A message from Joan Burge, Founder and CEO of Office Dynamics International:
This is a very special week for the more than 4.5 million administrative professionals in the USA. Actually, this week is celebrated all over the world.
I’d like to acknowledge all the great administrative assistants, executive assistants, and the more than 40+ titles that represent the group that holds organizations together. I hope that managers and organizations will recognize their business partners with more than flowers. While flowers are nice and I personally love fresh flowers, it’s nice to give long-lasting gifts.
After sitting on the “executive” side of the desk since 1990, I know that I can only be as successful as the person who supports me and works in tandem with me each and every day. I want to take a moment to thank Melia Amira who keeps everything going in this office (including me). I trust her 100%. Because of that trust, I can be out of the office for a week of speaking engagements and know that everything will keep going.
In interviewing a group of executives recently, the word ‘trust’ came up numerous times. The executives felt that was a key contributor to the type of relationship they had with their executive assistant. So, we have to trust each other. We have to trust that assistants will follow through on what we ask and we have to trust that executives will provide assistants with the tools and information they need to do a good job. By doing so, we will become dynamic teams and business partners transforming the workplace.
If you are an administrative professional reading this, I hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you for all the contributions you make to the business world. It’s a wonderful time to be in this profession as it is filled with opportunities and challenges.
If you are a manager or other non-administrative person reading this, please be sure to personally thank your administrative personnel for their hard work, dedication, support, and all the other 100 things they do for you and the others in your organization.
Joan Burge
Founder and CEO
