaining knowledge, you will also significantly impact and gain great credibility with your team.

Some tangibles, some intangible; making the impossible possible is what you do anyway, right? Well, these are a few favorites to get you started.

Be the Calm

• If I ventured a guess, I would say your boss can be demanding. Their pressure, at times, will become your pressure. It’s the nature of the role. This is where your ability to remain calm and focus on the core issue and filter the noise standing in the way.
• Meditation, motivational prints, calming teas, noise cancelation headphones (white noise), and Yoga all help build a calmer yet focused you in the office.

Be the Tech-master or something close to it

• Over time, somehow, you became the personal IT support for your Executive.
• Get to know Microsoft Office (especially Outlook and PowerPoint), Google’s G-suite, and a few social media applications immediately. Programs like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Travel and Expense applications are used at the office, and hard to gain knowledge outside of work. If you can, find someone who does use the program and may be able to give you tips or help you become familiar with them.
• You don’t have to be the Master of Technology. But you will have to deal with the time between your Executive asking you to call support and the time IT shows up. This is when your ability to troubleshoot may avert a long waiting period, and your boss can get back to work asap.

Be the Big Picture Thinker

• You are in an enviable position in the company. The perspective you have now is something very few in your company will have. Get to know your business. Once you understand both the granular flow, you will no doubt be able to offer a credible opinion on subject matters as requested or as an observation made to your Executive.
• A great way to do this is to make a lunch date with various department heads or key staff weekly or as needed. Don’t be afraid to dig in to see what that area does and ask if they have challenges or hurdles they wish weren’t in the way. Make a few notes as your top two or three biggest takeaways after lunch. Even better is to keep these in a spreadsheet for future reference. Over time you will have formed a foundation of knowledge and a functional understanding of the business.

Be the Gatekeeper

• Yes, this one is real to a certain degree. Keeping your boss laser-focused and organized means setting serious prioritization daily. Limiting your bosses’ distractions (while knowing when one is needed) is an art form to see they produce high-quality delivery to the most pressing of activities. Stand firm and be tough when needed.
• Aside from your judgment, prioritization requires collaboration with your boss—one-on-ones, which include calendar, short-term and long-term meetings, event reviews, etc., all help here.

Be the Silent Partner

• Yes, discretion is the better part of valor. Treat everything with discretion and keep it in the vault. While transparency is the talk of business today, some matters must remain sensitive to the company and handled very discreetly.
• Trust is assumed at the beginning of your role but will still need to be earned to be effective. Keep the gossip far away, and don’t partake in office rumors. Be baited to create or comment on social media posts.
• Stuff happens, and knowing you are not perfect, you may inadvertently forward an email, or a slip of the tongue is made during a conversation. If this happens, own it right away. Part of your credibility with discretion is the ability to deal with a mistake head-on rather than have it covered up only to be uncovered later on.

Be the Organized one

• Yes, this does need to be said.
• Calendar management, Time Management, and or task management software all help here, to name a few

Be the Multi-Tasker

• Let me say first that multitasking is a myth. People aren’t wired to do multiple things all at once all day.
• The secret, though, for Executive Assistants who have no choice but to try anyway is to pair basic tasks with more complex ones. Let’s say you are stuck on hold; filing, calendar cleanup, and data entry can all be done during this time, for example.

Be the Anticipator

• Ok, this one takes a bit of time with each new role you move to, but it will eventually come. You will be able to see a few steps ahead and anticipate issues or problems in advance and be able to identify them or avoid them altogether.
• Knowing your bosses’ quirks and idiosyncrasies is essential here. Equally important is to see the business quirks and idiosyncrasies separately to see the bigger picture in advance. I once had a boss who began to fidget about 10 minutes into our daily one-on-one meeting. While he knew the meetings were necessary, he was keen to get back to running the show. After noticing this pattern immediately, I planned our meetings to focus on crucial matters that took no longer than 15 minutes.

Well, there you have it for now. Part Two will be coming shortly. If you have any suggestions, please write them in the comments section below or email info@myeablog.com