Some background Ever since my first COVID-related article and Weekend Poll, which I drafted in late February 2020 and published a couple of days later, assistants and association leaders have responded any time I’ve asked for insights on business continuity…
Exceptional EA
a resource for assistants around the globe, from international trainer Shelagh Donnelly
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Rules
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: window shopping in Manhattan last year. I was drawn in by this purse at Bergdorf Goodman.
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Voilà – balance app fun with cyber awareness
Cybersecurity
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Listen
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: an urban “pollinator garden” not far from home. In the early spring, purples and mauves with sprinkles of orange are its dominant colours. On yesterday’s visit, plenty of both carry on in the form of new blossoms, with the addition of new growth of yellow, red, pink and cream-coloured flowers.
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Respect
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: Shine, one of three horses (and their people!) I met at the beach the other week. This beauty has incredible blue eyes.
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Travel
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: St. Pancras International in London, England. I first travelled through this station after making our way through the Chunnel from Paris Gare du Nord. I’ve been struck by its architectural beauty – it’s Victorian Gothic – each time since then. Have you begun to plan travel again?
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Awareness
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: “Plastic Beachgoers” is a series of lifelike sculptures artist Caitlin Doherty made with plastics removed from Canadian shorelines. The exhibition, currently at Vancouver’s Kits Beach, is part of a Canadian “Protect Paradise” campaign undertaken with Ocean Wise and Corona. It’s designed to raise awareness and encourage people to behave differently when it comes to plastics.
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Strength
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: In Vancouver, we have what’s known as a Green Streets program. Individuals partner with the city to beautify and care for street corner gardens and traffic calming spots such as roundabouts. Most of the gardens come partially established with drought-tolerant plants and some evergreens, and the volunteers top them up – sometimes with giveaway plants. The look and feel varies from one garden to another and this rose comes from a garden situated on what I call “Pretty Corner” for the three beautiful beds planted on two adjacent street corner.
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Learning
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: I visited Budapest, Hungary in 2017 and enjoyed exploring the sights. Here, the Chain Bridge and, in the background, Castle Budapest.
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One of Those Days – reflections on this second day of June
I’ve just had one of those days ..
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Constants
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: close up with a lovely weigela bush. I was first introduced to this plant by my late grandmother-in-law, who was a terrific gardener.
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Inferiority
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: a lovely dog who paused from playing fetch with his or her person to see who else was having fun in the waters off Spanish Banks
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Enjoy
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: just one of many beautiful May roses blooming in the side garden of a home I regularly pass on my walks. Are they blooming now in your neighbourhood?
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Today
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: fun at Cannon Beach, Oregon. Canadians enjoyed a long weekend last week; here’s to a terrific long weekend/bank holiday ahead for all of you about to enjoy a little breather.
About Shelagh
A highly regarded speaker and trainer, Shelagh Donnelly walked the walk for almost three decades. She’s authentic, inspiring and positive. When you hear Shelagh speak, you know she understands the career and has good insights on its ongoing evolution. She…
Webinars with Shelagh
Meetings, technology, communications, governance and much more The best assistants are always learning, through experience and by engaging in professional development. While plans for a number of conferences and other in-person learning opportunities have been postponed, that needn’t put a…
For training and event planners
Helping you adapt as new norms continue to take shape As assistants and employers rebuild on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to focus on professional development that reflects evolving norms and needs. More than ever, it’s critical…
Weekend Polls - where assistants around the globe have their say
Weekend Poll: Performance reviews – opportunities or ordeals?
Do you receive performance evaluations? Whether or not we look forward to them, performance reviews (evaluations) are part of a good organisational culture. Despite this, and even in some terrific organisations, there are instances in which assistants go years without…
Career lessons courtesy of the pandemic
It’s been 59 weeks That’s right. It’s now been 59 weeks since I first began writing about COVID-19 and its impacts on our lives and careers. I drafted my first COVID-focused article the last week of February, shortly after returning…
Rules
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: window shopping in Manhattan last year. I was drawn in by this purse at Bergdorf Goodman.
Listen
A thought for your day, featuring photography from my travels. This shot: an urban “pollinator garden” not far from home. In the early spring, purples and mauves with sprinkles of orange are its dominant colours. On yesterday’s visit, plenty of both carry on in the form of new blossoms, with the addition of new growth of yellow, red, pink and cream-coloured flowers.