Executive Assistant's Corner: Defining Efficiency in Admins and Executive Assistants

Do well and you won't hear a peep... but screw up and your performance is suddenly up for questioning. Is that fair? Of course not. But it's part of our job and if you want to succeed at being an Admin or an EA, this is something you must accept.

We are expected to be efficient... near perfect. Efficiency means to perform in the best possible manner with the least waste in time and effort. We don't have the luxury of making mindless mistakes. Unlike other jobs, when we make a mistake, it affects a very high ranking person in the organization. You forgot to renew your boss's visa? Or maybe, it's a small thing like you forgetting to cancel a meeting.. big deal right? You bet. This simple slips should not be acceptable to us EAs... We just can't afford it. Due to these small errors, your boss won't be able to continue with his business trip and the people your boss is meeting with, will be waiting and thinking that your boss stood them up. Big Fail.

We were hired for one reason - and that's to help - not cause problems for the executives we assist.

In the course of your career, you will encounter bosses who have unrealistic expectations and are downright callous. You weren't able to respond to a call cause you had to take your son to the hospital, but do they care? Probably not, cause you suddenly find yourself being reassigned to another executive. I hope you don't find yourself with bosses like that.

Generally, good bosses will accept the human factor involved as an exception. But as a rule, EAs are there to be a solution to a problem, not become a problem themselves. You see, SMALL is a matter of perspective. When we are being obsessive about small tasks when coordinating with other teams, they will think that we're being unreasonable. Are we? Do they want to be the one to explain to the COO or President why such a small task wasn't done in the fastest and most efficient way possible? Of course not.

The perspective of your boss should be your perspective. A task may be challenging for you or other teams, but to them - it's small. Simple. Very doable. No excuses. An efficient EA will slave over the details and push other teams to his or her level of efficiency and go back to the boss and say it's done. No sweat. Bosses don't need to know how you managed it - it only matters to them that you did. That's being efficient in their eyes. You gave results. Don't expect applause. It's just another day at the office.

"Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties."

I once heard an executive say "If you will tell me about all your challenges and I have to solve them for you, what do I need you for?" Good point. Our executives are already loaded with responsibilities, as you can see. An efficient EA or Admin helps by removing some of their burden. You don't need to do something earth-shaking. Just process the reimbursements on time, manage their calendars properly, make sure they have their favorite seat on the plane - these are small tasks if you ask some people - but anything you do that helped your boss in some way is neither big or small - it's important.

Related Article: Executive Assistant: Can You Handle This?

In our quest to perfect our craft, efficiency should be at the top of our list of skills to master. An efficient EA is capable, quick to respond, a problem solver, creative, organized, competent, independent, resourceful and delivers on time. Perceptiveness is another skill that can enhance your efficiency. When you're perceptive, you can preempt your executive's needs and see possible problems even before they point it out. You are proactive and not reactive.

There's nothing more satisfying to an EA than being able to finish their tasks with the level of efficiency expected of them... and that level is defined by your boss's expectations.

What does being efficient mean again? It's getting from point A to point B with the least amount of fuss in the least amount of time with maximum results. It's one of the skills we EAs and good Admins boast about.

How can you improve your efficiency?

Communicate

Example: If your boss is very busy and he has a call in the next hour, ask him if he'll have time for it or if you should cancel. For all you know, he forgot about it. You can't be shy and afraid of your boss. You're there to help and you can't do that if you're tiptoeing around them. EAs working with a new executive tend to just "feel" their way around their new bosses, trying to second-guess. Don't do that. Speak. Ask. Communicate with them. Make them feel your presence - in a good way!

Be Perceptive and Proactive

As you work with your executive, you will see a pattern and become familiar with their work habits and way of thinking. Be one step ahead of them without making wrong assumptions. Being perceptive is just knowing how your boss wants things done, what they will do next and what they will be needing. This doesn't even require that you know your boss well. Just use basic common sense and your powers of observation!

Some EAs wait for instructions from their bosses before doing anything and that's fine. There are some tasks where you need your boss's go ahead before you start doing them. But you shouldn't be waiting for them to instruct you about everything! Do you even want your boss telling you to do this and to do that - all the time? Like you're in grade school? I don't think so.

Always Follow Up

Create your own timeline and "encourage" the people you deal with to work within the timelines you set. The Art of Following Up was probably written by an EA - if there is such a book. :) Don't leave tasks open ended. Set deadlines and monitor the progress of your deliverables. Email, call, send messages - there's so many ways to follow up nowadays. Now, please know the difference between harassing and following up, which are two very different things.

Keep Your Boss Updated

If you have several tasks assigned to you, remember to keep your boss updated on your progress. This doesn't mean that you'll give them a blow-by-blow account of what you're doing. Summaries will do. Make an Excel tracker and list down the pending task and the status. This will keep your boss from having to think about it and following up with you. They'll be able to relax and focus on their jobs, instead of worrying about how you're doing yours.

Don't Take Instructions... Ask for Direction

Asking for directions on how your boss wants things done let's you peek into your boss's mind. Instead of telling you what to do, they can tell you how they want things done and why. It's up to you to determine what you need to do to produce the results. Knowing how the wheels inside your boss's head turn, will guide your hand when accomplishing future tasks and projects.

Be Organized

Nothings harasses me more than not being able to find something just when I need it. Where's that file? Stay organized and don't let things pile up. This can pertain to tasks, files, emails - put everything where they need to be. How can you be more organized?

Clean your Inbox everyday. Create a categorized archive, sort your emails and put them in their proper folders.
Mark priority emails and create a follow-up folder. Visit that folder daily to see what's pending.
File your hard copies in the same way. Create separate folders for each type of document.
Use your mobile calendar as a way to track To-Dos. Set a reminder to put a task on top of your priorities, when it's nearing its deadline.
Checklists. Keep it on your mobile phone so you can consult it when you need to. It keeps you in control of your tasks, instead of them controlling you.

Related Article: Checklists and Priorities

Choose Quick Confirmations Over Discussions

There cannot be a disconnect between you and your boss. There will be times when you need to clear something with him first before moving forward. Instead of discussing several points, try to get a yes or a no to several questions. Write down the things you need to clarify and when they're not too busy, go into their office and get some clarity. Keep it short.

Protect his Time

Your boss needs to be able to concentrate on his larger duties such as running the company, making budget decisions, planning for growth and all the big stuff executives do. The small things that they don't like doing and is really a waste of their time to think about, is the domain of the Executive Assistant. Bother your boss only with things that are really important.

You Can Make Decisions

If it's a matter that you can decide on, don't be afraid to make decisions. Your boss gives instructions every day and you are privy to their points of view on all kinds of matters. To you, they are predictable, but maybe not to others. When they ask you, you can make the call, instead of bothering your boss when you already know what he's going to say. Only if it's very important, sensitive and business impacting, should you interrupt your boss for his guidance and ask for his direction.

Efficient Executive Assistants can have a deep effect on their executive's lives. It's enough that we know it, it doesn't need to be acknowledged. Because we know it, we take our jobs seriously and do everything as perfectly as we can. A mediocre EA is not an efficient EA. You can be one or the other but you can't be both.

When we are at the top of our game, there's no one in the company who can get things done faster and better than us. You can bet your money on that. We were honed by the high expectations of our bosses and by our high work standards.

As an EA, I take pride in that. Yes, we may not be perfect, but we get things done.