OA Book Club: Review of "Underneath It All"

By: Chrissy Scivicque 

 

When I first started working as an Executive Assistant, I was definitely guilty of the "just-a-job" mentality. I considered my position a temporary one - a means to an end, a paycheck. It wasn't until I read Joan Burge's first book, Become an Inner Circle Assistant, that I realized my attitude was limiting my success. That book changed how I viewed myself and my position.

It's been four years since Joan wrote that book and three since I first read it. At the time, I never would have imagined that I would someday have the privilege of working with Joan. Today, she is a contributing expert at OfficeArrow, and we're honored to have her in our community.

Much has changed for both me and Joan in the last four years. In fact, it was one sudden and painful change in Joan's life that inspired her to write this new book. After her husband of 31 years was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Joan began to explore new and uncharted territories within herself. And, as a result, she discovered a strength she never knew was there.

Underneath It All dives deep into the values and principles that guide us in both work and life. It goes beyond the surface. Joan bears a piece of her soul and, in the process, helps readers define what it means to lead a life of significance professionally and personally.

Underneath It All is full of straightforward, tangible advice on how to find success as an Administrative Professional. From teamwork and leadership to communication and professionalism, this book can serve as a survival guide for anyone looking to get ahead in business. The information is largely applicable to any career, though administrative professionals will feel an immediate connection to Joan, whose 30-plus years as an Executive Assistant provide her with an authentic and realistic voice.

Above all else, Joan is a consummate professional. She stresses the importance of developing top-notch "soft" skills - things like communication, leadership, attitude and teamwork. In fact, according to Joan's research, 90 percent of the requirements for being a successful administrative professional revolve around the soft skills, whereas only 10 percent revolve around technology and technical skills. Though I find this statistic surprising, I don't doubt its accuracy. Joan's research is thorough and well-documented and, throughout the book, she incorporates short, poignant testimonials from administrative professionals she's trained through her company, Office Dynamics.

Still, it's the small, personal stories that really stand out in this book. Joan shares candid and thought-provoking analysis of what it's like to face immense personal challenges while still attempting to maintain a forward-moving career. One quote, in particular, that stood out to me: "I've learned that you can have fear and courage at the same time." And Joan does so with elegance and grace.

If you haven't picked up this book yet, I encourage you to do so. You'll be inspired by Joan's bravery and motivated to assess the quality of your professional performance. Personally, once I considered what it must have been like for Joan to support her life partner through cancer and keep a professional, positive attitude, I realized that the majority of my complaints are minor. My "bad days" aren't life-threatening. I have no excuse for giving anything less than a top-notch professional performance. And Joan has given me all the tools I need to do just that.

To learn more about Joan Burge and her new book, Underneath It All: Postgraduate Level Revelations Lift Administrative Assistants to New Heights, download the podcast of my recent interview with her. Joan shares additional insights that provide a more in-depth perspective of the book's lessons.