“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
Here are the top things that administrative assistants do better than anyone else:
1. They are adaptable. They love the variety the job offers. They can shift gears at a moment’s notice.
2. They love a challenge.”No” is not an option.
3. They underplay their power. Looks can be deceiving. The assistant wields tremendous influence. Do not underestimate this. Seriously.
4. Making people happy is their goal. Going above and beyond is SOP is par for the course. Assistants have an innate desire to please and to figure out the myriad of ways to do that. Assistants are born with a “service” mindset and take pleasure and satisfaction from it.
5. They read minds. Anticipating what needs to be done is their gift.
6. They love to put out fires and bring order to chaos. The assistant is the go-to person in any crisis.
7. They are master multi-taskers. The best assistants enjoy juggling many tasks at once.
8. They are eager to learn. Assistants know that they need to commit to life-long learning in order to stay at the top of their game. Smart business owners recognize this need and invest in their assistant’s professional development.
9. They are connected. Resources are an assistant’s best friends. The best assistants have the most diverse networks. They know the power of relationships to get it done – now.
10. They need to make a difference. It gives them great pleasure to see the results of their planning. They don’t need a lot of feedback. A little goes a long way.
If utilized properly, assistants are the eyes and ears of their managers and can be the most powerful weapons of any company.