Office Dynamics

By Leave a Comment

Great Assistants Are In the Know

assistants_in_the_know

Great assistants know

It’s COOL to be an administrative professional because you are privy to information that other employees are not or you may be given a heads up on an upcoming change before other employees are told.

When I think back to some of the executives I worked with as a strategic business partner, there were numerous occasions when they would share important information with me. That made me feel trustworthy and like a confidante. Often the information they shared was to help me be prepared for upcoming situations or events. It was great to be “in the know” so I could be proactive, take the initiative, and also not be caught off guard should another employee come and ask me questions about something they heard.

[Read more…]

By 4 Comments

Do You Have A Problem Saying No?

problem_saying_no

What are your tips on the best way an assistant can overcome their problem saying no?

“I have a real problem saying no at work. How do assert myself when I can’t take on any more?” This is one question I frequently here from administrative and executive assistants. I’m sure you many of you have encountered this, so I’d like your advice.

“I have a problem saying ‘no’ to anyone. In the past, climbing up to the position I presently hold, it was an asset and it helped me to get noticed and promoted, but now I find it has labeled me as the go-to person. With all the duties I am expected to perform, I just can’t help everyone, yet I find myself doing it anyway. How do I decline without sounding difficult or rude?” [Read more…]

By Leave a Comment

How to Maximize Time with Your Children

time_with_your_children

Like most working mothers, I just never seemed to have enough time with my two children. Trying to balance work, with raising a family, keeping up with laundry, shopping, cleaning, cooking (the list is endless) was always a challenge.

As with all working mothers, my biggest concern was for my children. I knew that the time with them had to be quality time well spent. I needed to maximize every moment we had together, just as I know you want to maximize your time with your children.

Drive time seemed to be the best opportunity since it seemed that a lot of time we spent together was in the car. I decided not to let the kids play with their video games, I turned off my cell phone (NOTHING was more important than my children – whoever it was could wait), and any other distractions. [Read more…]

By 2 Comments

Setting Healthy Boundaries Today

 

setting_healthy_boundaries

Setting Healthy Boundaries

I was teaching a class two weeks ago from the Star Achievement Series®.  Our theme for that day was the attitude component of Star Achievement. Under that umbrella, we addressed topics such as self-management vs. stress management, learning specific difficult people types and how to handle each of them, the benefits of conflict and much more.  Of course, we had plenty to talk about and one tip an attendee mentioned was, “setting healthy boundaries.”  She definitely got a big star for that one because setting healthy boundaries is important!

So, what kind of boundaries are we talking about and with whom? After all, as administrative assistants and executive assistants, you sometimes feel like you can’t set boundaries or you might get fired or your leader will think you are not a team player. Some people think when I’m talking about setting boundaries, they have to do with sexual harassment in the workplace. [Read more…]

By 4 Comments

What Assistant Certification Courses Are Best For You?

assistant_certification

Are assistant certification courses necessary?

At Office Dynamics, we are noticing a tremendous amount of interest in executive assistant certification or administrative assistant certification courses or programs. We regularly see interest in our certificate-based designation programs, World Class Assistant™ Certification program or our Star Achievement Series® Certification and Designation curriculum. This proves assistants are getting serious about their career and training and HR departments are valuing continued education for this role.

More and more, administrative professionals are asking my opinion on having a certification. I hear questions like, “Will this give me an advantage in the workplace?” “Will I get more money with a certification?” “Is certification for the administrative profession becoming a requirement in the business world?” [Read more…]

By Leave a Comment

Blatant Pronoun Misuses You Want to Learn and Avoid

grammar_misuses

by Barbara McNichol

I love watching the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” but even this escape doesn’t give me a break from grammar glitches. In one episode alone, I counted four times when participants and/or hosts misused the pronouns as they spoke.

As a society, if we repeatedly hear words used incorrectly on national TV (and all around us), how will we ever know what’s right?

Without attempting to overcome years of grammar neglect, watch out for certain common pronoun misuses so you get a feel for what’s correct—and what’s not.

“Me and Jack” finished the report. It should be “Jack and I” finished the report. [Read more…]

By 1 Comment

What is Holding Your Brand Back? PART 3

By Anel Martin

Well, that is a big question!

Personally, I think what is holding us back from powerful, successful and valuable brands is the same thing that holds us back from fulfilling careers and happy lives. That is a big statement but here goes! I think it is the inability to speak up, trying to fit in, not being able to decide and FOCUS, believing we don’t deserve it (whatever “IT” is for you), lack of self-discipline and confidence.

So let’s run the list down:

  1. Speaking up

The old saying goes “if you don’t ask, the answer is always no” so many things in the world just get swept under the carpet, so many opportunities go to waste because we are unable to speak truth to power or make ourselves heard. How many times have you sat in a management meeting and had the most phenomenal idea (but you said nothing)? Well, I rest my case. If you want a strong brand you will need to find your voice. Start small, but start now!

[Read more…]

By 6 Comments

Fighting Office Dragons

Employee_ConflictI have been speaking about office dragons for years and how to professionally deal with the dragons. Dragons were huge, dominating, fictitious creatures. Medieval writers had vivid imaginations for big, scary things. For many people, work is like a dragon. It can be overwhelming and certainly dominates well over half of our waking hours. Sometimes the people we work with can be pretty “fiery” creatures to deal with, too.

Please join me on Thursday, March 1, 2018 | 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. PT for my LIVE E-Course, Fighting Office Dragons. Reserve your spot now.

[Read more…]

By 1 Comment

When Is The Last Time You Thanked Your Assistant?

Thanked_Your_Assistant

When is the last time you thanked your assistant? Expressing your gratitude could increase your productivity.

I was in California speaking to a group of administrative assistants at a large corporation when one of the assistants told me how much a compliment from her executive means to her. She said, “When my executive tells me I’m doing a great job, I want to do even more for him.” “I want to go the extra mile; produce quality work; take things off my executive’s plate.”

It may seem like a small thing to you, but it carries a great deal of weight to your assistant. Try to remember to let your administrative or executive assistant know when she or he has done something that is to your liking or meets your expectations. It will go a long way. [Read more…]

By 3 Comments

Your Administrative Assistant Is Your Greatest Asset

Your_Greatest_Asset_Is_Your_assistant

Your assistant is your greatest asset, or will be after you read this.

In today’s fast-paced corporate world, many managers rely on the newest technology to help their company grow. Between e-mail, virtual assistants, smartphones, high-speed Internet connections and a host of other technological marvels, they mistakenly believe they are more independent than ever—making their own travel plans, managing their own Inbox, sending their own letters and scheduling their own meetings. In reality, however, these so-called independent managers have lost sight of the one asset that can truly impact the company’s bottom line: an empowered administrative assistant.

Unfortunately many assistants (also known as administrative professionals) are not taken seriously. In order to make the most of your administrative professional and advance your company’s mission, you need to treat your assistant like a partner and develop their skills on a daily basis. Only then will they have the know-how and confidence to make decisions and take charge of challenges that arise during the day. [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
%d bloggers like this: