You and Your Manager Are a Team

Often the PA and the manager spend a great deal of time together. They have the same objectives and carry out different tasks to achieve those objectives. Communication is vital; it would be impossible to work together successfully without excellent communication.

Your team (you and your manager) should be speaking regularly during the day but, most importantly, time should be set aside, probably once a day, to sit down together and agree on objectives for the day, week and month (this can always be done on the ‘phone if necessary). I remember my MD telling me “you are the most important person I speak to”. Very flattering, but actually quite true. I organized his life!

How can you make decisions on your manager’s behalf and be proactive if you don’t know what’s important to him/her at that time? Managers who are secretive are harming their own effectiveness as well as yours. These meetings should not be one way; you waiting for your manager to tell you what to do. It should be two way communication. Before this session you should have prepared what you need to relay to your manager and anticipated any questions he/she may have for you.

As issues arise, always attempt to offer viable solutions rather than problems; you are there to assist, not give your manager more worries. Many PAs who tell me they have offered to do more for their manager, complain that he/she has not responded and they feel a lack of trust. In fact, the manager may very much want the PA to take on more responsibility, they are just not sure what they could do. Give your manager suggestions of how you could be more proactive; he/she will probably be delighted.

Networking internally and externally is vital. Take every opportunity to attend meetings and training courses, such as the 3-day Administration and Office Management for Female Professionals conducted by PLUS Specialty Training, to expand your knowledge and skills. Read books and magazines, such as Executive Secretary, tailored for PA’s requirements. Join groups on social media to share good practice with other PAs and, even better, join organizations such as IMA or local PA networks around the world.

Be aware of your manager’s working style and how he/she likes to receive information. Listen and observe to really understand your manager’s needs. Explain things clearly and simply; many busy managers do not have time for detail.

The key word on my Administration and Office Management course is “preparation”. An effective PA always puts some thought into situations before acting – from routine telephone calls and emails, to attending meetings, offering proposals and issues of conflict. An effective PA offers his/her views whilst always having considered the views of the other person. An effective PA is priceless!

About the Author

Heather Baker

Heather Baker is a highly accomplished training consultant, specializing in Office Professional skills, with over 19 years of training experience. Before becoming a consultant and delivering programs to numerous participants from all levels of administration, Heather spent over 20 years in multiple Executive Assistant roles, including 10 years assisting the Chief Executive of Granada Television in the U.K.

Heather’s programs not only cover the fundamentals, but also encompass innovative topics to help organizations thrive in their daily activities. Her training has enabled professionals to enhance the way they work, leading to more success for their business.

Heather holds a Paris Chamber of Commerce Bilingual Secretarial Diploma and is a Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner. She travels worldwide to motivate and develop the skills of personnel in diverse organizations and industries. She regularly delivers presentations at secretarial and office professional conferences and is a regular contributor to office professional magazines, webinars and blogs. She is also a Prince’s Trust Business Mentor in the UK and a mentor for Isipho Admin in South Africa, as well as the creator of the Baker Write speedwriting system and the author of “Successful Minute Taking: Meeting the Challenge” and “Successful Business Writing”.