A great assistant is a very rare. It takes an incredible mind for organization and prioritization as you must not only organize your work, but the work of others.
To be a great assistant it takes an incredible knack for multi-tasking and priority setting.
Learn all you can about time management techniques. Learn how to prioritize everything you touch. This includes when you send an email to your supervisor – ask yourself, “Does this need immediate attention?”. If so, mark the email with high importance using the exclamation mark. Use the exclamation mark sparingly though. Use it only when the email contains information or an action item for something that is time sensitive within the next few hours.
The same holds true for voice mail messages. If your message is urgent, call their cell. If your message isn’t urgent, leave it on their land line or send an email instead. Always leave the most important information at the start of your voicemail message or email. If the email is only for their information and does not contain something urgent, put FYI at the start of the subject line. Keep all communication brief and to the point.
When you are first getting to know your boss, it is important to determine their work style. Do they like to be involved in decisions on certain areas but not others? It is important to determine when they need to be consulted and when you need to make a decision.
Keep a notebook of questions to ask when you have a weekly meeting. Do not send an email or voicemail with each individual question. If possible, collect your questions for one meeting, voicemail or email. It will not only save your boss time, it will help you prioritize your communications and save you time and energy.
If you have comments or suggestions on this blog entry, please start a discussion
If you liked this blog entry, try:
Copyright © 2007 Joni Rose and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.
