Office Dynamics - Executive And Administrative Assistant Training

By Leave a Comment

Business Travel Planning for Executive and Administrative Assistants

With more and more companies expanding the reach of their market across the country and even the globe, the role of the business travel planner has become increasingly important. Assistants who need to plan fast-paced and “not a moment to spare” meeting agendas and travel itineraries for their traveling executives know that getting it right is a difficult feat. Novice and senior assistants alike struggle with the task of travel planning for busy leaders. It’s a universal hurdle to star achievement!

[Read more…]

By Leave a Comment

Give Your Readers a Break—Pick One!

In wanting to cover many aspects of a topic, business writers sometimes throw down so many variables that readers have no way to gauge the importance of each. They feel weighed down trying! Look at these examples:

  1. The professor included and provided a methodology for continuing the effort.
  2. The state and local leaders developed and drafted numerous statutes.
  3. We need to appreciate and understand the factors affecting the time and place.

The “Pick One” Principle

You can lighten your readers’ load by applying the “pick one” principle. You’ll find it works for all kinds of writing—emails, reports, manuscripts, and more.

The “pick one” principle asks: “Which word better describes what you want to say—the word before or after the and?” Then pick the one that adds more emphasis to your meaning.

[Read more…]

By 6 Comments

Creating an Administrative Professional Protocol Manual – Ask an Admin

tips_for_administrative_assistants

Christine N. Asks:

I’m finally getting around to creating my Administrative Professional Protocol Manual but I’m not sure if it should print everything out in a 3 ring binder (using dividers), using a One Note document, having it electronically in an online file or all of the above.  What do most administrative professionals prefer? 

Thank you!

Please comment below.

Ask an Admin was created by Office Dynamics to help administrative professionals with their problems through the help of their peers. We don’t always have an answer to each individuals problem but we know some of you might.

If you’d like to learn more about Ask an Admin or submit a question, you may do so here.

By Leave a Comment

6 Ways for Assistants to Gain Respect

A powerful, but underutilized, way for administrative and executive assistants to gain respect and be taken seriously is to exude executive presence. Forbes.com define executive presence as the ability to project gravitas–confidence, poise under pressure and decisiveness. Furthermore, communication—including speaking skills, assertiveness and the ability to read an audience or situation—and appearance contribute to a person’s perceived executive presence.

When you create executive presence, you are taken more seriously in the workplace and your voice is more clearly heard. Executive presence is a combination of business expertise, competence in a chosen profession and ability to build or connect with others. You do that by:

[Read more…]

By 2 Comments

How Can I Start a Group for Administrative Assistants? – Ask an Admin

tips_for_administrative_assistants

Ask an Admin was created by Office Dynamics to help administrative professionals with their problems through the help of their peers. We don’t always have an answer to each individuals problem but we know some of you might. Please read the question and comment below.

Emily K. asks:

I live in a town close to admin groups (like Meetup or non-profit groups) but each is at least 1.5 hours away. I would like to start something similar in my town. How would I go about starting a group that will be more than just me, sitting in a coffeehouse by myself?

Does anyone have any experience putting together and administrative group? Please comment below.

By Leave a Comment

Successful Assistants Combine Left and Right Brain Thinking

adminology

Several years ago, I came up with Adminology. It was a formula for success for assistants. I still teach Adminology in our World Class Assistant™ certification and designation course because it never changes. Just bear with me as I explain this to you as it will all come together. Assistants should apply the Adminology formula to achieve better outcomes.

The formula is: Science + Art = Success. So, what do I mean by that? Well, the left side of the brain is the science side.

Words to describe left-brain thinking are:

[Read more…]

By 2 Comments

Too Many Meetings!! – Managing My Executives Calendar – Ask an Admin

tips_for_administrative_assistants

Ask an Admin was created by Office Dynamics to help administrative professionals with their problems through the help of their peers. We don’t always have an answer to each individuals problem but we know some of you might. Please read the question and comment below.

April M. asks:

My executive’s calendar is jam-packed on a daily basis & she’s asking me to come up with a better solution to managing her calendar. She needs time to do work, answer emails, etc, but the requests for meetings are constant and a lot of them are at her request. They are needed. They are necessary to schedule. But how do you balance ‘free’ time with meeting times? I block out time on her calendar, but inevitably a meeting gets put in its place. We’ve tried to do only 5 meetings per day, but more often than not it winds up being 7 or 8 or more! I made the suggestion that decisions/discussions happen over email vs. in person in a meeting – but that’s not possible either most of the time. Does anyone have a good meeting/scheduling hack they use? Any good tips for me?

Thank you!

Office Dynamics actually has some info on this subject (see below) but we’d love to hear what tips or advice you have. Please leave a comment below.

We have an eBook called, Mastering Your Executive’s Calendar, a blog Calendar Management for Executive Assistants, videos, Calendar Management for Executive Assistants—the Holistic Approach, Administrative Assistant – Complex Calendar Control, Executives & Assistants Working In Partnership: The Definitive Guide to Success and Managing Your Executive’s Day.

By Leave a Comment

What is a Meeting Planner Exactly?

A meeting planner by MY definition is the go-to person and should be a key member of the design (or planning) team within an organization — be it corporate, association or otherwise — charged with the responsibility of planning and executing a meeting or special event.

Planners utilize their project management experience, planning skills and attention to detail to help create and deliver events that meet or exceed expectations. They add value to an organization by drawing upon their knowledge of the hospitality industry to manage expenses and minimize risk by negotiating the best all-around rates and paying attention to contract terms.

[Read more…]

By Leave a Comment

Executive Assistants –Developing Your “Wow” Factor

world_class_assistant

Some executive assistants have it. Some executive assistants don’t.

What is it, you ask? That intangible, invaluable “wow” factor.

Here’s the good news: It’s a learnable trait! Anyone can develop their own unique wow factor. It has nothing to do with your title or pay grade; it’s about who you are as a professional.

The wow factor is a term we use in the World Class Assistant™ Certification and Professional Designation program to describe the powerful executive presence that the most successful administrative professionals exude. These assistants know how to command a room. They remain poised even under the most intense pressure. They know how to make intelligent decisions on-the-spot.

[Read more…]

By 1 Comment

Emotional Intelligence for Administrative Assistants

I have grown to love speaking on and teaching assistants about emotional intelligence. This definitely is a skill every assistant needs to know. This is a skill you can use every single day!

In our World Class Assistant course, we cover this topic and participants work on real work world case studies. They are scenarios that assistants can relate to. I reference Daniel Goleman for my classes and want to share this with you. Please quickly evaluate your level of emotional intelligence in each of the four dimensions.

Daniel Goleman, author of Working with Emotional Intelligence says, “Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source of human energy, information, connection, and influence.

[Read more…]

Company

Office Dynamics International
5575 South Durango Dr. Suite 106
Las Vegas, NV 89113
800-STAR-139
Contact Us

Hours Of Operation

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time