What does it take to pioneer an entire industry, sustain a business through personal and global crises, and empower tens of thousands of professionals along the way?
The answer lies in three words: leadership, resilience, and success—not as buzzwords, but as daily disciplines.
5 Lessons for Career Growth
As Joan Burge, founder and CEO of Office Dynamics International, celebrates 35 years at the helm of the administrative training movement, her journey offers a rare perspective for anyone seeking long-term career impact. Whether you’re just beginning your path or decades in, these lessons for career growth are timeless and actionable.
Lesson 1: Trailblazing Starts with a Decision
In the late 1980s, the administrative profession was seen as a role that required no formal training. There were no specialized programs, no conferences, no dedicated books. But Joan saw what others didn’t: potential.
Starting Office Dynamics with no business plan, no training manual, and no guarantees, Joan stepped into uncharted territory.
The takeaway: You don’t need a perfect plan to begin. You need conviction. Visionaries often walk alone at first—but they pave the way for others.
Consider: What would you start today if you weren’t waiting for permission?
Lesson 2: Leadership Is How You Show Up
Leadership isn’t confined to corner offices or formal titles. It’s expressed in how we show up every day—with optimism, vision, and a commitment to positive change.
Joan believes leadership is a choice: to speak up when it’s uncomfortable, to serve even when you’re tired, and to shape the energy around you.
For administrative professionals, this means leading yourself first—owning your work, initiating solutions, and setting the tone for your environment.
Ask yourself: How are you influencing the culture around you?
Lesson 3: Resilience Is Your Superpower
Over the past three decades, Joan has weathered challenges that would derail most leaders—economic downturns, personal loss, and health scares. Yet, she kept going.
Her secret? A clear mission and a mindset rooted in possibility.
Resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship. It’s about anchoring yourself in purpose and rising—again and again.
Joan’s advice for building resilience:
- Create a circle of truth-tellers and encouragers.
- Separate facts from fear.
- Let your mission be louder than your mess.
Reflection prompt: When you face a setback, what story are you telling yourself—and is it helping you rise?
Lesson 4: Success Is Built in Small Moments
Success doesn’t arrive in a flash of brilliance. It’s built through consistency, discipline, and small, intentional choices.
For Joan, success has looked like showing up when it would’ve been easier to quit. Preparing before she was asked. Learning every single day. And doing what she said she would—on time and with excellence.
These aren’t glamorous habits—but they’re the ones that compound into greatness.
Joan’s Success Disciplines:
- Show up like it matters—because it does.
- Think three steps ahead.
- Honor your calendar like a contract.
- Own your energy.
- Follow through. Every time.
Pro tip: Excellence isn’t a trait. It’s a practice.
Lesson 5: Stay Human
Even after 35 years of extraordinary accomplishments, Joan remains grounded in gratitude. Her advice?
Let your ambition be fueled by appreciation, not anxiety. End each day with reflection, not rumination. Celebrate progress as much as achievement.
Because staying human is part of staying successful.
Office Dynamics will bring these powerful lessons to life at our 35th Anniversary Celebration during the 2025 Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence in Las Vegas, October 14–17. Join us to deepen your leadership, build professional resilience, and connect with a community committed to lasting success.
Moving Forward: Your Chapter Begins Now
Whether you’re an administrative professional, team leader, or aspiring entrepreneur, these lessons for career growth from 35 years of leadership and training are not just Joan’s—they’re yours to apply, adapt, and live.
If you’re ready to step into your next level of leadership and resilience, consider this your invitation.
The next chapter of your journey starts with one small, intentional choice today.
