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The Vanishing Executive Assistant? My Response

Last weekend, the Wall Street Journal published an interesting (though highly controversial) article titled, “The Vanishing Executive Assistant.”  

And WOW, did it cause an uproar in the admin community! I’m pretty sure that was the author’s intent so, well done…?

This is my response to that article and my defense of the Executive Assistant role. Admittedly, I am biased. As a proud former admin and EA, and a current trainer for the administrative community, I have a unique vantage point. I am deeply invested in this profession; my research is based on my experience and that of the THOUSANDS of admins I’ve worked with/for over the past decade.

So clearly, my mindset as I approach this conversation is entirely different from that of the journalist who wrote this article.

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5 Ways to Improve Your Self-Awareness

5 Ways to Improve Your Self-Awareness

I am a firm believer that all growth starts with understanding yourself. Before you can grow as a person or as a professional, you have to first know who you are and why you do what you do. This skill is commonly referred to as “self-awareness,” and it’s an important element of emotional intelligence, which is widely considered a key factor in life and career success. Taking time to improve your self-awareness is one of the most powerful things you can do to support your development.

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Administrative Assistant vs. Executive Assistant: What’s the Difference?

Administrative Assistant vs. Executive Assistant What's the Difference?

As many of my regular readers already know, I am a proud former administrative professional. I have a deep admiration and appreciation for those who dedicate themselves to support roles, which is one of the reasons I now focus a large part of my corporate training business on working with administrative teams.

Of course, the admin field has changed a lot in the past few decades (more on that in a future article). But one of the most common questions I’ve heard consistently for many years, especially from newer admins, has to do with titles. 

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How to Make Smart Career Decisions (Webinar)

How to Make Smart Career Decisions

Join us for this month’s free webinar on the topic of “How to Make Smart Career Decisions.”

Career decisions shouldn’t be taken lightly. Whether you’re considering a promotion, a new job or an entirely new career, it can be hard to know what the “right” choice is. One bad decision can create a series of negative consequences (both personal and professional) and repairing the damage done can take years.

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How to Set Meaningful Career Goals (Webinar)

Join us for this month’s free webinar on the topic of “How to Set Meaningful Career Goals.”

How to Set Meaningful Career Goals

Description:

Goals are supposed to be motivating and inspiring. However, too many professionals set career goals that lack meaning. Consequently, they fail to create a sense of commitment or excitement. A meaningless goal is nothing more than a waste of attention and resources.

The solution is to engage in intentional goal setting. When you take the time to create purposeful goals that truly resonate in a powerful way, your chances of success increase exponentially. More importantly, you experience greater joy in the goal setting (and goal getting) process.

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How to Use Downtime at Work Productively

How to Use Downtime at Work Productively

As we head into the dreary winter months, I am reminded of the seasonality of business. In most organizations, there is a natural ebb and flow that occurs. Things get predictably busy at certain times of the year, just as things get predictably slow at other times. For my business, the month of December is always blessedly slow—and I like to take advantage. In fact, I have a whole list of projects I’ve been saving up all year! I can’t wait to dive into it.

Unfortunately, even though slow times are totally normal and often very predictable, a lot of professionals fail to adequately plan for them. As a result, they find themselves complaining of boredom and struggling to keep busy. They’re hardly able to enjoy the slower pace, for fear that they’re not being as productive as they could or should be.

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