Your office environment is a mix of workers and trailblazers, and the two have nothing to do with titles. Workers tend to know their job and only their job. They work with their heads down. They show up but show little interest in understanding the business as a whole and working to further the vision of the organization. They may be really good at what they do, but the overall value they bring to the company is lacking because they’re not part of the bigger picture.
Assistants who are trailblazers are valuable team members who understand the business, work for its best interest, and strive to succeed in every interaction and every project. They ingrain themselves into the culture of the company. They are constantly willing to go above and beyond to work for the best interest of the company. These assistants are the team members who elevate to a higher level and are invited to become members of the executive team. They truly serve as value-added partners. That means they never work on autopilot. They are constantly awake, aware, and engaged at work. Because of the way they work, they are able to consistently provide benefit to the organization. Here are some great ways you can show you are a team member who can add value:
Demonstrate discipline.
It can be easy to get distracted at work, especially for those assistants who work in an open office space. You may become bogged down in unimportant tasks and overlook critical ones. Don’t let that happen! Work with focus and discipline.
Streamline your job.
Always strive to develop innovative and effective ways to accomplish tasks and assignments. Doing something one way simply because you’ve always done it that way means you’re not working to improve. Take some time to think about each task you do and see if you can improve the process. The goal should be efficiency and effectiveness.
Understand your company’s brand and always work to further it.
As an assistant, you are in a prime position to do so. Demonstrating that you’ve taken the time to become familiar with the objectives of your company and that you know how to contribute to its betterment will truly set you ahead of the pack.
It’s time to ask yourself a question: Am I a worker or a trailblazer? If you’re ready to blaze your own trail, look at Joan’s newest eBook, Earning Your Place on the Executive Team.
At Office Dynamics International we love what we do. Part of what we do is provide tools and services to administrative professionals to enhance the quality of their work-life that promote administrative excellence. Below you will find all the free training for administrative assistants we offer!