Today and throughout the year, here’s to assistants who treat what you do as a career 

As some of you mark Admin Professionals Day 2024, hello from Japan! I’ve been on the road for a couple of weeks, beginning in Rome to be with IMA (International Management Assistants) members and friends before making my way to Paris, London and Copenhagen, and then arriving in Tokyo yesterday.

Depending on where you live, Wednesday, April 24th may mark an upsurge in revenues for your local florists and restaurants. That’s because, in North America, this marks what’s known as Administrative Professionals Day. The occasion is also marked on different dates in Australia (the first Friday of May) and (in September) in Brazil and South Africa. Of the three groups for whom I’ve presented live in the past few days, only one group is from a workplace – an international corporation – that marks Administrative Professionals Day.

Today and every day,  I like to celebrate all the assistants who are continually developing because you treat what you do as a career. Rather than focusing on lunches, flowers and chocolates, let’s focus on ongoing professional development and recognising the value and potential high performing assistants offer. This is particularly relevant for HR teams and employers facing recruitment/retention challenges. Investing in high performers, whatever the job title or career focus, is simply good business.

In 2024, why not take personal responsibility for helping elevate understanding of the value high performing assistants bring to the workplace, and a better understanding of the role itself?

Receiving recognition for the value you bring to the workplace

Early this year, I was struck by the extent of reaction to actress Ayo Edebiri – herself a former assistant – thanking her “agent and managers’ assistants” during the January 2024 Golden Globes awards ceremony.

In contemplating the assistant career, let’s stay a moment in Ms. Edebiri’s world.  Much, though not all, of an assistant’s work is somewhat akin to creating effective set designs and well-constructed backdrops in front of which others perform and shine. However strategic, skilled and attention-worthy an assistant may be – and however critical a role you fill in positioning your principal to perform at a high level – it’s not your role that’s typically front and centre.

I say this from experience as someone who’s led her own department, when I was a corporate software trainer, and from almost 30 years of walking your walk.  Over the course of those years, and along with all the responsibilities listed (or not listed) on my job descriptions, I routinely tapped into a combination of hard and soft skills to position a number of executives and leaders to succeed in their roles.

That’s not to suggest I was not also a leader myself while filling these supporting roles. I led teams and projects, and planned and executed events involving significant budgets and hundreds of people. I created onboarding programs, initiated annual staff development conferences, co-launched two internal networks, led committees, chaired a national board of directors, and represented my employer and my peers when I presented at domestic and international conferences. As an EA, I joined a handful of senior leaders in developing and implementing an annual institution-wide employee development conference. I also served as an advisor (yes; it was in the position description) to board Chairs and CEOs, and more.

Was I recognised for my contributions? In the corporate world, I certainly was, and consistently so. In the public sector, things were different from one institution to the next and I understand all too well that assistants don’t always receive deserved recognition from their principals (bosses) and other stakeholders. Each person’s experience will depend on a mix of organisational culture, the person or people to whom you report, and on you.

Does an actor’s acknowledgements of your counterparts in her career truly constitute a “breakthrough moment”?

Ms. Edebiri’s comments justifiably endeared her to many. Some have even been hailed her public remarks as a “breakthrough moment” for assistants. Now, I understand the warm and fuzzy feeling associated with receiving credit where it’s due, particularly when it’s been lacking, yet I’d aim higher when it comes to defining breakthrough moments in one’s career. Would lawyers, accountants or people in other (traditionally) office-based careers have had such visceral reactions had one of their own been mentioned in a public acceptance speech? Do you think people in such careers derive their sense of value through words of thanks, or through compensation and career progression?

Do we sometimes attach too much of our personal identity to our career?

It may be worth considering whether assistants, many of whom pour your hearts and souls into your careers, sometimes attach too much of your personal identity to your job. Yes, it’s unfortunate and at times downright rotten when an assistant is excluded from a team or from recognition. If we choose to derive or affirm our sense of value or worth in part through our careers, though, we may do well to instead focus on affirmation through appropriate compensation, learning and development opportunities, and career progression. Those outcomes can depend in part on how consistently we align some of our performance objectives and goals with those of the individual(s) and organisation we support – and how we represent ourselves and our contributions.

“Tell us what you really think, Shelagh”

It’s no secret. Those who’ve been following this website since I launched it in 2013 will know I’ve long encouraged a shift away from well intended cards, flowers and lunches to mark Administrative Professionals Day and Week. I understand others have different views. I offer my comments as a speaker and trainer who was in the career myself for almost three decades, until 2018.

Rather than investing in an annual gesture of appreciation, employers would be well served through ongoing investments in professional development for the people who hold assistant roles. Despite reductions in some workplaces and sectors, many employers are facing costly recruitment and retention challenges. HR professionals and employers alike may want to assess just how well they understand the scope of contributions and the positive impacts high performing assistants offer – in their current roles, and as prospects for internal promotions.

That said, it’s not down solely to employers and your HR colleagues to better understand your skills, qualities, impacts and potential. Individually and collectively, assistants can collaborate to enhance perceptions of the role and the importance of investing in you and your development.

Our words and the manner in which we present ourselves have power. It’s up to you to determine whether you’ll tap in to that power, or toss it away. Be intentional in your communications. Do you use qualifiers that undermine your authority or expertise? If you’ve been in the room for one of my presentations on influence, professional presence or communications, you may recall me mentioning the day I realised I was doing just that during a phone conversation with a board Chair! I made an immediate commitment to myself that I’d not do so again. Do you present yourself confidently, and justifiably so on the basis of being well informed?

Approach networking with a sense of curiosity and genuine interest in others and their careers. Rather than sticking solely to “like-minded people”, a term I frequently see, make a point of also connecting with people outside your immediate circle. Expose yourself to views and ideas that may lead you to challenge your perceptions.

When you invest time and energy in professional development and networking, let your employer know. Demonstrate relevant returns on investments (ROI). When you’ve generated efficiencies or done something that created positive impacts, quantify and communicate this in a timely manner. None of this represents bragging. Done right, it helps raise your profile and supports an understanding of your role.

Some are daunted by the concept of networking, yet you needn’t be an extrovert to connect with others. Think about networking in the context of sharing and gaining insights and expertise, and as an ambassador for your organisation as well as the career. It’s not uncommon, when you expand your network, to find you’re able to facilitate introductions or introduce new ideas or efficiencies to the workplace.

When it comes to networking, avoid a numbers game. Go, instead, for meaningful conversations and exchanges, be they in person or digital. I subscribe to Elizabeth Bibesco’s approach: give without remembering, and take without forgetting.

Be a continual learner, and expand your scope of knowledge

Across careers, the way we work and the skills we’ll require are changing. ChatGPT, which I’ve written about on LinkedIn, here, and elsewhere, is merely one more indicator of the importance of being able to adapt and learn. It helps when we invest energy in understanding our organisation’s strategy, opportunities and challenges. Where will you invest time, energy and perhaps your personal budget when it comes to learning?

You may already hold an undergraduate or graduate degree, or a certificate or diploma. Whether or not you hold or pursue formal credentials, think about what will serve you and your employers (present and future) well when it comes to learning, professional development, and personal and professional growth. Your organisation routinely deals with matters such as risk management, strategic planning, cyber awareness and more. What do you know about these topics, or others in which your principal is engaged? ESG, also known as environmental, social and governance, is on some employers’ radar; what do you know about it? Be curious, and think beyond the current parameters of your career.

Think, as well, about your aspirations for three, five and 10 years from now. It’s challenging to identify just what may serve you well a decade from now, yet we can start with the short and near term and then continue to rework and refine our sense of what will serve us well in the longer term.

Image, visibility … and thousands of assistants walking behind you

Again, the words we use, and the body language with which we present ourselves, speak volumes. Do you undermine your expertise and impacts with the words you use, or do you assert yourself and professionally showcase your contributions in meaningful ways? If you apologise unnecessarily, are reluctant to say “no”, or use phrases that diminish others’ confidence in you and your credibility, breaking any of those habits would surely constitute a “breakthrough moment”. If you’ve heard me present on prioritising resilience over perfection, you may appreciate how firmly I believe recognising and taming those perfectionist tendencies can be a breakthrough moment.

I’ve coached one impressive EA who acknowledged her habit of diminishing her visibility when joining senior executives in meetings. This smart, personable and effective EA had been choosing to be in the background as much as possible, and realised this wasn’t doing her any favours when it came to how others might perceive her. We talked through strategies to physically convey confidence when we’re alongside people in power, even – or perhaps I should say especially – when we’re interacting with someone we find intimidating, or when we’re embarking upon an important conversation. I’d say this EA’s self-awareness, and her commitment to changing her body language, represented a true breakthrough moment.

Think about whether you physically present yourself with confidence (not arrogance), and whether you may benefit from considering what your body language tells others about your opinion of yourself. I love presenting at conferences, and sessions in which we work on body language are both fun and fruitful. If you’d like a single tip to help you enter a room with confidence, allow me to paraphrase what’s believed to be an African proverb as I suggest you enter a room as though you have 3,000 stellar and supportive assistants walking behind you. Think of them having your back.

Another potential breakthrough moment? All of us have weaknesses, or gaps that signify room for improvement and progress. When you identify and capitalise on your strengths, even as you’re making efforts to close those gaps, that’s a breakthrough moment.

If you’re ready for a breakthrough moment, create your own. Decide what you’re going to do (or stop doing), whether it’s adopting or changing a habit, securing a credential or a particular type of role – whatever is meaningful to you. Be bold. Write it down and set timelines, steps and targets for yourself. Identify how you’ll recognise when you’ve reached that breakthrough moment. Hold yourself accountable, while giving yourself grace for the occasional slip up. Persevere, and celebrate when you achieve whatever breakthrough is meaningful to you … and then reflect and identify your next breakthrough moment.