What is the measure of an administrative professional? Some would say it’s all about helping your manager do his job well, AKA making your boss look good.
With that in mind, we asked professionals who have been on both sides of the relationship what admins can do to help their bosses shine as brightly as possible:
Discover What the Boss Needs Before He Knows He Needs It
Executives are often too busy to think ahead as much as they’d like to. Admins can help by systematically prompting their bosses.
“When Dr. deBethizy walked out the door for a meeting late this afternoon, I handed him a folder with everything he’s got to do tomorrow,” says Jo Peay, executive assistant to Donald deBethizy, president of biotechnology firm Targacept. “You can’t read their minds, but you’ve got to anticipate their needs.”
Buff Your Boss’s Presentations
Whether it’s tweaking a PowerPoint feature or overhauling its organization, admins can vastly improve on their bosses’ presentations. What better way to make your boss look good? “Sometimes admins have presentation skills much better than their boss’s.”
Polish Your Manager’s Language
Regardless of position on the org chart, many administrative professionals have a better command of language than their bosses. The wise manager will recognize this and allow the admin to step in. “Some admins who were English majors can be grammar police for their bosses.”