Simply Put: How to Be a Good Executive Assistant

Recently, a reader emailed me looking for a very basic breakdown of how to be a good Executive Assistant. She's new to the job and has found it somewhat intimidating. For example, with the idea of screening someone else's phone calls; she worries about how to judge who gets through. She wonders how to "nudge" her boss to follow up with people even when her boss is very busy. And she's curious about how to politely interrupt when necessary, for family or emergency phone calls for example.

These are excellent questions and the same ones I had when I first started as an Executive Assistant. So I decided to analyze my experience in this field and put together this comprehensive article detailing exactly how to be a good Executive Assistant.

1) Respect and Guard Confidentiality
One of the hardest things for a new Executive Assistant to accept is the inevitable "distance" they feel from their co-workers. If you don't feel at least a little of that, you're not doing your job. Being the assistant to someone who is in the upper ranks of the company means you probably have knowledge of things others don't. You have to in order to get your job done. Your boss relies on being able to share private information with you and they expect you to keep it safe and confidential. This means you simply can't participate in the office rumor mill - no matter what. Remember that whatever you say can sound like it's coming from your boss's mouth. Many times, the Executive Assistant becomes a kind of "alter ego" so your words will inevitably reflect back on your boss. If you chat with someone in the office about how Martha doesn't get her job done, it may be insinuated that your boss has mentioned something. If you speculate on a possible merger, it may sound to others like you've got inside information. Don't get involved in this kind of mess. It will eventually get back to your boss and your job could end up on the line. Without having faith that you can protect confidential information, you're really no use to your boss.

2) Hone Your Detective Skills
When handling incoming correspondence, you must act as a private detective. It is your job to evaluate exactly who the person is and what they need. You must then consider who in the office can best help them. I would say that 9 times out of 10, they don't need the head honcho. They only want the comfort and confidence that comes with speaking to the man or woman in charge. The real situation can most likely be handled by someone else in the office. It's your job to get to the heart of the matter (which can be difficult at times) and then gently direct them to someone else, thus saving your boss the time it would take to do so himself. At the same time, you must be acutely aware of the times when it is necessary to pass the call to the boss. At those times, trying to divert it away can cause major problems.

There are several ways to get comfortable with this process. First, ask your boss who the most "important" calls are likely to come from. Is it the attorney? A set of clients? Is there anyone in particular who absolutely should always be put through without exception? Second, ask to be kept informed of important calls that your boss is expecting. That way, you don't try to screen someone when it's not necessary. Also, learn what everyone else in the office does. That way, if someone calls to discuss an issue that is handled by someone particular in the office, you can quickly transfer them to the right person.

The process of finding out what a caller actually needs is a difficult. There are many different approaches and I promise you, it gets easier with time. The longer you've been there, the more people know who you are. They are then more likely to discuss details with you, knowing that you can properly handle the situation and relay necessary information to the boss.

However, while you're new it is important to take a tone of confidence. Don't let people push you around. In my experience, if people refuse to give you at least a brief idea of why they are calling, they're probably selling something. The sales people are always the ones who try to slip by you. Most people calling for legitimate reasons will respect you when you say that you are the assistant and you'd like to help them. In my experience, if the call is not expected by your boss it's easiest to start off by introducing yourself and explaining that your boss is unavailable at the moment. Should you determine that the call needs to be transferred to them, it's easy enough to say, "Let me go see if I can interrupt." That way, you've got some information for your boss and they can make the decision to take the call or not. They may tell you that now is not a good time, in which case you can return to the caller and say you were unable to interrupt. You can then either take a message or ask them for further information so you can proceed in taking care of the problem as best you can yourself.

The reader who wrote to me was particularly concerned with constantly telling the same people that her boss was "in a meeting". My response to this is, be as honest as possible. If your boss happens to be in a meeting every time someone calls, maybe you should schedule the phone call so they both know the right time to connect. However, if your boss doesn't want to speak with them, and you're making the same excuse over and over again, you'll need to push the issue one way or another. What I mean is, you need to tell them that your boss is extremely busy and he or she has asked you to get the details and take care of the situation. If they simply refuse to speak to anyone but your boss, you need to tell them that it may be a while before they can get back to them. They can either wait for a return phone call or you can help. That's the choice. If you just keep pushing them off, they'll eventually get very upset.

3) Grow a Sturdy Backbone
Most of the time, people hire assistants who they think will help keep them on task. They don't want someone who can't buckle down and tell them what needs to be done. So don't be afraid of telling your boss when they need to do something. Likewise, don't be sensitive if they tell you to take a hike. Whether they do what you ask or not, it's still your job to tell them what needs to be done. You're tracking the workflow. You're scheduling the meetings. You know what needs to be done. Whether you like it or not, it's part of your job to nag. Your boss is likely a very busy person. Company leaders typically are. They often have more tasks than they can truly manage on their own. It's your job to understand what those tasks are and prioritize them. When you're first starting, this will be difficult. You'll need to constantly ask your boss what takes priority. But you'll get the hang of it and eventually, you'll just start telling them what you know needs to be done. They won't always like to hear it, but they need to.

4) Communicate. Then Communicate Some More.
There is really no such thing as too much communication between an Executive and his or her Assistant. Most of the time, they are willing to share every detail of their personal and professional lives to someone they trust. The more they can share with you, the more you can help them. Prove to them that this is what you want. Ask questions about priorities, goals, and tasks at hand. Learn everything you can about their clients and the work they do. Find out what their favorite food is, favorite restaurant, favorite music. It will all come in handy. Again, the more you know, the more you can do.

5) Be Open to Their Ways
The last piece of advice I can offer is to simply remember that the Executive you work for is successful for a reason. They know what they're doing. Don't spend too much time questioning them. I don't mean to say that you should be a "yes-man" (or woman) but typically, the boss knows what's up. If they have a way of doing things that you don't necessarily like, remember that this has worked well for them. Maybe you can offer another way down the road, but don't push it. You're there to make their life easier and help them perform to the best of their ability. You're not there to tell them HOW to do their job. Sometimes it's a delicate balance. You want to have a voice but you also want to give them the voice they rightly deserve. Show the utmost respect for the work they do and allow them to show you how they want things done. Many people would argue that being an Executive Assistant is about getting in good with the boss and getting promoted so you should be loud with your opinions and voice your ideas about everything. I suppose it depends on what you want and what your boss wants. You can read more in my post "On a Personal Note..." which details how I feel about the E.A. position. You may feel differently. This advice probably won't work for everyone but again, it's just my experience and it works for me.

Good luck and, as always, please share your opinions in the discussion!

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