(Excerpt from a session at our 16th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence)

We had two exciting presentations by Erin O'Hara Meyer, PHR, and President of Administrative Excellence. Erin worked in the administrative profession and Human Resources for several years before starting her business so she knows this career first hand. She covered many wonderful themes but I will just give you a glance. A main theme was increasing value and visibility within your organization. The audience participated in group discussions on her ideas of:

• gain insight as to how to be visible without appearing self-serving: speak up -- offer ideas and solutions, ask questions, proactively manage conflict or frustrations.
• increase your value to your executive: increase effectiveness -- find ways to continually add value to your manager or team's effectiveness.
• build confidence to display and vocalize your talents: share successes -- don't be modest, let your manager know what you do well and what motivates you to succeed.
• learn to promote yourself to the right people in the right way. Compete with yourself -- push yourself and out "best" yourself, continually strive for increased performance.
• abandon old attitudes about "hiding" under your work or "behind" others: lead -- assert yourself, initiate change, become an administrative role model, influence others.

Erin led the audience through self-assessments and ended with an Action Plan. Great program!