Practically Perfect PA
AUGUST 6, 2018
Over the last few years, I have written a lot about creating a successful Executive and EA partnership. It is the key relationship for Assistants and the one part of the role that you have to get right. Without a successful partnership, the work just becomes that much tougher. So, today I thought I would […].
Office Dynamics
AUGUST 7, 2018
There can never be too many discussions about change. It’s constant, it’s inevitable, unexpected at times, but it can be extremely rejuvenating. No matter how many times change occurs in life, expected or not, it can seem as if you are not in control. Unexpected change disrupts a routine, but if we reevaluate the current routine and what opportunities the unexpected change offers then we take control.
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Small Business Labs
AUGUST 16, 2018
A study out of the University of Minnesota found that in Minnesota while the younger adults were leaving small, rural towns, people in their thirties, forties and fifties were returning. The chart below shows the key findings from the study. Rural America rising: why professionals are moving to the countryside , an article on the study, provides a good explanation of why people are moving to small towns: Surveying Minnesota realtors and the new arrivals the
Eco-Office Gals
AUGUST 22, 2018
Printing is unavoidable in a variety of settings, from personal to academic and professional. But printing can also pose significant environmental costs, from the paper itself to the ink and energy. At a time when the environment is under siege from so many sources, it’s important to look for ways to reduce our ecological footprint. Here are some simple tips to make your daily printing more eco-friendly.
Speaker: Chester Santos
Forgetfulness is costing you time, money, and a ton of missed opportunities. In the age of automation, it’s easy to underestimate the power of a well-trained human mind. But memory isn’t just a parlor trick, it's a strategic edge. Human memory is one of the most underrated business skills. Whether you’re managing people, leading sessions, or having high-stakes conversations, remembering names, details, and concepts can be transformative in building trust, absorbing knowledge, and driving perform
Tips From T. Marie
AUGUST 16, 2018
Doing business can be expensive. From computers to apps, and everything in between, doing business costs money. Often, critical business needs are put on the back burner in order to stay on budget. Luckily there are some great ways to get what you need and save big bucks at the same time. Over the eleven years , I’ve been running my own business , I’ve come across a few ways to save a few dollars for the things I need to run my business.
Clutter Coach
AUGUST 9, 2018
by Subscribe: iTunes ? Stitcher ? Soundcloud ? YouTube ? Google Play. You can leave a review here! This is podcast 101 and it’s called stop acquiring. Last time I talked about completion, that is, including time to put away whatever you just brought home or got in the mail or used for some purpose or that’s out because someone else didn’t put it away.
Administrative Professionals Pulse brings together the best content for administrative professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Office Dynamics
AUGUST 28, 2018
When you are feeling “less than best” (and we all do from time to time), it helps to rely upon a technique I call Uplifting Positive Self-Talk. This will increase your confidence and allow you to approach the day with a positive frame of mind. It is fairly simple to do – which is why I’m amazed more people don’t use it!
Small Business Labs
AUGUST 28, 2018
A recent survey by LinkedIn found that 70% of U.S. small businesses have hired a freelancer in the past and about 50% currently are using freelancers. LinkedIn also found most SMBs plan to hire more freelancers in the future. Key quote from their article on the study : " more than half (52%) of small business hiring managers say that the number of freelancers and contractors in their company will increase in the next 5 years while 38% say the number will stay the same." Another int
The Shrink for Entrepreneurs
AUGUST 9, 2018
Entrepreneurs constantly feel like they’re not doing enough. . And when they have a super-productive day, they still feel as though there’s hundreds more tasks and projects remaining. That they’ll never be done. . Then there’s the worry that you’re prioritizing the “right” things! . All of this suggests that to live the entrepreneur life is to live with a constant baseline of productivity anxiety. .
Small Business CEO
AUGUST 20, 2018
Whether you have recently started your small construction company or have been well-established for some time, health and safety should always be a top priority. Not only can overlooking health and safety bring about disastrous consequences for you and your team, it could also get you into a lot of legal trouble, including fines that will quickly take a large chunk out of your profits.
Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA
In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.
TED Talks
AUGUST 31, 2018
Struggling to budget and manage finances is common -- but talking honestly and openly about it isn't. Why do we hide our problems around money? In this thoughtful, personal talk, author Tammy Lally encourages us to break free of "money shame" and shows us how to stop equating our bank accounts with our self-worth. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward?
Practically Perfect PA
AUGUST 13, 2018
If you have been reading the Practically Perfect PA blog for a while, you will know that I often tell Assistants that they have to read EVERYTHING, which includes emails, reports, the intranet, the internet, business guides, your Executive’s magazines and newspapers. Really anything else that you can get your hands on that will develop […].
Office Dynamics
AUGUST 1, 2018
Thank You! It’s not very often that Office Dynamics can celebrate another book release by Joan but when we do, the amount of support shown is truly amazing. Joan’s new book, Joan’s Greatest Administrative Secrets Revealed , is set to be released in Septemeber, 2018. As a thank you, we’d like to give you three free chapters from Joan’s book, Who Took My Pen…Again?
Small Business Labs
AUGUST 13, 2018
Coworking has reached the size and scale where it's starting to have second order impacts on the broader real estate industry. Farthest along is coworking's impact on office design. As anyone who's recently visited a newly designed corporate office knows, they look a lot like coworking spaces. And, of course, corporations are increasingly housing employees in coworking spaces.
Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP
The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.
The Shrink for Entrepreneurs
AUGUST 24, 2018
Connect with the beneficiaries of your passion. The people whose lives your work transforms when you do it best. Your customers. They’ll remind you why it matters. Take a deliberate, outsized break. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and getting distance on something you’re stuck on tends to make the brain shaper. Sometimes stepping away – even when it feels like a failure – is exactly what we need to want to create again.
Small Business CEO
AUGUST 20, 2018
The startup industry is thriving today as the budding entrepreneurs have access to all kinds of nifty software and resources to convert their ideas into robust businesses. However, this also means that there is a lot of competition too, which is why branding has become more important than ever. Although more and more people are realizing the benefits of branding and taking it seriously, many are making huge mistakes due to the lack of knowledge and experience.
TED Talks
AUGUST 30, 2018
Halima Aden made history when she became the first hijab-wearing model on the cover of Vogue magazine. Now she returns to Kenya's Kakuma Refugee Camp -- where she born and raised until the age of seven -- to share an inspiring message about what she's learned on the path from child refugee to international model. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward?
Practically Perfect PA
AUGUST 9, 2018
Look at any job description for Assistants, and you will see the word discretion. It is a crucial skill for Assistants and something that we have to practice on a daily basis. One slip and you are at risk of jeopardising your reputation and all the hard work you have put into building the relationship […].
Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar
Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.
Office Dynamics
AUGUST 2, 2018
Create a Friendly and Approachable Atmosphere. In our fast-paced world, people are becoming detached and desensitized. We are more transaction-based, unfocused on how our interaction is affecting other people. When you have that style of interaction with others, the world becomes decidedly colder. You must be aware of when that happens and take the steps necessary to turn it around: Your body language and facial expressions provide visual clues, whether you intend them to or not.
Small Business Labs
AUGUST 21, 2018
Last week Gallup released the results of their Gig Economy and Alternative Work Arrangements study. Gallup found that 36% of U.S. workers are gig workers. Key quote from their report: "Gallup estimates that 29% of all workers in the U.S. have an alternative work arrangement as their primary job. This includes a quarter of all full-time workers (24%) and half of all part-time workers (49%).
The Marq
AUGUST 29, 2018
John McCain sits in state in Arizona today. That thought lead me to read read the late Senator’s farewell statement on CNN’s website. It’s quite emotional, especially knowing what a true American hero he was, no matter if you agreed with his opinions. One idea stood out: empathy is the key to our success and happiness in every aspect of life and, especially now, in how we treat our fellow man.
Small Business CEO
AUGUST 30, 2018
When first starting your business, you probably never dreamed of dealing with the challenges of paying off large amounts of business debt. Researching the market and creating a powerful business plan was supposed to be sufficient to raise capital. Capital for launching your business is usually the catalyst for overlooking debts. Unfortunately, business is like life, unpredictable and full of twists and turns.
Speaker: Frank Taliano
Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.
TED Talks
AUGUST 30, 2018
When a baby is born, so is a mother -- but the natural (and sometimes unsteady) process of transition to motherhood is often silenced by shame or misdiagnosed as postpartum depression. In this quick, informative talk, reproductive psychiatrist Alexandra Sacks breaks down the emotional tug-of-war of becoming a new mother -- and shares a term that could help describe it: matrescence.
Practically Perfect PA
AUGUST 16, 2018
Recently I have been spending a lot of time trying to get my home office into a state of total perfection, where I have everything I need to hand, and the atmosphere is one of calm efficiency. Obviously, this is a dream but one I aim to achieve one day. Anyway, I was thinking about […].
Office Dynamics
AUGUST 9, 2018
Merriam-Webster defines inspiration as “a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation.” But what does inspiration mean to you? Where do you draw it from? What triggers your emotions and intellect to dig deep and keep going? Joan Burge, Founder and CEO of Office Dynamics International, has been inspiring and motivating those inside and outside of the Administrative/Executive Assistant field for over 30 years but wh
Small Business Labs
AUGUST 6, 2018
According to the Kellogg Insights article How “Speed Factories” Help Companies Adapt to Capricious Consumers , speed factories are: a local-market facility designed to quickly pump out products with shorter life cycles and less predictable demand, like apparel sported by Kendall Jenner or LeBron James that suddenly becomes a must-have item. Speed factories tend to be small, highly flexible and able to quickly adjust to changing, local market demand or new customer requirements. Adi
Speaker: Jennifer Hill
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Eco-Office Gals
AUGUST 21, 2018
There’s nothing worse than having to work in an office with an infestation of ants, roaches or other pests — well, other than walking into an office that reeks of chemical pest control. If your office gets infested, what can you do to get rid of them without chasing your employees or co-workers out of the office? Here are some eco-friendly pest control tips to help you do just that.
Small Business CEO
AUGUST 27, 2018
Freelancers, small businesses, and other businesses of all sizes and scope are finding value in virtual receptionists. While you might have heard of virtual receptionists, you might be wondering how making this move can truly benefit your company. In this article, we’re going to delve into the signs that you need a virtual receptionist. What is a Virtual Receptionist?
TED Talks
AUGUST 29, 2018
China is the world's biggest polluter -- and now one of its largest producers of clean energy. Which way will China go in the future, and how will it affect the global environment? Data scientist Angel Hsu describes how the most populous country on earth is creating a future based on alternative energy -- and facing up to the environmental catastrophe it created as it rapidly industrialized.
Practically Perfect PA
AUGUST 29, 2018
During October’s Virtual Summit I will be showing our attendees 20 pieces of technology that can help with productivity for Assistants. As we have so much to do and the workload is never ending I thought I would share my productivity tools and tips for Assistants. This overview will give you a good understanding of […].
Speaker: Chandra McCormack, CPA, MBA, NACD.DC
Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult
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