“Assistants in general wield potent influence on their managers, department staff and outside business associates. They are often the go-to people for advice and assistance on many issues and are depended upon more than the average person realizes. And, they have more far-reaching networks within the workplace than do their managers. This is true of assistants at all levels, from the junior administrative assistant to the executive assistant to the CEO.” ~ This Writer, The Most Powerful Person In The Workplace
“I have a lot of friends who are secretaries and I had them in mind and I thought, this is something that everybody should experience … I felt like I was there for them, just enjoying and taking in every moment.” ~ Debbie Bosanek, Warren Buffet’s Personal Assistant, as a guest at the 2012 SOTU Address, Politico, ABC News
“Haphazard, serendipitous and anonymous…The path to getting to work as an assistant to a celebrity seems precisely this way, even in this, the age of the all-powerful Web. It is a responsible, demanding job requiring intelligence, skills and flexibility; yet, until recently there have been precious few resources for us.” ~ Bonnie Low Kramen, former Executive Assistant to Academy Award winning actress Olympia Dukakis, author of Be the Ultimate Assistant and Staff Matters and CEO of Ultimate Assistant Training & Consulting, Inc.
“The secret to happiness is to find joy in the process of doing hard things.” ~ Ann Hiatt, Former Executive Assistant to Jeff Bezos, Marissa Mayer and Erik Schmidt, and Author of, “
“It’s important to have a sense of humour, especially at work in a hectic environment. Work hard, be flexible, have fun and laugh at least once a day. If you know your job, everything else will fall into place.” ~ Helen Clarke, PA to Sir Richard Branson, The National News-Business
“I’m gonna change you from a rooster to a hen in one shot!” ~ Doralee Rhodes, Executive Assistant to CEO in Nine to Five
My Story (In Brief)
The very first job “real” job I landed back in the 1960s, when I was still a teenager right out of high school, was that of secretary to the film director of WBKB TV, Chicago, an owned and operated ABC station. I worked in an outer office along with the more experienced secretaries to the executive producer and programming director. The only management staff senior to them were the station manager and the sales manager.
My job not only included the usual typing, shorthand, filing, phone answering, mail sorting and expense report preparation, but also the scheduling of the station’s commercials and movies, receiving viewer phone calls (I once moved a hemorrhoid commercial out of the dinner hour to late evening after receiving several viewer complaints, and scheduled movies upon request if we had them in one of the station’s film packages), and interacting with some of the network’s biggest stars, as well as the local producers and talent, such as the late, great Irv Kupcinet (Kup’s Show) and his superstar guests.
How did I wind up in such an elevated secretarial position at such a tender age with no experience? Timing and luck played a big part. The Film Director had been looking to fill the position for quite a while and was desperate by the time little ole me walked in off the street cold with no resume, a couple of personal references, but also without the baggage of previous questionable work issues, and looking presentable and fresh-faced. As such, I was seen immediately by the Personnel Director and aced the typing and steno tests. I was then ushered into the office of the Film Director, who after a few minutes of conversation hired me on the spot at $85.00 per week, a pretty decent salary back then, not counting the company bennies. Ah, the good old 1960s!
Over the next several decades, I worked for ABC in both Chicago and New York, went on to work for the CEO of a major publishing company where I met authors, editors, celebrities and was introduced to my first venture capitalist (I could have done without that last one); was a sales executive for a classical music radio station (where I produced a show for a client), and served as associate editor in the public relations department of a Fortune 500 company. Finally, I made my way to Wall Street where I remained for more than 25 years, working for CEOs and other senior executives, filled in for the CEO’s assistant, and coordinated major events. Then, in relatively quick succession, I went from executive assistant to senior administrator to company officer to assistant vice president and then vice president and manager of a department that supported more than 500 staff members across six continents. Most of these positions were acquired through networking and introductions to people who opened doors for me. Of course, I also had to have the personality, skills, experience and references once I walked through those doors in order not to have them slam behind me on the way out! 🙂
In addition to my hard skills and curiosity for knowledge, my mother taught me the soft skills of etiquette, ethics and empathy, which helped me grow my confidence and power, and inspired me at times to take bold steps. And that’s the big lesson: power can come from the person you work for, but it also comes from within. My confidence also allowed me to take joy in helping others, and toward the end of my long career led me to establish my PROWESS Workshops to teach high school and college students, as well as professional private clients, the basics of business etiquette.
But the road was not always easy. In some instances, I had great managers; in others, I had managers who were absolute nightmares. I was able to navigate the minefields of ethnic discrimination, sexual harassment and disengaged managers, while taking advantage of opportunities with the of advice and guidance of supportive, wise and kind-hearted friends, colleagues and coworkers. And I learned to correct and recover from my mistakes, of which there were, oh, a few! Most important, I learned the value — and fun — of networking, both in the companies and the industries where I worked. There truly is safety in numbers; it’s pretty hard, if not impossible, to succeed without lots of help!
So…whew! As someone who has been there, I salute all assistants at all levels in all industries as we approach Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday, April 24, and encourage them to develop their power and use it wisely, effectively and kindly for the benefit of themselves, their employers and all with whom they come into contact.
Looking Back And Looking Forward
During the decades of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80’s, secretaries and administrative assistants were everywhere in every industry because they were mostly needed to “take a letter” and then type it, answer phones, make appointments and travel arrangements, as well as fetch coffee and run various personal errands for the “boss.” (Let me interject here that back then, the term executive assistant often referred to the young guy just out of college who was working in the C-Suite to cut his teeth and move up in the company to a brilliant and high-paying career in sales or management.)
Then came the Internet in the 1990s and everything changed. Older managers still needed their secretaries to perform traditional tasks, but their younger counterparts quickly mastered the personal computer and typed their own letters, completed their own forms, communicated via email and IM, placed their own phone calls, did their own expense reports, etc. Sometimes, in order to have some clerical support (and someone to fetch coffee), the practice of having one secretary / assistant working for five or more professional staff members become more common. This rarely worked out well for the professional or support staff. Pecking orders developed, favoritism ensued, resentment built and frustration escalated as some managers’ work frequently did not get done promptly, while the assistant was pulled in multiple directions and often underappreciated.
As managers and other professional staff flailed around with little or no support, with tasks previously performed by assistants sucking up time that could be better spent calling on clients or attending to other important business matters, the executive staff, regardless of age, continued to enjoy their executive secretaries and assistants. The latter, of course, were now opening and sorting through emails more than they were dealing with snail mail. And with time-saving technology, executive assistants had more time to learn and perform more important tasks, making them even more valuable to their managers.
Looking forward, while technology can be helpful to complete tasks, no computer or smart phone replace certain human qualities. They cannot calm your manager’s anxiety (frequently caused by computers or smartphones!) or problem solve (at least, not yet: AI on line one!)
I believe that regardless of technological advances, today’s — and probably tomorrow’s — workplace, in order to run efficiently, productively and happily, will continue to require the all-important, nearly indispensable services of administrative, executive, celebrity, personal and virtual assistants. Of course, that means ongoing professional development in training — see the Assistants Need Resources section below.
I Repeat
I have repeated in my blog posts, workshops, presentations and in conversation the importance of everyone treating administrative staff members with respect and appreciation, whether you are a manager, coworker, vendor, job applicant, or other visitor. Here, again, are my top ten common-sense tips:
- Greet and acknowledge assistants at all levels in all circumstances and at all times as professional members of the team, in the same manner that you treat other colleagues and professionals. Assistants represent their managers (and likely have their ears), and should be treated with the same deference.
- Respond promptly to assistants’ requests and take each one seriously.
- Meet deadlines so that assistants don’t have to spend their valuable time chasing you down for reports and compliance requirements.
- Avoid touching assistants except to shake hands, or help on with a coat or out of a car when at a business function, for some examples.
- Keep a respectful distance. In general, it is respectful to allow people their personal space, and an assistant is no different. Three feet is recommended unless you’re going over a file together or in a crowded elevator, for instance.
- Respect the privacy and confidentiality needs and desires of assistants by not looking over their shoulders at their computer screens, scanning their desks or anything held in their hands, unless you’re invited to do so.
- Acknowledge and respect your assistant (with a nod, smile or other respectful gesture) when the assistant enters the office or conference room to deliver an urgent or timely message to you, a staff member, or your guest. Never criticize or admonish your assistant in public; keep such discussions private and conversational.
- Don’t get too chummy. Sharing too much personal information or gossiping, inviting an assistant – yours or someone else’s – out on a date, to lunch or to have a drink, asking personal questions or hanging around too much to chat socially in the office can be construed as questionable or unprofessional behavior. Use caution when engaging in an office romance; yes, some office romances have ended in marriage or long-term relationships, but others have ended careers. Be aware of company policy regarding office romances as well as married couples working together in the same department. Don’t risk your or anyone else’s career and reputation with a frivolous affair. If you develop a sincere romantic interest in the boss’s assistant, take time to get to know if a serious relationship might be possible; if it is, then be prepared to transfer to another department or company. Even if company policy allows it, generally it’s not the best practice to work in the same area with your spouse or partner.
- Never ask any assistant to get you coffee – or any other personal items. And, that includes your own assistant, if and when you’re fortunate enough to rate one. Of course, it’s acceptable to ask an assistant to arrange for coffee for visitors or for a meeting. Otherwise, get your own coffee, and while you’re at it, get one for your assistant.
- Remember to say “thank you” and “great job!” It is amazing how often people forget to say these important words.
Assistants Need Resources
Some resources have been around for decades and some are new. It’s important to know about them.
Reportedly, and just as an FYI, one resource that apparently has been around for the better part of a century for the very elite of executive secretarial-ship and assistant-hood is the highly selective Seraphic Society — getting its name from the concept of highly-placed angels. It is an organization of executive secretaries and assistants of the very top executives in business, industry, the arts, society, philanthropy, etc. And even if you are such an executive assistant, you cannot simply apply to join, you must be invited, and the decision to invite rests with the importance of your executive, not you. Having one’s assistant invited is a status symbol, because not all of the tippy-top executives rate, just some. Assistants who belong, and their executives, have the benefit of being connected in an exclusive network that can help assistants — and by extension, their executives — accomplish anything, from finding crucial information and advice on nearly anything to connecting with nearly anyone in order to do their jobs in an A+-rated fashion. Note: If you’ve never received an invitation, as I never have — just know that it’s not on you. If you have, you are in rarified company, indeed.
A comparatively new organization that does welcome all assistants – and thank goodness for that — was founded by Bonnie Low-Kramen, who is a former celebrity assistant herself. Through her workshops, Bonnie provides training that is fashioned specifically for assistants. Traveling the country and the globe, and reaching out online, Bonnie takes training to a new level to help every assistant become the “ultimate assistant” who possesses the top-notch technical and soft skills needed for professional excellence and success.
Go to this LinkedIn list of professional organizations, and don’t forget to join LinkedIn itself. There are probably additional industry organizations; if so, please feel free to let my readers and me know about them in the Leave A Comment section!
Celebrating Administrative Professionals
To all those managers out there who are wondering what to get your administrative professional(s) to celebrate their day on Wednesday, April 24, flowers and lunch are always lovely, but if you want to give your assistant a truly meaningful gift, consider a training course along with the gift that keeps on giving: respect and appreciation every single day that goes by. Salary increases and complimentary days off are nice, too!
And to all administrative professionals, don’t forget to take care of yourself, the CEO of you. Empower yourself with ongoing professional development and networking. And don’t ever forget how powerful — and needed — the role of assistant continues to be, even after all these years!
Until next time,
Jeanne
(Note: Because the overwhelming majority of secretarial and administrative positions are filled by women, I tend to refer to assistants as women. However, my comments apply to assistants of both — or all — genders except where they obviously can only refer to a particular gender.)
Relevant Previous Posts:
Do You Think Your “Staff Matters”?
The Most Powerful Person In The Workplace
Jeanne Nelson 