Topics Covered In This Episode
- Defining an Executive Assistant: We begin with a discussion around the role and value of an executive assistant, the differences between a virtual and an executive assistant, and common misconceptions about having an assistant. Exploring how having an assistant could exponentially enhance your life by freeing up time and resources.
- The Need for an Executive Assistant: Dive into why executives may require an assistant, how it differs from other roles, and the level of trust and vulnerability required to effectively work with an assistant.
- Onboarding an Executive Assistant: Discussion on the effective onboarding of an executive assistant including email and calendar management strategies, like the email GPS system. Importance of setting up processes for daily and weekly tasks is also highlighted.
- The Value of an Assistant: We explore the significance of an executive assistant in managing workloads like sales pipeline, calendars, and tasks. The concept of the "zone of optimal genius" and how an assistant can help an executive stay in this zone is discussed.
- Building Trust with your Assistant: Discussion around the unique relationship between the executive and assistant, noting the personal nature of this working relationship. We provide tips on how to offload tasks and how to avoid feeling unimportant when delegating tasks to an assistant.
- Email Management and Communication: We elaborate on the difference between personal and non-personal emails, rule-based approach to manage them, and the importance of clear communication. Then we take a look at how investing time in onboarding an assistant can result in more efficient email management.
- Involving the Assistant in Team Calls: We discuss the importance of having the assistant on team calls, and the utility of having a private, back-channel email for direct communication. The session concludes with a discussion on the importance of reassessing tasks that need the executive's direct involvement and the increased productivity that can be achieved by effectively using an assistant.