People Skills
Got someone coming in to briefly set up shop for some staff training? Don’t fall asleep at the switch and assume everything will go smoothly.
I have always believed in the idea of strength in unity when it comes to the administrative profession. When I worked in the field for 20 years, I put this into action and saw many benefits as a result.
How do I get multiple people to collaborate on a document without risking losing anyone’s contributions? … One person has made a copy and edited that instead of working on the document I shared with everyone. How do I merge their changes?
There is a kind of logic to the best and worst times of day to negotiate. Here are some generalized clock-related rhythms to keep in mind.
Difficult means complicated, challenging or someone who is hard to deal with. A difficult person can be considered obnoxious, or verbally attacks you, criticizes you. They can be intrusive, controlling, picky or petty. But the executive you consider to be difficult might be a great opportunity to another assistant.
Asking an employee to reform more than one or two behaviors at a time can quickly overwhelm and demotivate them, no matter how calm and accepting they may seem. Here, then, is a checklist to use when deciding if employee behavior needs change.
Question: I just got handed the job of temporary admin team supervisor while they hire someone new—which will take several months. How do you step into a boss’s role knowing your authority is so wafer-thin and temporary?
“Here’s the dirty little secret about motivation you need to know,” writes Alain Hunkins in Cracking the Leadership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders. “You can’t really motivate anyone else.”
It truly is a special skill to support and partner with an executive. It is not an easy role, and it is not for the faint hearted. It takes grit, resiliency, street smarts, tenacity and agility.
Do you consider yourself an extrovert? An introvert? Do you think that an introvert can be a successful leader? The assumption is usually that leaders are more often extroverts—at least the successful ones. Recent research has suggested that introverts, with their higher capacity for empathy and thoughtfulness, actually make better leaders.
If a decision is important and risky, it should be controversial. Every organization needs a healthy atmosphere for dissent if it wants innovation and commitment.
Confrontations can be stressful, and the workplace is one place where they’re sure to crop up. If you find yourself in a position to address an issue with a co-worker, keep these strategies in mind to maximize the chances of successful communication.
Leading change is difficult, and it calls for a specific set of strengths and skills from a manager. Focus on these key tasks to make substantive change happen.
