Did you know you can begin to transform your professional life with a simple mindset shift? It really is all about perspective. The administrative profession is vital to almost every business in the world. Administrative assistants provide critical support to executives, without which leaders would struggle to maintain momentum, stay organized, and accomplish tasks. Put simply: Organizations would fall apart without administrative assistants.
Why, then, do so many minimize this profession? Why every year are there blogs and articles published that speak of the doom and destruction that artificial intelligence and technology will bring? It’s ridiculous to me! I think it all comes down to a lack of understanding about what executive assistants really do – the power they provide, the structure they create, the juggling act they perform in the background, ensuring everything runs smoothly. They are the glue that holds companies together, making the organization stronger, more efficient, and more successful. In this blog, I’ll give you some tips for how to shift your own perspective on the profession of administrative assistant.
Words Matter
I think it’s time, as a collective industry, we change our mindset and see the role of administrative assistant for what it truly is. It is powerful and essential. The mindset shift starts with the words we use. Don’t think of your role as a job or position. Think of it as a career or profession! Even if you don’t envision yourself staying in this industry in the long run, it’s still important to respect the role now and value yourself and your work at a high level. Using minimizing language to describe everything you do just doesn’t cut it. It doesn’t take into account the strategic intricacies of your role or the complex balancing acts you do on a regular basis. You have a profession. You have a career. Start saying that to yourself every day. Start injecting power into how you look at what you do for a living. I promise you will be amazed by how incredibly powerful this simple vernacular switch can be. When you value your role, others will too.
Make a habit of it
Once we embrace our new terminology and our perspective shift begins, there are other things we can do to reinforce this new perspective and continue to emphasize how important the role of an administrative assistant is. Consider continuing your journey by:
Joining a professional organization
This is a great way to connect with other executive assistants and gain even more perspective on our industry. Make sure you do your research and only consider reputable organizations that really focus on the administrative industry or skills that will help you grow. Once you join, take advantage of all your membership perks. Many organizations include added benefits like free resources, discounted event attendance, and meeting opportunities. Dig into these benefits and continue to expand your view of your profession.
Growing your professional network
You’re a part of a huge professional network. Administrative assistants are a part of organizations across the world! Take advantage of any opportunity to connect with and grow your network. Be intentional about it. Use social media platforms to make new connections. Get business cards when you attend a conference, and then follow up to solidify the connection. Every assistant has a unique perspective and can offer insight and personal experience into this career path. Taking advantage of the opportunity to gain others’ perspectives can really help you reach incredible heights and expand your skill set.
Subscribing to administrative-focused blogs and social media accounts
We all get emails and likely scroll through social media every day. What if you cultivated some of those platforms to provide insight and knowledge from administrative industry leaders? Words of wisdom and profession-related topics can be powerful and reinforce your mindset, especially when served in small, regular doses. It’s also a great way to find and connect with other executive assistants!
Growing your library
There are lots of books, workbooks, and eBooks focused on the administrative profession and how to maximize your career. Sinking into a good book that helps you see the big picture of your profession is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. They are also great tools for providing reminders about things we may have let slip away over time. You can always go back to a book and remind yourself about something incredible and impactful. It may be the spark you need. Knowledge is power! Never stop trying to learn. Seek out reputable sources and authors, and then set aside a bookshelf for your growing professional library!
Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone
We all get stuck in ruts, and it can be easy to stay where we feel most comfortable. That’s not where growth happens, though! Consider scheduling some time with your executive to ask about stretch projects or other areas in the organization where your services could be impactful. Stepping out of your comfort zone allows you to grow in your career.
Investing in training and continuing education
Every single professional in the world has room to grow and learn more. Don’t ever get stuck in your career, thinking you know everything there is to know about it. Never stop learning! Our industry offers some great training and educational events. Again, make sure you are investing in a company with a stellar reputation that really understands on a deep level the administrative industry. Once you’ve picked the right partner, then take a chance and attend a training, professional development event, or conference. Those experiences can, as I’ve seen many times at our annual Office Dynamics Conferences, be truly transformative. I promise you’ll never regret learning more about your career and growing into the professional you want to become.
Start here
If you’re ready to embrace a full perspective shift and are eager to learn more, Office Dynamics can help. We developed a huge library of resources called the Success Store that focuses on helping executive assistants master all the key functions required in their roles. The Success Store includes a massive library consisting of books, certification courses, eBooks, live virtual training, and on-demand training that can help assistants level up and reach new heights in their careers. But we don’t stop there. The Office Dynamics menu of services covers every single element an administrative assistant needs to continue their journey towards becoming a star. You’ll find a vast array of training options, both in-person and virtual, that will help you grow in your career. We’re proud to be the lions of the administrative training industry and feel our deep experience and expertise are vital pieces to our own success. We love helping assistants grow.
