Staying a Step Ahead: The Key to Being a Successful Admin Professional

As an administrative professional one of the things that we are responsible for is to be a step ahead of our executive.  You may ask yourself why? 

Our executives' schedule is not their own.  They have their own agenda on things they want to do but like us, their days can change in a second.  When you take the time to review what may have come in the night before in their email as well as what came in that morning you can work on a plan for the day. 

By doing this you have a general idea of what they need to focus on and then start working on setting things in motion for when they are ready to act.  You are mentally prepared for the day which is a huge help and being a step ahead because you already know what the day will entail and what some of the main priorities might be.

When you stay a step ahead in this manner it actually will help both you and your executives day go a bit smoother because you have had time to think of a plan and start the process way before they have had a chance to absorb it because in the time you did this, other things have popped up with them that might have them lose a bit of focus.

Not only staying a step ahead with emails but also any phone calls that come in before they reach the office will help.  You are the frontline when it comes to people speaking to your executive so when you filter these calls and prioritize them instead of letting him try and do it you can keep things running smoothly for both you and the executive.

Now that you have stayed a step ahead with emails and phone calls you now can concentrate on those internal people that have stopped by to get some time with your executive.  You have a plan, so now you can incorporate these into that plan.  You know what he has on his plate already and where the priorities are so making time for internal meetings is easier now because you can prioritize those as well.

Staying a step ahead is something that as you can see is not just a benefit to your executive but also to you.  It can help your day run a bit smoother because you have taken the time to be proactive in setting the day for your executive and you also now can concentrate on where your priorities need to be and build your to-do list.

Once you are in that mindset of staying a step ahead things run much smoother for both you and your executive.  See this is not always just about what works for your executive but what works for both of you in working together as a team.

Remember you are a team with your executive.