Am I A Good Assistant?

I recently received a request for advice from an assistant named Kathryn. She posed a typical problem that I have heard for years and I want to respond to her question in a blog as I bet many executive and administrative assistants run into the same problem. My challenge will be answering this concisely because I have a lot to say about executives and assistants meeting daily, whether it is on the telephone or in person.

I have 20 years of experience as an assistant who used to have daily huddles with my executives. In fact, I was quite young when a top executive taught me about daily huddles—how to have them; what to discuss; benefits reaped from holding our huddles. I was fortunate to learn at a young age that daily huddles or brief meetings between an executive and assistant are the most important part of the day and the partnership.

I also have more than 25 years as an executive who meets with her assistant on a regular basis. I know firsthand, as an executive, that these daily huddles are vital to team success, productivity, synergy, preventing crises and reducing rework. I am a firm believer in daily huddles, touch base or one-on-one meetings, whichever you prefer to call them. The idea is that you meet on a regular basis, in person or on the telephone.

Here is what Kathryn wrote me: [Read more…]