EAn Introduction

Welcome to our August 2017 Edition of The Assistant.

A senior company executive I used to know had a saying that stuck with me, although it also made me question some of his ethics.  He used to say, ‘try and never commit to anything in writing’.  But there is another train of thought that any plan not written down and shared is nothing more than an idea, and something you will probably never strive to achieve.

Either way, I know some of my colleagues are going to be extremely nervous on reading this.

We are working on writing a book for EAs and their executives and other senior colleagues, a book that we aim to have ready to publish in time for the launch of our next series of conferences in March 2018.

Unlike all the other books we have seen for EAs and PAs, this book is going to be more of a classical business text, as much for executives as EAs, and focus on practical structural and relationship advice that is designed to improve the way the roles of EAs are structured, the way the relationship functions and really focus on where EAs and PAs add a great deal of value that is never quite understood.

So why are we sharing this with you now, well, partly to commit to delivering the project, but partly also to give you a heads up that we will be looking to involve some of our senior members and possibly their executives in the project.  To back up some of our assertions and opinions we will be looking to include case-study type anecdotes and stories in the book within appropriate sections.  So be warned, we may come seeking you out in the coming months.  But we will share more details before we start hounding members!!!

Designations and standards are often terms associated with associations or membership type bodies like ours, and these are certainly topics that have been discussed with us in the past by some of our members.

Should there be a national competency standard for EAs?  Should they be able to achieve a designation that identifies them as having attained certain levels of achievement?

Well, our answer to this has always, at least to date, been no.  The role is so varied and means so many different things to so many different people, plus it has been evolving so rapidly, that it would be virtually impossible to set such standards and have them mean anything to the broader business community, at least until the evolution has settled and some shared vision exists.

So, at this stage, our role remains one of trying to set a clear and hopefully shared vision for what the role can be and how it can function most efficiently and productively, and our book is a part of our plan to help achieve that objective, but also one of trying to encourage at least the adoption of practical qualifications that are truly useful and help deliver real skills that we can see are needed within the modern, evolved, role adopted by many organisations and executives.

As we have said before, no nationally recognised qualification for EAs and PAs exists.  For several years we were on the national committee responsible for such qualifications and there was never any real appetite for such a qualification, except from us.

So without a government designated qualification, we have created something which we believe is ultimately more valuable and more beneficial anyway, two meaningful qualifications that are industry recognised qualifications, and are set to become at least some kind of industry standard.  And to us this is vitally important, as we know it is to our students.  How else do employers know that the EAs they employ have the skills necessary for the role that has evolved in many areas.  And what else can organisations that are evolving do to assist their EAs, or those that have EAs they simply want to upskill, do?

So, in this we are trying to do what we can to assist.  Practical qualifications for those who need them. And industry recognition for when that is important too.

If you have never checked out our Alumni Board we encourage you to do so. Click here to see more. It is a vital part for us in giving our students the public recognition for their industry achievement that doesn’t exist anywhere else.  And with over 130 students currently studying and more registering every day, this Board is going to become even more populated in the next year and beyond.

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

Jonathan McIlroy
Editor and Director, Education & Learning
Executive Assistant Network

Why do Executive Assistants need to improve their teamwork skills?

A lot of Executive Assistants are independent workers who have a particular way of doing things. While this is one of their greatest strengths at times, it can be their downfall at others. Certainly, there are times when you will need to adjust your ways to help out your boss or other co-workers, even if you have previously perfected your ability to efficiently complete tasks by doing them your way.

Start seeing yourself as part of a team that includes your Executive and other co-workers, the Houston Chronicle advises. This requires that you invest in the relationships with your team and build some sort of understanding of each person. You also need to begin viewing your personal goals as part of the team's goals. An EA who thinks this way is surely on the road to success because their boss will take notice if they are willing to take one for the team and think outside of their own narrow job obligations.

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Industry Recognition

To date over 130 students have completed Executive Assistant Academy Diplomas, with new graduates joining our Alumni each month. (Details of those already completed can be seen on our Alumni Board Page.)

At the time of writing, our registrations for 2017 are ahead of any previous year, and with our new Distance Learning options now available, our expectation is ...

At Elite Assistants we are always working with great companies from all over Australia who understand how important it is to have a specialised approach to finding the perfect EA and PA for them. If you are looking for a new career challenge, or are just curious as to what might be out there, we urge you to get in touch by email or phone to let us help you. Alternatively you can expect to meet myself at some of Executive Assistant Network's many networking events.

Below are just a few of the current roles we have that might be a perfect fit for you.

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EAN welcomes our new Partner Hughes Chauffeured Cars-Limousines-Coaches

Hughes Limousines is Australia’s only fully national chauffeur service, with offices and dedicated fleets in every major Australian city.

Hughes fleets consist of executive sedans, premium sedans, multi-vans, people movers, buses and coaches. All of Hughes’ vehicles are latest-model with leather seating and professionally-trained chauffeurs.

Hughes has introduced three key new pieces of technology, including GPS tracking, automated SMS messages prior to pick-up and an online booking portal.

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TURN YOUR EVENTS INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND

As winter sets in, it’s important to plan ahead for any winter conferences or events that are on the horizon. Whether you’re planning a small workshop, hosting a training and development day or curating a conference, the cooler months are a great opportunity to create a memorable winter wonderland for your guests. We’ve got some great tips to spark your imagination and take your event to the next level.

Festive Theming

Theming your event can transform a cold conference into a winter wonderland. Consider adding a festive flair to your event by theming your guest’s invitations and name tags. Turn dull delegate cards into personalised placements with Avery’s easy-to-print cards.

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An increasing challenge for organisers is selecting a venue which offers the flexibility to cater not only for the specific requirements of your conference or event, but also the dietary requirements and health preferences of your delegates.

Providing customers with the freedom to innovate is a key motto for the award winning University of New South Wales (UNSW) Venues and Events department, which manages 400+ venues in Sydney’s CBD and Eastern Suburbs, and over 1800 events per year from small meetings to large conventions.

In collaboration with catering partners Gastronomy, UNSW Venues and Events have developed their conference and event menus to include ‘Food For Thought’ choices which tick all boxes when it comes to dietary and health preferences. No need for special individual dishes; gluten free, sugar free or vegan delegates can enjoy an all-inclusive menu that will satisfy everybody.

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8 Tips: Build your Stress Fitness – your resistance to the toxic pressures & demands life can throw at you.

When your heart races, muscles tense & it’s hard to think straight. Feel overwhelmed, stressed out, unable to do anything about it… Remember that just as physical fitness can provide you with greater endurance, strength & stamina, you can increase your resistance to the negative effects of excessive pressures & demands too.

We’ve included some advice for building your resistance to stress (for full article from Sydney psychologist Sarah Edelman, click here ),along with a little inspiration for rejuvenating the mind, body & soul via one of our stunning NSW venue partners. So relax for a few minutes with your favourite cuppa & journey through to the end for a chance also to win the most beautiful pampering package to assist you de-stress!

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AV IS A CRUCIAL PART OF MOST EVENTS- HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GET IT RIGHT

Audio Visual is not considered a glamourous topic, so can often be overlooked in event management. But while screens, lighting and sound systems might not be as exciting as catering and the actual event content, if you don’t get these spot on it will have an impact on the entire event- no matter how good the morning tea is.

What do you need?

What AV services you need is always determined by how many people you will have in the audience and what type of event you will be organising. A good AV company will do a CAD drawing (floor plan) to ensure that everyone can see the screens, everyone will hear the content and that there will be enough ...

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Sydney’s new boutique corporate event space is now open for bookings

A chic new boutique space for conferences, product launches and executive meetings has landed in Sydney’s Spring Street. Step from the hustle and bustle of Sydney’s business district into another world (think VIP lounge) as you enter C-Suite’s serene, interior designed spaces. This luxury venue is designed to be ‘experienced’. All bookings come complete with all-inclusive hospitality, which means you will feel like true royalty as you are treated to all-day exquisite dining prepared by the resident chef.

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Hughes Limousines has been in operation since 1904 and it is no secret that times have changed considerably since those days of horse and cart.

Hughes has spent all of these years setting itself as the benchmark in the chauffeur industry and expanding its services to every major centre in Australia.

Although Hughes has been in operation for 113 years, in the past year some of the largest technological advancements in the company’s history have been made. These advancements benefit the traveller; however, the biggest improvements have been made with EA’s and PA’s in mind. Some of these advancements that set Hughes apart are:

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P&O Cruises latest and largest ship in its fleet, Pacific Explorer, is taking corporate group bookings for year-round cruises from Sydney following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment.

The 77,000-tonne Pacific Explorer was transformed after spending 12-days in dry dock where she was fitted with a host of new onboard features.

The Marquee Showlounge is the ship’s largest conference space accommodating 540 guests and by night, plays host to two brand new stage shows - a high energy Rock show and an opulent Gatsby-themed production featuring a cast of 10 talented performers.

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A letter from Mitch Monaghan, Nespresso Coffee Ambassador

At Nespresso, providing our customers with the highest quality coffee experience is at the heart of everything we do. Whether in the comfort of their homes, working in the office, flying in the air or staying in hotels, we believe that coffee rituals shouldn’t be compromised.

Nespresso is proud of what we call the ‘bean to cup’ journey that delivers this quality coffee; it’s essentially the measures we take to ensure that we’re bringing coffee lovers a selection from the top one to two per cent of coffee beans worldwide. We have 13 Grands Crus within our Professional range meaning that coffee lovers have choice and variety wherever they may be – at work, travelling or at a fine dining restaurant.

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As an Executive Assistant, it is almost always inherently anticipated that you will possess the aptitude to be intuitive when it comes to your work. You bear the responsibility for planning somebody else’s life, so much so that you may even become the most significant support system available to your C-level staff.

However, there is only so much you can anticipate, especially when it comes to travel arrangements. While you may be able to gauge the political and environmental climate of a destination, that’s just not enough to ensure that you will be prepared for every spanner that is thrown in the works. As a Travel Management Company, we can affirm this is hard even for us, which is why we have a 24/7 ...

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Bar OTTO has opened on Level 4 opposite OTTO Brisbane – the perfect meeting spot for after-work drinks with colleagues or social gatherings with friends.

The French call it apéritif and the Italians aperitivo, the new Bar OTTO will be a great opener or appetiser to your weeknight social plans. Offering a relaxed atmosphere with Brisbane River and Story Bridge views, the new apertivo bar is set to impress with a great offering of small plates including arancini, oysters, salt and pepper calamari with lime mayo and specials including suckling pig mini focaccias.

Bar OTTO will be mixing delicious cocktails and their wine list features a wide selection of Italian wines from Prosecco to Rosé, Piedmont and Tuscan varieties as well as French champagne and premium wines from Australia and New Zealand.

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Registrations for our CEO challenge are now open- now is the time to Dare your boss, he may even make it on MORNING TV…..

Join Electrolux CEO- Mike Putt, Tania Zaetta ('Who dares wins' TV show) and Phil Kearns (CEO-Interrisk and Wallaby legend) on September 1st, to take on a dare to cure childhood cancer.

With our venue now locked in at Fox studios Australia, we are set to have our CEO’s go live on breakfast TV to do a dare of your choosing- showing Australia that you are standing up to childhood cancer.

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