How can you be more proactive as an administrative assistant?

In the dynamic and fast-paced realm of administrative assistance, the role of an administrative assistant transcends the traditional boundaries of routine tasks and secretarial duties. The proactive administrative assistant emerges as a pivotal force in driving organizational efficiency, contributing to the smooth operation of the workplace, and enhancing overall productivity.

Before I answer - is implied that this piece and subsequent posits refer to EAs and not administrative assistants proper? Will the audience understand the difference ? Assistance is a core set of tasks that we all do in many cases. But the expectations and reality of each role - it wouldn’t be fair to either. Just curious. I see posts are specific and to reinforce 2 distinct job functions.

From my personal experience, Being an executive assistant is an incredibly important role in any company but yet underestimated. It not only poorly underestimated by the other staffs but only the assistants as well. But truly it is an important role. Being an executive assistant is a great way to gain experience and develop skills that can be used in other roles. It can also be a stepping stone to leadership positions, as executive assistants often have the opportunity to work closely with the executive team and learn from them .

One thing I would say is that it isn't just Administrative Assistant and EA who should be proactive all roles where you have to provide documentation or services. For me it is checking diaries two weeks ahead to see what is coming up whether a meeting which will need papers or a trip which will need an itinerary. Plus if you have a new member of staff joining make sure that day 1 has everything ready. Or the other way if someone is leaving. I would suggest checklists are created for all office processes so you never forget. As an overthinker in general, I have managed to put this trait to good use when it comes to my job. What if.. or What else may they require. Mind reading is always good.

As an EA, being proactive is necessary. When you partner with an executive, tune into their needs, likes, and dislikes. The more time you spend together the more proactive you become. You will anticipate the executive’s needs before they’re even spoken. You can achieve this by having regular huddles with your executive. Come prepared so it will be time well spent. Walk through their week with them, point out important meetings and deadlines. Offer to take things off of their plate. I hear all the time that there’s no time to meet with an executive. My advice is this: you have their calendar, so find a common time and schedule the huddle. Also, put blocks and buffers on their calendars so they have time to breathe. Always Communicate.

I agree, but sometimes this is challenging when an executive doesn’t fully grasp the concept of a support person. An assistant can be a devalued/under utilized resource making communicating effectively a daunting task. Ie., refusing to meet consistently, omitting the assistant from key meetings to assist with tracking assigned action items or deadlines, responding late or ignoring items needing a response.

Communication is key and knowing how your team best responds and in which manner is even better. Keeping track of times they are more likely free, knowing when to ask for clarification, and knowing how to best reach them are all standard. Text are great for reminders or quick questions, emails are great for questions that require more information or contain visual images and data, phone calls are best for immediate concerns that are urgent. It is important to know how frequently and at what times to send these as well, as you want to prove that you are capable and thoughtful of their time and attention.

The way for an executive assistant to truly shine in being proactive is: when you have to communicate an issue/problem, always bring a solution. Even if your solution is not the correct one, you will spark conversation and communication that will give you insight as to how to solve that issue in the future. With time, your solutions and your input are requested and valued.

Firstly, working as an assistant requires gathering of needed information and one should be attentive enough to catch the major points, i.e, Using effective listening skills. Staying calm under pressure is must; Recognise body language cues; Deliver messages clearly; Consider communicating to the needful; Choose the right communicating medium; Practice active listening; Try to communicate in advance to be in able to position to prepare. Avoid communicating at the 11th hour.

Siempre estar alerta para algún cambio, anotarlo como prioridad, preguntar y hasta por las dudas repreguntar para dar la información más correcta y recibir lo mismo, no solo el recepcionista debe tener buena comunicación, la comunicación a medias no sirve, sobre todo si manejas información delicada.

In my experience, I've heard assistants complain that they are 'just the assistant' and do not have any ability to influence. This is absolutely incorrect. I believe that an Executive Assistant who truly wants to partner with their client will work on building trust in the relationship as a first priority. Once trust is built, you now have a voice to influence how things are done administratively. As the expert in this area, it is critically important to remain curious and be open to discovering and learning new tools. As we enter the AI revolution, all workers will need to upskill. Executive Assistants have a unique ability to leverage new tools to help themselves become even more efficient and effective.

I agree, learning new skills and/ or enhancing existing skills makes one feel confident about themselves and in turn makes routine work much more easier. Also, new/ better skills makes you employers value you and hence more recruitable as you have displayed commitment into bettering yourself as well as your peers whilst working full-time. Possessing new/ enhanced skills also makes you able to demand your worth in terms of monetary compensation.

Don’t be afraid to jump in where you see there are needs! The job is ever-changing and being adaptable and willing to use all of your skills to get the job done will set you apart. Using a keen eye and being focused on the needs of the business and your leaders will make it easier to anticipate the needs of the team. I would also suggest that you never stop learning. Obtain certifications that reflect your interests. Personally, I’ve been working with our events team and it’s been so much fun doing event planning.

In today's fast-paced world, it is crucial to stay updated on the latest technology trends for both personal and professional growth. Experiment with new technologies and see how they can benefit your work or personal life. Online courses, tutorials, and workshops can provide a structured learning environment to pick up new skills. Staying updated on technology is a continuous journey, not a destination.

I urge assistants to continue to do research and read public forums on the platforms that hold the internal business structure. It’s important to have an intimate understanding to not only be resourceful but to have the confident know-how to keep your team informed. Platforms such a Sharepoint, Google, ClickUp, etc have public forums that share tutorials and work arounds with features that may be blurry initially. You can never go wrong with YouTube either as a resource. Definitely remain involved with those forums to keep the most up to date!

I practice something I call “empathy anticipation”. As executive assistants, we sit in meetings and are privy to discussions on projects coming up. Anticipate projects that will come up and have a wide perspective of your managers’ ongoing priorities to minimize bottlenecks and over cramming your executives’ calendars. Administratively, we need to be familiar with all processes that are already in place and deadlines required so we can plan backwards and not pass the bottleneck on to other teams that you’re working with. In short, put yourself in the shoes of your executive, communicate and understand their priorities and do to others as you will have them do unto you.

True, I would add that an Administrative Assistant needs to familiarise themselves with regular recurring duties and establish routines to ensure that they are prepared to tackle these tasks efficiently. By staying one step ahead and having all they need in advance, can save time, reduce stress and curb fire-fighting.

As an admin professional, your ability to anticipate and prevent problems makes you an invaluable asset to your manager and organisation. I always say that my job in a nutshell is having solutions to challenges prior to them occurring and to have the answer to questions prior to them being asked, that way your manager knows they can rely on you both normally and in a crisis.

From experiences, one great way of learning how to anticipate problems before they happen is learning from your past experiences . For example, if you have organised an event before and things didn't go too well perhaps due to delayed catering or low show upnrate, the lessons learnt from this experience can help you spot situations of that nature early enough before they occur.

Discernment is a valuable skill to have. Being able to spot what could become a problem if left unaddressed and making your executive aware of it is valuable. Coming to them with a well-thought of solution is even better.

The first CEO I worked with opened a networking event I hosted a few years back... his advice to Executive Assistants at the event... "Be 10% CEO". Ensure as an EA you understand the business, spend time with the Finance Team, make sure you can understand the numbers, the challenges the team face and the cadence of how their department works. Do the same for the Sales Team, Product, Marketing, HR etc... fully immersing yourself in the business giving you a 360 view is key to ensuring you are able to operate as a leader. Being an EA is a privileged position in my opinion, a unique role on the organisation chart which can have an incredible impact in a business.

Time management advise; see what's happened in the last couple of months and create a calendar exercise to see if all meetings are still at the right cadence and length. I also schedule a year ahead for yearly, quarterly and bi-monthly meetings, so that it's set + I can add prep time for my manager and make sure I set my own reminders in the calendar to prepare things for this. What I could do more is check for new features and updates for the systems we work with so he is ahead of the game.

Ideally, as you grow in your career and your role, you should develop the confidence to shoulder some of the tasks and responsibilities of your manager to free up time for them which would add value to them and the organisation. As we admin professionals know, at least 25%, sometimes 50%, of the tasks undertaken by our managers are repetitive and could be undertaken by us thus allowing them to focus on more crucial tasks.

Additionally, taking on new challenges, active participation in meetings and discussions as well as offering insights and suggestions, present or avail opportunities to grow and an Administrative Assistant should always look for opportunities to contribute and grow.

Opportunities will not come while doing 0 efforts. You need to act/create clear plan goals and start acting based on what you planned. Change your chances for progression from 0 to 100%, it is not easy but in the same time it is not impossible to happen. Nothing comes for free and remember "Only hard works pays off".

To be more proactive as an administrative assistant: Anticipate needs: Predict tasks and challenges before they arise. Prioritize effectively: Focus on high-impact tasks. Improve time management: Organize your schedule efficiently. Continuous learning: Stay updated on industry trends. Suggest improvements: Offer ideas for process enhancement. Take initiative: Volunteer for new responsibilities. Communication: Maintain open lines with superiors and colleagues. Problem-solving: Address issues without waiting for instructions. Self-motivation: Stay self-driven and committed to your role.

Do not rely on anybody to complete the tasks. If you know how to do it, just do it. If you don’t, find someone who can teach you.

Think big, think outside the box and always be five steps ahead. As an Executive Assistant you are privileged to have a vantage point like no other in an organisation, use this knowledge wisely and ensure you are connecting the dots not just day to day but also, a week and a month ahead. You can make a huge impact and have the ability to ’see’ potential issues that are coming down the line. Be curious, ask the right questions and know you are making a difference.