Top 10 Tips For Working With An E.A.

Congratulations on your big promotion. We hope you celebrate.

Now that you’ve joined the Senior Leadership Team, you can look forward to a significant increase in responsibilities, headcount, KPIs, exponentially more meetings and an overflowing inbox. But before you get overwhelmed, know that you will also have some help. Most Senior Leadership positions are supported by an E.A. This article will help you get the most from your relationship with your new E.A. 

Many people who make the leap from middle management to the senior leadership team either inherit or hire an E.A.. Obviously in hierarchical organizations there is a lot more to do for those higher up the proverbial ladder, but some new senior leaders get a pang of guilt to think that they have someone dedicated to helping them out every day. Many new VPs have even offered the assistance of the E.A. to the rest of their team.

But before you distribute this valuable assistance too thinly, keep in mind that old airline adage that you need to put on your own oxygen mask before you put one on someone else. A leader who is overwhelmed is not as effective for their team as one who is supported and coordinated.

Behind every great leader is an awesome Executive Assistant

So how will you work with your new E.A.? It may surprise you to learn that there are an infinite combination of ways to leverage the expertise of an E.A.. There are, however, several best practices that can really help you, and your E.A. put your best feet forward. 

In most organizations, the primary role of an E.A. is to coordinate the day-to-day operations of the senior leader and be the interface to the people to which the leader reports (for example, the CEO, Board of Directors, etc). Like an Air Traffic Controller, they also work closely with the Leader’s direct reports and stakeholders to help ensure that  incoming and outgoing requests are processed and tracked efficiently. This allows the Leader to effectively fulfil their responsibilities, and it enhances the Leader’s reputation.

Jojo Plouffe has served as an Executive Assistant and an Executive Coordinator, managing teams of E.A.s for the Federal Government in Canada. She knows what works. What follows are her recommendations of coordinated activities that you should consider to ensure that your leadership skills are complemented by your E.A.’s competencies. This will ensure that you are serving your organization and team to the best of your ability.

10 Best Practices of an Executive Assistant

1. The E.A. should report directly to the leader, not to the leader’s team or to the leader’s reporting manager. This will ensure that the leader maximizes the effectiveness of the E.A. and of their own strengths and unique abilities.
2. The E.A. should have responsibility to coordinate, communicate with and liaise between the leader, their direct reports, the people the leader reports to and a network of peers, partners, clients and stakeholders. Being that central point for communication allows the E.A. to filter unnecessary or untimely information and maximize the abilities of the leader.
3. The E.A. should be the focal point for all incoming and outgoing requests for input and action. They should be responsible to review all requests and projects, cascade and assign these to appropriate parties, and follow-up to ensure timely completion and quality control. In this way, they are both the coordinator and gatekeeper for the leader.
4. The E.A. should own the responsibility of preparing the leader, typically at the beginning of the day, to participate in and follow-up with management committees, meetings with other business units, outside stakeholders, and other scheduled and unscheduled commitments. Often this can include a Daily Briefing (aka a Daily Summary) of what meetings and calls are coming up that day, fixed to the cover of a folder that includes all documentation that they will need for each meeting. 
5. Your E.A. should prepare meeting agendas, mitigate issues and ensure meeting logistics such as room bookings, A.V. equipment, meals, guest speakers, etc. Black Belt E.A.s will also prepare an Executive Summary before more involved meetings to ensure that the leader is as prepared as possible. 
6. The E.A. should be in charge of coordinating and booking all travel arrangements and submit all expenses after each trip. This can be a very time-consuming activity where the E.A.’s Ninja Skills will be invaluable.
7. The E.A. should administer the leader’s calendar, agenda and activities. This too is an intensive activity that can become very time consuming, particularly as the leader’s time becomes more in demand. Booking and rescheduling meetings can even become a dedicated E.A. role among senior executives at fortune 500 companies.
8. They prepare correspondence and documents and can even represent the leader in a proxy role in a variety of business unit meetings when the leader is unable to attend. In these cases, their meeting notes are highly valuable to an in-demand leader.
9. An experienced E.A. could coordinate internal financial, administrative and H.R. procedures and guide applications within the business unit for team vacation requests, paperwork and orientations for new hires, ergonomic assessments, overtime requests, benefits, pay issues and other assorted administrative requests.
10. They initiate and invest in relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. For a busy executive, this can become one of the most important roles for an E.A. who has good emotional intelligence and people skills. In fact, we’ve seen this kind of teamwork make the difference between a successful 

An Executive Assistant can make a world of difference for any leader, but you can maximize your effectiveness as a leader and shine in your role using these time-tested strategies for coordinating the waves of work that are headed your way every day. Enjoy them, but don’t forget to mark Assistant’s Day on your calendar and to treat your E.A. like gold!

About the Authors: Jojo Plouffe is an Administrative Officer with Cabinet Affairs within Government of Canada, and a Business Manager with Ubiquity Leadership Coaching. Terry Lipovski is the President of Ubiquity Leadership Coaching and a Certified Executive Coach. Both Joanne and Terry can be contacted at www.ubiquity.coach