Let Me Know How I Can Help

For more content like this delivered straight to your inbox each week, subscribe to The Inner Circle ! The Inner Circle is a weekly email for leaders and Force Multipliers to learn together, lead together, and achieve more together. Each week, we share a carefully curated collection of useful insights, trending business and leadership topics, quotes, questions, career advice, book recommendations, and more.

??♀? Raise your hand if you’ve ended a conversation or an email with your Executive, a team member, or a client with, “Let me know how I can help.”

We’ve all been there. It’s well-meaning, but let’s be honest – it’s passive. It puts the ball in someone else’s court and doesn’t necessarily scream, “I’ve got this!” Why? Because when you’re an EA or Executive Business Partner saying,?“Let me know how I can help,” means you’re asking your Executive to stop, think, and tell you what to do.?It subtly implies that they have to manage you or decide what you should take on. Instead of showcasing initiative, you’re waiting for direction.?

Executives want someone who can read between the lines, anticipate needs, spot gaps, and lead up without having to ask or constantly provide direction.

If you’re an Executive Assistant who wants to level up and become a strong strategic business partner, you have to shift from passive (albeit helpful!) to proactive – from offering vague help to taking clear control.

Becoming more intentional and assertive about how you show up is key. Think about it: Your Executive hired you to ensure that their objectives, goals, and vision are organized, communicated, delegated, and executed. So why not start actively thinking, “What can I take off their plate?” or “Where can I add the most value?”

Here are 8 ways to become a more proactive strategic business partner:

1. Know Their Priorities Inside and Out

You can’t be proactive if you don’t know?what matters most to your Executive . Take the time to understand their goals, the key projects they’re working on, and the challenges they’re facing. Ask yourself: What’s keeping them up at night? What would make their day easier

Once you’ve got a solid grasp on their priorities, you can start anticipating their needs. For example, if they’re preparing for a big meeting or project, don’t wait for them to ask you to book the meeting room, coordinate with other team members, or prep materials. Just do it. Executives love it when things just get handled.

2. Propose Solutions, Not Just Problems

When you bring an issue to your Executive’s attention, don’t stop there.?Come with possible solutions in hand . Let’s say there’s a scheduling conflict or a project bottleneck. Instead of simply saying, “There’s a problem,” take it a step further: “Here’s the issue, and I have a few ideas on how we can resolve it.”

This shows that you’re not just spotting issues—you’re thinking critically about how to fix them. Executives don’t always have the bandwidth to problem-solve every little thing, so this is a way to add real value to the relationship.

3. Be Specific in Your Offers to Help

Saying “Let me know how I can help” is vague and puts the burden on your executive to define how you can assist. A better approach? Be specific. Instead of waiting for instructions, try something like, “I noticed we have a gap in communication with the sales team. How about I set up a weekly check-in to keep everyone on the same page?” or “I see you’ve got back-to-back meetings. I’ll make sure you have everything you need and block 15 minutes after each for notes or follow-ups.”

By offering clear, actionable ways you can help, you’re showing initiative and making it easy for them to say, “Yes, please do that.”

4. Master Time Management (Theirs and Yours)

One of the most valuable things you can offer as an EA is time—time saved, time well spent, and time recovered. But managing time goes beyond scheduling meetings. It’s about understanding how to create space for the things that matter most.

This could mean managing your Executive’s calendar with an eye for balance—blocking off time for deep work, making sure they’re not double-booked, and building in breaks when you know they’ll need them.?It could also mean managing your own time efficiently ?so you can be on top of things before they even ask. If you notice their inbox is getting cluttered or a project deadline is looming, take action to organize and prioritize before it becomes a problem.

5. Take Ownership of Your Role

To level up, you need to own your role. Don’t wait for someone to hand you responsibility—take it. If you see a project that could use more structure or a process that could be streamlined, dive in and make it better. Take the lead on initiatives that fall within your wheelhouse. And even if they don’t, don’t let that stop you. It could be the perfect opportunity to upskill and learn.

When you demonstrate that you can own your work and follow through without being micromanaged, your Executive will start to trust you with bigger, more strategic tasks. And trust is key when you’re trying to level up in any role.

6. Upskill Yourself Constantly

You might be amazing at what you do right now, but to continue leveling up,?you need to stay ahead of the curve . The EA role is evolving rapidly. So, keep learning.

If your Executive is deep into analytics or finance, consider taking a course in those areas so you can speak their language and offer more support. Maybe it’s time to master new software tools that can automate some of the more repetitive tasks, giving you more time to focus on high-value work. The more skills you bring to the table, the more invaluable you become.

7. Communicate Boldly

Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you have an idea, share it. If something’s not working, say so. Part of leveling up means stepping into your power and being confident in your contributions. Executives appreciate clear, direct communication, especially when it comes from someone they rely on day in and day out.

This doesn’t mean being pushy or overstepping boundaries, but rather,?having the confidence to engage in discussions about what you believe is best for the business ?or your Executive’s workload.

8. Build Stronger Relationships Across the Team

EAs are often the center point of the team, so make sure you’re fostering strong relationships not just with your Executive, but with other team members too. The more you understand the broader team dynamics and individual roles (and they understand your role ), the better positioned you are to connect the dots and keep everything running smoothly.

When you know who to go to for what, and you have a pulse on the team’s workflow, you’re not just an assistant—you’re a key facilitator of success.

The next time you’re tempted to say, “Let me know how I can help,” pause and ask yourself, “What value (i.e. question, idea, solution, framework, process, etc.) can I bring to this email or conversation? How can I step up right now?”

In the end, leveling up as an Executive Assistant means stepping into the mindset of ownership and partnership. Instead of waiting to be told what to do, start thinking about how you can actively contribute to the bigger picture. Be bold, be specific, and be proactive. Your Executive hired you because they believe in your capabilities—now it’s time to show them just how invaluable you can be.