Absolutely everyone knows
very good support is tough to locate. When you are an executive trying to find a
top-flight assistant - or perhaps the other way about - it assists to know what
you might be seeking for. 
A friend of mine recently interviewed for any
position as executive assistant to a CEO, and considering the fact that I also
occur to become the head of a business, she turned to me for some insight. She
specially wanted to understand what I think about to become the 5 most
significant attributes of an outstanding assistant.
I had to cease to
gather my thoughts. Even though I'm my company's CEO, I usually do not have an
executive assistant who goes by that title.
Nevertheless, a number of
members of our firm's administrative employees carry out those functions for me
within the scope of their other duties. Additionally, a variety of our firm's
customers happen to be CEOs as well as other top-level executives, so I have
worked closely with EAs for a lot of years.
Executive assistants, like
administrative assistants commonly, share some traits with all the secretaries
who have been their historical predecessors.
But the position looks
distinctive nowadays. Yes, some EAs do field their boss' phone calls or handle
their calendars, however they may also attend meetings or negotiations, analyze
small business documents, prepare study reports and supervise much more junior
employees.
Each executive will need a slightly various ability set from
an assistant, based on the industry, the firm as well as the executive's private
work style. Though the precise duties vary, the top assistants will normally
show a lot of in the very same qualities.
Many of the EAs with whom I
have worked happen to be remarkably skilled. Fans of USA Network's drama "Suits"
will recognize Donna in many of the traits I go over, and not without having
explanation. I see lots of Donna in lots of on the EAs I know, minus the slinky
designer clothing, questionable office banter and entangling personal
relationships which can be much more frequent on Television dramas than in
actual life.
So which five qualities are in the top of my list for an EA
who is destined to be a star?
1. Loyalty. An outstanding assistant
should be committed towards the good results with the enterprise as a whole, and
to the executive's efforts to guide it. The top EAs won't hesitate to provide
their boss an sincere opinion, no matter whether to agree or disagree, but they
will never criticize or undermine their bosses behind their backs.
2.
Discretion. A high-level EA will inevitably have access to highly sensitive
information and facts, like info concerning the firm itself, its clients or
customers, and fellow employees. The assistant's boss must trust that the EA
will never share or use this info inappropriately.
3. Judgment. An
executive assistant could be the gatekeeper for a great deal from the
information flowing toward his or her boss. He or she will have to discern which
things call for instant focus, which can wait and which really should be
redirected to an individual else's desk. Maybe most important, superb EAs know
when to ask their bosses for guidance. A number of this judgment comes with
expertise, but some is simply a cultivated sense of how you can correctly
evaluate the boss' priorities. A wise EA may also know when one thing is worth
handling differently than usual. 
four. Initiative. To maximize each their
assistant's efficiency and their very own, accomplished executives wish to drop
as numerous challenges as you can in to the assistant's lap.
Assistants
ought to be prepared to tackle a wide array of challenges, from typical tasks to
rare and complicated projects they have never encountered before. By the way,
bosses also appreciate assistants who, when alerting them to a problem,
simultaneously supply a possible remedy.
5. Accuracy. Best executives
usually care quite a bit about specifics, but their jobs don't let the time to
get deep into the weeds. They rely on other people to present facts clearly,
concisely and - above all - accurately. Soon after all, you can't make great
decisions on terrible facts. The strongest EAs are masters of detail.
You will notice I didn't include things like items like "organization,"
"effective communication" or "time management." That is certainly mainly because
these sorts of abilities are basic needs, not distinguishing traits of a star
performer. A disorganized assistant to a top-level executive does not stay in
that job extremely long.
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