Being an executive assistant may sound easier than it actually is, but once you get the hang of it and embody these competencies, you will surely go places!
Organisation and Time Management
Being organised and having good time management are competencies that will never leave the Assistant profession. They are at the heart of what makes a fantastic Assistant. We help our Executive’s stay organised and save them time.
There are lots of fantastic technology that can help you with time management, productivity and keeping everything coordinated. But, you also need to be well organized yourself and have that mindset.
Keeping someone else organised is difficult. So knowing where everything is, keeping a close eye on project deadlines, where all the correct paperwork and files are stored, knowing when meetings are due to finish and the next one start, scheduling your Executive’s day correctly.
Communication
Communicating effectively is still a critical competency for Assistants (and will become more important as the use of AI increases). Assistants need to cut through the noise; they need to get to the heart of the matter and communicate what is required in any given situation.
Assistants, as ever, will work with a whole range of different personality types. As such, they need to adapt their communication style so that they can relay their messages effectively and efficiently.
Attention to Detail
Some competencies are made for life and attention to detail is another one that just isn’t going to go away. Yes, there are loads of useful tools out there to help which will help spell and grammar check documents, but it doesn’t end there.
Assistants also have to make their Executive look good, and they do this well because they are aware of the small details that make a difference. That could be finishing off the client presentation so that it looks fantastic. Or, scheduling time for your Executive to read that report they have been putting off or something simple like grabbing a coffee for a busy team member.
Small details matter and will continue to be a place that Assistants can add value.
Discretion
This one is never going away. Keeping your Executive’s confidence is vital for so many reasons. This is because you both need to trust each other explicitly for the partnership to work.
In today’s age Assistants also need to be aware of cybersecurity and ensuring that everything they have access to is handled sensitively.
Diplomacy
In my mind, diplomacy is the art of dealing with people sensitively and tactfully. It is the ability to communicate with people using an approach that considers their feelings and potential reaction to the situation. It is a skill that allows assistants to find common ground with every person at every level of business.
For these reasons, it is so helpful if Assistants can be diplomatic.
Flexibility
We look at our packed to-do list, and we have to make a decision which tasks to tackle first when all of the work is a priority with imminent deadlines.
We also have our colleagues interrupting us with their urgent questions and multiple bosses wanting attention. Of course, we also want to please and be helpful; no wonder the role of an Assistant can be quite overwhelming!
Due to the nature of our job we have to remain flexible while handling multiple priorities.
Interpersonal skills
Despite more and more office workers using technology to communicate and get stuff done, it is still important to build relationships, connect and interact with all of the employees.
Assistants can make a difference and add value in this area especially with access to scale linkedin messages. With this, assistants can connect with anyone. They can also disseminate information and work within different company cultures. This will be seen as a real value-add in a business highly reliant on technology and remote working.
Intuitive
Intuition is such a fantastic competency to have in business no matter what role you work in. But for Assistants, it is that skill that takes you from an excellent Assistant to a valuable business asset.
Why? Because it helps you keep one step ahead of your Executive and their needs. Likewise, it helps you anticipate what might be coming up in the organization and how to deal with any issues that might occur. This isn’t about reading minds (although that would be super helpful!) it is more about having a strong understanding of the business. It also is building your knowledge of the industry you work in and how your business and Executive fit into that industry and of course knowing your Executive’s style and priorities.
Intuition is something that is innate in a great Assistant, but it can also be learned.
Creativity
The opportunity to be creative and innovative at work isn’t necessarily obvious mainly if you work in a traditional corporate environment. But, creativity has been identified as a critical skill for employees. And, we will need to be more innovative with our problem solving and task completion.
Creativity isn’t just about creating an excellent presentation for example or producing a fancy logo. Rather, it is also about that dreaded phrase ‘thinking outside the box’ and doing things a little differently to have they have been done in the past.
Self-Motivated
Last but not least is being self-motivated.
Aside from being confident and shouting that you are brilliant (which you should all be doing, but I get that it can be tiresome having to regularly big yourself up to other people) you should be putting yourself forward for projects, challenging tasks, stuff that will get you seen and heard. This year is all about proving to those who have any doubts that you are vital to your organisations and that you offer so much value.\
SOURCE: Practically Perfect PA
