The best kind of executive administrative assistant is one that feels like an extension of you.
But if we know you, the leader in this scenario, it can be difficult to loosen the reins and allow someone else control. That makes sense, of course – but the fact remains, if we try to do it all, we will always have to do it all.
This is where a strategic partnership with your executive admin plays its biggest role. Executive assistant skills include being ready-made members of your team who are quick studies, well-trained, and up to date on industry trends. Laying the groundwork to a strong relationship will ensure increased productivity and effectiveness – a win-win scenario in any business.
These 5 tips will help you learn how to use an executive assistant, and better delegate to reach your (and your admins) greatest potential. A mutual partnership, encouraged to thrive!
Plan Together. Paint a clear picture of what success looks like, in both the leadership and supportive role. Accomplish this by strategizing how each party’s professional goals can be reached, in order to achieve organizational objectives. For example, start a project by defining clear goals for the project with your executive admin. Discuss the desired outcome, key milestones, and the specific tasks that need to be accomplished. By aligning your understanding of the project’s objectives, it will ensure they are on the same page from the beginning.
Be Open About Preferences. Two-way communication is a good tool for functionality. An executive will want to start with proper training of day-to-day procedures… then let the admin launch. By sharing specific travel preferences, for example, an executive assistant’s skills can take on the task of finding cost and time effective travel options without needing an executive hovering.
Equip With the Right Tools. Save both time and money, by equipping your admin with the best software and resources utilized by your company. This creates consistency in processes and procedures through efficient training and internal task allocation. Utilizing an executive assistant’s skills by handing over passwords and responsibilities such as calendar management, inbox curation and email marketing are proven ways to partner and chip away at that growing to-do list.
Develop Trust. This one takes a bit of time, but is perhaps the most important. Assigning authority to your admin is a great way to develop this – on both ends. Your admin learns to act as an extension of you when you are not available, and you learn to delegate responsibly. Timeular is a tool we recommend to identify where you are spending the most time, and determines which tasks could be taken off your plate. The more that’s delegated, the more opportunities your admin will have to gain your trust.
Provide Active and Timely Feedback. Clear communication is key. If your admin has done well – tell them! Provide honest feedback. Schedule regular performance reviews. These are all habits for developing a successful strategic partnership with your admin, that guarantees a track to continuous improvement. And in the end, you’ll have more time to dedicate to your individual projects.
We hope these tools will help build that trustworthy foundation between you and your admin. Knowing how to use an executive assistant and when to delegate is almost as important as learning when to assume responsibility for the tasks ahead of you – strong leadership at its best.
Contact us today to learn how an experienced admin can become your silent partner on your journey to maximizing your highest potential.