Executive assistants hold a critical position of influence and must build a robust partnership with the senior management team. This course will enable you to have the right competencies to work in collaboration with your manager. After all, your success will directly affect your manager's success. This course seeks to supplement your current capabilities by adding other highly-needed competencies that will lead to excellence in your position. During this course, you will discover ways to enhance your confidence and forward-thinking ability, allowing you to become a true business partner with the executive team. You will learn and practice powerful emotional intelligence strategies that you can immediately apply in the workplace. Moreover, you will participate in detailed discussions on the importance of building systems and having a systematic thinking approach, leading you to create several systems at the workplace. The next segment of this course discusses how to deal with visitors and internal and external customers professionally and how to make your department and company more customer-friendly. Finally, you will learn how to develop action plans that will enhance your professional image and the image of your department and company.
Course Methodology
This is a highly interactive course that uses several groups and individual role-plays. You will constantly engage in practical group and individual activities, allowing you to test and apply your learning immediately. Moreover, using several self-assessment tests will enable you to discover your hidden talents and areas for improvement. Finally, you can discuss, share, and find solutions to your work challenges in a supportive environment.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Perform the role of modern personal assistants and acquire fundamental practices to support stakeholders
Apply emotional intelligence to foster excellent business relationships both laterally and vertically
Harness modern communication concepts and strategies to facilitate workflow
Use the main functions of management to build and maintain different organizing systems that will lead to increased productivity
Demonstrate professional skills in using creativity, serving internal customers, and managing stress
Target Audience
Senior administrators, office managers, executive assistants, and supervisors of junior staff who already possess the essential administration skills and are seeking to further advance their careers.
Target Competencies
Forward thinking
Emotional control
Building and maintaining systems
Image building
Interpersonal communication
Handling stress
Service orientation
Course Outline
Progressive Role of the Executive or Personal Assistant
Understanding the strategic role of today’s executive assistant
Working 'with' versus working 'for' your leader
The challenges impacting the 21st century administrators
Competencies of the modern personal assistant
Self-empowerment: Creating your mission statement
Developing forward thinking: Being a proactive thinker
Using technology to get things done
Emotional Intelligence (EI) Skills for Handling People
Definition of EI
The conceptual model
Understanding the four dimensions of EI:
Awareness of one's role
Management of own responsibilities
Awareness of office politics and environment
Management of stakeholders
Recognizing how stress and feelings affect performance
Applying EI in building relations and dealing with difficult situations