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

The audience was ready to hear from Erin, again; this time on a different subject that I had chosen. The overview is as follows: "When executives and assistants create a synergistic relationship, they can actually drive change rather than wait for change to happen to them. There is no more powerful team in an organization than an executive and the administrative assistant or executive assistant. There has to be a clear understanding from both parties as to their commitment to build a strategic partnership; and then drive the changes that need to take place to help the organization succeed."

Advice from Erin included:

• solicit your executive's help in building this synergistic partnership
• foster open and effective communication with your executive
• determine which changes need to be made and how to promote your ideas to others
• inspire other executive/assistant teams by your positive actions and results

Erin took us deep by explaining workplace behavior styles: analytical, driver, indirect, and direct. This was a really interesting piece -- you know how we all love to learn about personalities, styles, etc. She involved our audience members in discussing how they would structure a conversation to promote change.

Thanks, Erin, for 2 terrific presentations!