EAn Introduction

Welcome to our December 2018 Edition of The Assistant

And just like that another year is drawing to an end, even though in many ways it feels like we just started it. December is a month of highs and lows for many of our members - with the stress of trying to tie up loose ends and deadlines before the end of the year, balanced out by the very looming lure of (hopefully) some well earned time off to recharge. 

Our Masterclass Conference series took us to Melbourne last week at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins and there wasn't a spare seat in the house. The Perth Program and Sydney Programs have now been released so check out the great line up of speakers coming to Crown Perth in February and Luna Park in Sydney. We have a heap of new networking events around the country being finalised for the new year, so keep an eye on the networking events page under the member resources section.

We hope you enjoy this month’s edition of The Assistant.

May this Christmas end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year. Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill, and may the year ahead be full of contentment and joy.

EAN will be closed for 2 weeks over the holiday period, our last full day being Friday 21st December 2018. The office will reopen on Monday 7th January 2019.

For any urgent inquiries please call Natasha on 0405 508 895 or email natasha@executiveassistant.com
 

Natasha Cannon

Editor and Director, Sales & Marketing
Executive Assistant Network

Melbourne: Thursday 15 November - Karstens

Karstens and Be Challenged hosted another fun night of team building in their training venues in Melbourne. Members were treated to a beautiful array of food and sweets along with bubbles and wine. Perfect accompaniments to mingle. Along with this, Be Challenged offered a very competitive night of team building! Some of our members were enthralled in the activity! – much laughter and so much fun. One of the teams proudly have set the new record for building the race car – well done.

Thanks to both hosts and of course to our members – a fabulous night.

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Executive Assistant Academy has a diverse range of courses starting soon that will inspire you to take control of your own destiny, shape your own life and career. Our qualifications have been devised specifically to address the needs of the professional Executive Assistant. They have been developed after many years of extensive research and industry consultation reflecting the changing role of the modern EA. 

Read more about Short Courses -    Short Course Dates and Short Course Details

Read more about Diplomas

Being comfortable in uncomfortable situations

Unfortunately in life and business, most people experience uncomfortable situations every now and then. Learning to deal with these effectively, and maintaining professionalism during them, is an essential skill for Executive Assistants. Whether you’re feeling awkward at the office Christmas party, giving your Executive constructive feedback or receiving feedback on your own performance, keeping these tips in mind will make it easier:

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Hot tips & Tricks for the Festive Season

What a year! And hasn’t it flown by? All of us here at EAN wish you a safe and relaxing break and look forward to working with and seeing you in 2019.

Feeling lazy – grab a good book, a coffee (or a margarita) and RELAX! Preferably in a hammock or on the beach!

We’re excited to announce that the famous OzHarvest CEO CookOff is returning for its 8th year on March 25th 2019. Registrations are now open for CEOs and Senior Business leaders who are ready to cook up a storm for those doing it tough at CEO CookOff™ taking place at The Royal Hall of Industries.

The 2019 CEO CookOff is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever with Australia’s best chefs, top executive talent and world class entertainment coming together to host Sydney’s most vulnerable for an incredible night they’ll never forget. Click here to watch a video explaining what CEO CookOff™ is all about and what you need to do to sign up your boss!

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EAN would like to introduce our newest Partner, Marnong Estate, which is rich in history and unique in offering. A destination like no other in Australia. Situated only 15 minutes from Melbourne airport and 35 minutes from Melbourne CBD, there is something for everyone to help celebrate those special occasions including boutique accommodation at our Historic Homestead, private dining at the Bankvale Run restaurant and catering for weddings and conferences at our event venues. The aim of this exciting initiative is to create a world-class tourism facility, whilst focusing on sustainability and ...

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Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market has partnered with Canada’s flag carrier to create Melbourne’s first outdoor summer ice rink. The Air Canada Ice Rink - the centrepiece of the Market’s festive celebrations - will invite market shoppers to enjoy the magical spirit of a northern hemisphere Christmas during the first three weeks of Australia’s summer (1–24 December 2018).

The Air Canada Ice Rink will ‘pop-up’ under the Market’s 140-year-old historic sheds and merge Canada's famous winter culture with Australia's summer celebrations.

The ice rink will offer cool, festive fun for skaters of all ages. Skating sessions will run hourly with skates, helmets, skate aides (and pads for exposed knees) available for hire.

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From royal banquets and official state receptions to corporate and galas alike, Old Parliament House has been host to it all. Refurbished to reflect its original grandeur, this renowned heritage-listed venue continues to provide a sophisticates and elegant backdrop for events of all styles. (https://functionsatoph.com.au/functions-events/)

Our venues:

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The existing Vibe Savoy Hotel Melbourne will transform into The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment to return as one of the city’s most glamorous attractions. The sophisticated address is in the heart of cosmopolitan Melbourne, with the city’s best boutiques, cool laneways and bars on its doorstep. The sophisticated lobby creates an inviting sense of arrival with its warm timbers, mirror and brass elements complemented by luxurious soft furnishings. The hotel has 163 elegant guest rooms with plush furnishings, full-length mirrors and custom carpets...

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The stakes have never been higher for professionals to manage critical issues like cyber risk, regulation, culture and ethics, as well as the constant pressure to drive business performance.

In 2018, Diligent Corporation commissioned a study by Forrester Consulting to evaluate the technology used for board governance. The picture it painted was decidedly mixed: boards are adopting specialised software, communication tools and online storage, but are not taking full advantage of the digital capabilities on offer. The key findings included:

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For those planning an event, whether it be corporate gatherings, product launches, birthday or engagement parties or anything else you're celebrating, both Watershed and Cohibar have an extensive range of options, spaces and menus from which to choose. Our 2019 early bird special is available for functions from 04 January to 28 February. Book and confirm by 31 December to receive a full 10% discount off your total account.*

Watershed and Cohibar cater for groups from as little as 20 guests through to large functions up to 600. Click on our functions pack or pop us an enquiry and we'd be happy to tailor something specific to your needs! Contact our events team via: https://www.thewatershedhotel.com.au/functions Email: events@thewatershedhotel.com.au or phone: (02) 9282 9444.

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You know you have done an excellent job making travel arrangements for the executive you report to. From triple checking the itinerary to reconfirming all the ground, air and hotel bookings, you feel confident it all should go off without a hitch.

But what do you do if an unexpected travel disruption sabotages your best-laid plans? After all, flight delays and cancellations can happen anytime as a result of Mother Nature, mechanical issues, labor strikes and other circumstances beyond your control. And what if the flight gets cancelled when your boss is travelling in a different time zone and it’s the middle of the night back home? Must you be woken up at 3 a.m. and scramble to rebook their trip?

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FROM STAGE TO PLATE: A CULINARY JOURNEY

Tumbling down the rabbit hole with each bite of smoked duck breast and pickled mushroom salad. Being whisked to a white Christmas in Europe with the aromas of sweet and spicy ‘Mon Blanc’ desserts. Being seduced by rich and tender morsels of homemade duck terrine bruschetta with black truffle, and caramelized figs.

With each production from The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia that graces the stage at Arts Centre Melbourne, the talented team of in-house chefs are able to demonstrate their creative skill. Inspired by the story and themes of the upcoming 2019 program, the chefs at Arts Centre Melbourne have been busy dreaming up new concoctions and interpretations to continue the narrative journey from stage to plate.

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3 ways for Executive Assistants to remain in-demand now, and tomorrow
by Donna O'Flynn and Natasha Down

As a recruitment consultant, some of the questions we get asked often from business support professionals is, “What do I need to upskill in to remain competitive?” or “how do I future proof my job?” unfortunately this is a challenging question with no right answer and no crystal ball.

To help work through this challenge with the Executive Assistant community, Hudson Hosted an event called “The New World of Work: How to remain competitive and thrive as an EA.” Hudson Victoria Lead Career Coach Fiona Cowl worked with the group to workshop ideas and talk through some of the leading research in the industry.

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Choosing the right speaker for your next event.

The choice of speaker for your next event is possibly the most important component of your conference. A great speaker leaves an audience on a high whilst an average presenter can do an enormous amount of damage leaving an attendee thinking - why did I come to this conference?

To ensure you get the right speaker it is very important to receive independent advice. This tends to be the situation when a reputable and trusted speakers bureau is involved and ICMI is one such bureau. With over 3000 engagements per year, ICMI have the experience to provide the right speaker for your audience.

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So the boss says “Surprise, we are getting a new office and you get to coordinate the refurbishment and move!”

So you’ve just been given the task of fitting out the new office space, relocating the team seamlessly and keeping everyone happy throughout the project. Oh, and you have to keep on top of your normal workload throughout the process.

Where do you start? – Perhaps 8 Pro Tips from one of Sydney’s fitout specialists might help explain exactly what it takes to get your new office up and running whilst managing the two key denominators of any project time and money.

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