1. Transforming our Profession Together
The Proactive Admin
Transforming our Profession Together

2. This is Who We Were…

4. We Are…

5. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you don’t quit, Unsmoke.
“To “Unsmoke” is to take smoke out of your life. Some smokers will do this by abandoning tobacco and nicotine altogether (the best choice), and some will unsmoke by switching to a smoke-free alternative (the next best choice).”
The core message of Unsmoke is :
If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
If you smoke, quit.
If you don’t quit, Unsmoke.
“To “Unsmoke” is to take smoke out of your life.
Some smokers will do this by abandoning tobacco and nicotine altogether (the best choice),
and some will unsmoke by switching to a smoke-free alternative (the next best choice).”

6. Today

7. Who are you?
&
Why are you here today?

8. What is the most important topic to you in the Executive Assistant profession today?
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9. Who am I?
&
Why am I here today?

10. Making Good Even Better!
Proactive
Is about making transformation happen
Transformation
Is about change
Change
Is about making good even better
Making Good Even Better!
Is about doing the right thing for everyone!

11. The Executive Assistant Today
In the past, the Executive Assistant was primarily responsible for one executive for administrative tasks only.
In our role today we have become the partner to senior level management, often supporting more than one executive, contributing on the administrative side, day-to-day business operations, transforming business environments, business development and planning.
Today it’s about being proactive, being ready for anything and everything at any time!
What are some of the elements that fall under managing your executive?
Issues: An Executive Assistant is the executive partner, protector, and the center of the executives lives.
Today there are no more boundaries - evenings, weekends, vacations = partner relationship with executive.
Today there are less and less assistants and more and more needs.

12. It’s about Managing your Executive!
Cultural Integration
Calendar management
Meetings & Events
It’s about
Managing your Executive!
Planning
Technology bridge
Budgets
Partnership
Private Support
Contracts
Systems & Policies
How can we best prepare?
Are there issues or risks that come along with this new role?

13. How do we find the balance?
Keeping in mind the Technology take over
The speed of technology and transformation developments are creating a higher and higher level of dependency.
Good news is that access to information is rapid.
Bad news is that technology has become a constant communication intrusion in our daily lives.
We continually encounter more noise/distractions, dependency and stress.
Technology makes us constantly linked to our work.
How do we find the balance?

14. What is perceived vs What is real?
Perception is an interesting concept.
Perceptions lead to and can form unconscious biases.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE:
Same woman – different background, makeup, jewelry, hairstyle/headdress = very different perceptions
CAMPAIGN:
The untouched image of this woman was sent to photographers in different countries around the world and they were asked to Photoshop the woman in the image to the standard of beauty in their respective countries.
CONCLUSION - MEDIA & SOCIAL STANDARDS:
The messages that we consume from media and society both POSITIVE and NEGATIVE form our perceptions and unconscious biases.
Perception
What is perceived vs What is real?
Perceptions lead to and forms unconscious biases. Stop, Think then Act.

15. Managing your executive & finding the right balance
The Executive Assistant and their Executive are in an extremely intimate relationship.
The Executive Assistant has to know everything their Executive knows on a day-to-day basis.
In this relationships, it’s important to create a foundation of trust and integrity.
Additionally, it is important for the Executive Assistant to build a relationship with pertinent Team Members, partners, and clients. As you become more integrated into your role, it will be you that people interact with most of the time, not your executive.

16. How do we develop trust and integrity?
Build a partnership founded on trust and integrity
The most important key in building trust is that it must be sincere and routed in integrity.
How do we develop trust and integrity?
You must do something to give people evidence that helps them decide whether to trust you. You must be willing to give in order to receive.
People tend to trust one another if they are convinced the other is in for the long haul and not looking simply to maximize the short-term benefit of individual interactions.
Executive Assistants are not transition jobs.
Provide some evidence that your executive’s interests are as important to you as yours are.

17. Time Management & Setting Limits
Managing Expectations
Build a shared agenda
Define the boundaries of the tasks you will perform ; )
Identify precise working arrangements
Agree on methods and frequency of communicating
Decide how success will be measured, both during and at the end of the process
How do you education your executive and yourself to set realistic boundaries?

18. Communication - Dialogue & Feedback are key
Make sure your executive and you are always very clear on an agenda, priorities and who is doing what.
It is important you know everything important to your executive. This helps build a base of information to make rational judgments about prioritization on his behalf.
Communicate every day with your executive
What you’re doing for the executive
What the executive has to do
Review the tasks for the day / open issues
What the executive expects of team members
Check in throughout the day to make sure you and your executive are on schedule.
A 5-minute wrap-up session, before you leave for that day, is a helpful way to release work life from your mind before you go to your personal life.
What space is left for us and how far should be go?

19. Stress Capacity Personal time
Know your executive’s capacity for stress. Learn signals from your executive that they are working themselves too hard and take a strong stance to make them take a break.
Do the same for yourself!
What to do when you or your executive reaches their limits?
Personal time
Have fun. Be sure to have some fun while working and playing; a good sense of humor can keep most problems in perspective. If you’re having fun, most likely your executive will follow suit.
Divide up your executive’s time. Talk to your executive and decide how much time they want to spend on business development, personal needs, and family.
Do the same for yourself!
It’s partly your responsibility to look out for your executive’s their personal health and well-being. If they go crazy, chances are they’re going to drag you and others down with them.
Where do our personal and professional lives start and end?

20. How? Practice Signature exercise Sign your name Now w/ your other hand
How to you get from here to there?
It take practice to get good at anything.
There are things that you do well and things that take practice, training and experience.
Mistakes will happen! Learn to move on. Keep trying.
Practice

21. Which of the following actions will be the easiest to take to make you more proactive?
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22. Which of the following actions will be the hardest to take to make you more proactive?
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23. Transforming our profession together
The Proactive Admin:
Transforming our profession together
In order for proactive transformation to happen remember to:
Open your eyes, Open your mind and Open your heart to change,
Always!

24. Stay in touch! Tracy.jaggi@gmail.com +41 79 934 9235
Learn, share, and develop by taking smart risks!