Congratulations you have an assistant! I meet so many entrepreneurs and business leaders who are either struggling to find a great assistant or they just aren’t ready to bring one on yet. My message to them is you really don’t know what you are missing. Your business can make huge leaps by freeing up your time and putting some of the day-to-day and bigger projects into the hands of a capable assistant. I say capable because I feel that administrative professional’s day is a day about acknowledging someone who does a great job for your organization and deserves a little extra recognition. If you have an assistant in your office you don’t deem worthy enough to buy a card for on Administrative Professionals Day, perhaps you need a new assistant.

In my line of work, I have seen many executives make serious mistakes when it came to buying their assistants a little something to recognize Administrative Professionals Day and I would hate to see you do the same so here’s my advice on what not to get your assistant this year on Administrative Professionals Day.

Lunch that she has to schedule – A lunch out with the team is the typical way of showing appreciation but you completely nix any respect or appreciation when you ask your assistant to call the restaurant and make the reservation for everyone. Part of the gift would be you doing the legwork to make that lunch happen. [Read more…]