Working alongside every successful executive is a brilliant, switched-on, and highly skilled executive assistant.
There are many advanced skills that assistants working in the C-suite need to succeed in their role. We cover many of these skills on this website. This article will go over some of the lesser-known skills and competencies that assistants need to be highly effective.
In Advanced Skills for C-suite Executive Assistants, we’ll cover the following:
How do you feel when someone gives you feedback at work? Are you open to feedback, or do you feel defensive? What happens when you face challenges at work? Do you tackle them head-on, or do you avoid the situation?
As Assistants, we often encounter misconceptions about the role, even though we know we must have advanced skills to succeed as C-suite executive assistants.
How do you feel when someone doesn’t value your contribution? Do you see it as an opportunity to educate those around you, or does it affect your confidence?
The answers to these questions will indicate whether you have a “growth mindset” or a “fixed mindset.” This post will look at how assistants can establish a “growth mindset,” drawing from Carol Dweck’s book Mindset and her 2013 TED talk on the topic.
Let’s start by looking at the difference between a “fixed mindset” and a “growth mindset.” Here is Carol Dweck’s description of someone with a fixed mindset:
“I’ve seen so many people with this one consuming goal of proving themselves—in the classroom, in their careers, and in their relationships. Every situation calls for a confirmation of their intelligence, personality, or character. Every situation is evaluated: Will I succeed or fail? Will I look smart or dumb? Will I be accepted or rejected? Will I feel like a winner or a loser?”
For Assistants, we are often told we have to be perfect and work in a high-pressure environment where mistakes aren’t allowed.
Assistants aren’t afforded the luxury of failure. But how are we expected to grow in our careers and roles without the freedom to make mistakes?
We must have the license to learn and the space to grow. Here’s Carol Dweck’s perspective on a growth mindset:
“There’s another mindset in which these traits are not simply a hand you’re dealt and have to live with, always trying to convince yourself and others that you have a royal flush when you’re secretly worried it’s a pair of tens. In this mindset, the hand you’re dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.”
“Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them? Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow? And why seek out the tried and true instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.”
Many Assistants focus on getting everything right, which is understandable. Our role requires organizational skills, attention to detail, and helping our executive succeed.
We do have to get a lot right.
But, if we want to expand our knowledge, improve, and grow, we must be willing to stretch ourselves and accept that we might get things wrong. How can we create a “growth mindset”?
It isn’t easy, as many of us feel comfortable staying in our comfort zone, knowing what we’re doing and doing it well.
The assistant role is evolving, and with the increasing use of AI, you need to consider expanding your capabilities and the value you bring to your organization.
You also deserve to thrive in your role, learn, and grow.
Does your executive and organization foster a growth culture?
Where do we start in developing a growth mindset for assistants? Ask yourself, does your executive and organization foster a growth culture?
If you are transitioning from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, you need to feel like you’re in a supportive environment where ideas and creativity flourish and feedback is focused on improvement.
You should work with an executive with a growth mindset who is open about their failures.
Working with an authentic executive who doesn’t expect unattainable perfectionism from their assistants can help you feel more inspired, motivated, and ready to challenge yourself.
Don’t be afraid of feedback.
You should always seek feedback in every way, every day.
It doesn’t surprise me that so many assistants avoid asking for feedback. We have busy executives. Taking 5 minutes out of their day to ask for feedback may seem like too much. So we wait until our performance review and then get a year’s worth of feedback all at once.
This process is also tied to our salary and compensation package. Why would you want to talk about your failures when you’re also discussing your year-end bonus?
That’s precisely why you should ask for feedback consistently. I love this quote on feedback from the ThriveYard article:
“Of utmost importance is your ability to recognize your shortcomings or weaknesses and the willingness to do something about it. At times we might have our internal sirens blaring, warning us that we are headed down the wrong path, and feedback serves as a red traffic light or a stop sign to alert us that we are headed down the wrong path. Demonstrate the desire and understanding to change course and to move to the correct road. Even though at the moment of impact, receiving critical feedback can sting since it feels bad to be told that you don’t measure up, yet we need the reality check to jump-start us back into realignment. Look at the big picture on what went wrong and ask yourself what you could have done better and what you can do better moving forward.”
Define your success.
For Assistants looking to develop a growth mindset, you need to stop comparing yourself to others in your organization and those around you. You must define what success means to you. You work with executives who, in many ways, are successful people. We must have advanced skills for C-suite executive assistants.
You can learn from them, but don’t compare yourself to them. Your path is unique, and your growth will look different from others.
You need to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. This comes from looking at your daily successes—what did you achieve, how did you grow, and what did you learn? What was the small victory that led to change?
View challenges as opportunities.
Finally, the Assistant growth mindset can be achieved by viewing challenges as opportunities.
Embrace opportunities to learn and improve in your role. You don’t need others’ approval if someone doesn’t recognize your value. Instead, show them through your excellent work that you’re more than “just” an Assistant.
With a growth mindset in place, Executive Assistants can further elevate their roles by considering what kind of leader they wish to be. Leadership in the Assistant role may look different than traditional management but is no less significant. In this next section, we’ll explore how you can bring leadership qualities to your role and define a style that supports your Executive and team.
Don’t miss the chance to gain valuable insights into mastering 1:1 meetings, building rapport with your Executive, and tackling common challenges head-on with the How Assistants can impress their Executive worksheet.
There are now quite a few of us in the assistant world encouraging you, capable assistant, to recognize that you are a leader within your organization! Advanced skills for C-suite Executive Assistants are essential.
You may not officially manage a team, but you hold a management role in many ways. You manage your executive, work with and support the leadership team, and serve as a role model for other staff members.
So, if you are a leader in your organization, what kind of leader do you want to be? Your style should align with what’s best for your organization, your team (if you manage one), and your executive.
Here’s a look at different leadership styles you can adopt as an executive assistant leader.
What Kind of Leader Do You Want to Be?
Throughout your career as an assistant, you’ve likely encountered a variety of leaders, each with unique personalities and motivational styles.
When it comes to leadership styles for assistants, it’s helpful to adapt based on the situation and determine what works best for your specific challenges. In his insightful Harvard Business Review eBook Leadership That Gets Results, Daniel Goleman outlines six distinct types of leadership qualities:
The Coercive Leader
This “Do what I say” approach can be effective in turnaround situations, natural disasters, or when dealing with problem employees.
However, in most cases, coercive leadership limits an organization’s flexibility and lowers employee motivation.
The Authoritative Leader
An authoritative leader takes a “Come with me” approach, setting an overall goal but allowing people the freedom to decide how they’ll achieve it.
This style is especially effective when a business is struggling. It’s less effective, though, when the leader works with a more experienced team.
The Affiliative Leader
An affiliative leader is all about a “People come first” attitude, which can be great for building team harmony or boosting morale.
However, this focus on praise can lead to uncorrected poor performance. Affiliative leaders also rarely offer advice, which can leave employees uncertain.
The Democratic Leader
Though this style might not impact the organizational climate as much as you’d expect, democratic leaders promote flexibility and responsibility by giving workers a say in decisions, which can also generate new ideas.
However, this style can sometimes lead to endless meetings and leave employees feeling directionless.
The Pacesetting Leader
A pacesetting leader exemplifies high-performance standards, inspiring self-motivated and highly skilled employees.
However, other employees may feel overwhelmed by the high standards and resent a leader’s tendency to take over.
The Coaching Leader
Focused more on personal development than immediate tasks, the coaching style is effective when employees are aware of their weaknesses and willing to improve, but it’s less effective when they resist change.
As you can see, each leadership style has its strengths and limitations, according to Goleman. By switching between different styles, you can grow as a leader within your organization.
So, if you can be flexible in your leadership approach, when should you use the different styles, and how can they help in your assistant career?
What Does Your Executive Want from You?
To understand how you can lead in your organization, first consider what your executive expects from you.
Why did they hire you, and how do they want you to manage both them and your team? Reviewing the different leadership styles, think about which approaches might work well when managing up.
What Does Your Team Want from You?
If you lead a team, remember that each approach will resonate differently with each team member. How do they respond to each style, and how can you bring out their best using various approaches? Some team members may respond better to certain styles than others.
It’s helpful to plan which styles might work best for the unique challenges you’ve encountered over the year.
As you develop your leadership style, an essential part of your role will be empowering your Executive to take an enterprising approach. Assisting your Executive in navigating innovative ideas and entrepreneurial thinking can amplify your impact. This section will guide you through ways to help your Executive make enterprising decisions that drive success.
Today’s organizations require employees to be more enterprising, more attuned to customer needs, and more involved in developing products and services. It’s harder than ever to stand out as a business, retain customers, and boost profits. Entrepreneurial thinking is undoubtedly a valuable advanced skill for C-suite executive assistants.
Encouraging an enterprising mindset across the team can help your organization gain a competitive edge. However, this doesn’t mean every team member must suddenly become an entrepreneur. Instead, it means thinking with an entrepreneurial mindset.
For example, if a client has a unique need, is there a way you can assist them in a way that benefits both the company and the client? Or perhaps there’s an opportunity to enhance or streamline something within the business to improve quality or increase profitability.
Being enterprising isn’t just about big, groundbreaking ideas. Smaller, easily implemented ideas can significantly impact a company’s efficiency and profitability. For instance, staff at a manufacturing company might research a cost-effective packaging option, or an assistant might introduce an online booking system that allows the team to check availability without constant follow-up.
These straightforward ideas, when implemented, can often be replicated throughout an organization, creating a substantial impact.
This enterprising spirit gives team members a sense of satisfaction and engagement in the company’s success. So, what ideas can you develop and implement in your organization?
What Can You Do?
Every team member has the potential to support an idea, identify opportunities, or recognize areas for improvement. Here are some options to consider:
Improve the Things You Already Do
Some of the most effective enterprising ideas involve enhancing tasks you already handle, such as improving product quality, delivery speed, or ease of service. Improvements can often come from observing how other companies operate or by rethinking processes internally.
Implementing improvements is usually one of the easiest enterprising options. The more radical the change, the harder it can be to gain buy-in, but managers generally support adjustments that enhance current practices. Often, these improvements can be expanded to other team members for even greater impact.
For example, you might be responsible for managing meeting room bookings. Introducing a booking app can be a simple but effective solution that saves time and helps meetings run smoothly by setting time limits. It’s a straightforward but powerful solution to a recurring issue.
Collaborate with Others
Collaboration is an excellent way to discover new and improved ways of working. Often, teamwork leads to the development of new products, services, or entry into new markets.
When collaborating, you can combine ideas to develop stronger solutions, leverage each other’s skills, and increase confidence in new approaches. Collaboration also boosts competitiveness and the willingness to try new things.
A great example of this is when several assistants within an organization collaborate on purchasing goods and services. By pooling their efforts, they can share the workload, avoid duplicative tasks like price comparisons, and often get better deals by buying in bulk, benefiting both themselves and the organization.
Support Other Staff to Be More Enterprising
As an integral team member, you’re well-positioned to support others in their innovative projects. New ideas need exploration, which often requires thorough research, competitor analysis, market understanding, cost projections, and business planning—all areas where you can provide valuable assistance.
For example, you could organize all relevant information into a comprehensive business plan for senior leadership. You can track information, follow up on missing pieces, and create a cohesive document for presentation. Your organizational skills make you ideal for leading this effort, ensuring all elements come together effectively.
In addition to supporting your Executive, you may also find yourself managing a team of Assistants or supporting staff members. Effective management skills are crucial, as is knowing how to keep your team motivated and engaged. Here, we’ll dive into strategies that help you lead a cohesive, empowered team.
It’s increasingly common for assistants to manage staff and lead teams on projects. Leading teams and managing staff are just a few of the many advanced skills required for C-suite executive assistants. Many executive assistants manage teams of other assistants and administrators, and we know it can be challenging to keep assistants motivated and focused on their career development.
Here are some tips to help you keep your team motivated and enthusiastic about their work.
Give Each Team Member Autonomy Over Their Work
When you’ve been in the business for a while, it’s easy to feel like you know how to handle every task. However, if you want to motivate your team, offer guidance but allow them autonomy over their work. This independence is crucial for their growth and confidence.
Ask for Input and Feedback
Ensure your team feels heard. Communication needs to be a two-way street, so take time to listen to their ideas, concerns, and objections. Soliciting feedback can lead to a wealth of new ideas and solutions.
Get to Know Your Team
Understanding your team members’ strengths and weaknesses helps you delegate tasks effectively. Take time to get to know them personally—what they enjoy, what challenges them, and who they are outside of work. The best leaders care about their staff and show it in their interactions.
Provide Productive and Challenging Work
In the Assistant role, it’s clear that not every task is challenging or inspiring. There are plenty of necessary administrative tasks we all have to manage. However, there are also a range of engaging tasks and projects assistants can take on. Encourage your team to be proactive and dive into these projects to let them shine!
Offer Rewards
We know how hard it can be for assistants to receive recognition, pay raises, or promotions. As a manager, it’s your role to advocate for their rewards. Small rewards, like extended lunch breaks, early leave, or a thank-you cupcake, can go a long way in showing appreciation. Celebrating success is a big part of effective management, so make sure every accomplishment is recognized.
Set Effective Goals
Finally, every team member should have a clear career development plan. Set goals that will stretch and grow them in their role. Regular meetings and mentoring sessions can help guide them through challenges.
If you’re an Executive Assistant managing a team, you have the unique opportunity to lead by example. You know the demands of the job, and by supporting their strategic development, you can help them achieve much more in the role. This is one of many advanced skills for C-suite executive assistants.
Whether managing a team or collaborating across departments, public speaking is an invaluable skill for any professional. This next section provides practical tips on building confidence as a speaker and harnessing your voice in both small meetings and larger presentations.
My first attempt at public speaking was in 2013 at an event for assistants and office managers. I was terrified—every fiber of my being urged me to run away as fast as my shaky legs could carry me. Somehow, I managed to get through that first speech, and since then, I’ve presented at many events.
Although I still get nervous, I’m much less likely to bolt or shake uncontrollably. I feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of every presentation, proud that I’ve largely overcome my fear of public speaking.
Speaking in front of others is a skill that helps in all aspects of business, and assistants should take every opportunity to practice it. Here are my top 10 tips for public speaking.
Practice, Practice, Practice
My number one tip: practice really does make perfect. Write your notes and practice reading them out loud as often as possible before your presentation. I’ve spent weeks reading my notes out loud to helpful friends and family.
Even Madonna Has Fallen Off a Stage
I remind myself of this before getting on stage. Madonna was dragged down the stairs at the Brit Awards, but she got back up and continued her performance. I’m sure she was embarrassed, but she didn’t let it stop her. If something goes wrong, carry on—that’s what I tell myself!
Create a Great Set of Slides
If you include slides, make sure they enhance your points rather than spell them out. Avoid too much text. Instead, make the slides visually appealing so you can tell yourself the audience is focusing on them, not just you!
Feel Good About Yourself
I always try to arrive looking my best. I’m more likely to deliver a great presentation when I feel confident in my appearance. Call it shallow, but it really does help.
Arrive in Plenty of Time
One tip I’ve learned is to get comfortable with the room well before the presentation. Make sure everything is ready—slides in order, podium set, water available if needed—especially if, like me, you worry about coughing uncontrollably mid-speech.
Have a Safety Blanket
If you’re very nervous, it can help to have something to hold onto. It might be your notes, a pen, or a slide clicker. Others like to move around while talking. Whatever works for you, don’t worry that the audience will notice—they’ll be focused on your message.
Know Who Will Be in the Audience
Find out who’s attending, and if possible, ask a few friendly faces to sit up front. Seeing familiar faces in the audience can help ease nerves.
Only You Know if You’ve Forgotten Something
This is something I often remind myself. You might have memorized your speech, but if you skip a point, only you’ll know. It might feel frustrating, but it’s not the end of the world.
Pretend to Be Someone Else
I’ve done this a few times. After watching fantastic speakers at TED Talks, I sometimes try to channel their confidence. It might seem silly, but pretending to be Oprah Winfrey does help!
Breathe
Finally, keep your breathing steady and your voice slow and conversational. Nervous speakers tend to speed up, so take deep breaths before speaking and keep a slow pace.
What’s Next?
Being an Executive Assistant can be a demanding role. While the effort required is immense, the right person with the right skills can make it look effortless.
As this article shows, specific lesser-known competencies are essential for success as an EA. Many skills can be learned and improved over time; even a basic understanding helps tremendously. It’s often overlooked just how much assistants in the C-suite contribute to their executives’ success. If you aspire to work as an EA for a CEO, hone these lesser-known skills alongside core competencies like organization and critical thinking. To build these skills, consider our online course on becoming a Strategic Business Partner. With this knowledge, you’ll have everything you need to thrive as an executive assistant in the C-suite.
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