Office Dynamics

Happy Administrative Professionals Day/Week to You!

Jasmine M Freeman — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:47:00 GMT

Happy Administrative Professionals Week!

Administrative Professionals do so much to support businesses of all sizes throughout the world. Thanks for all you do! We look forward to serving you in the future and remember, Office Dynamics is here especially for you!

How are you spending your Administrative Professionals Day?

Pillar Huddle: What We Really Think About Multi-tasking

Jasmine M Freeman — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:30:00 GMT

When you describe what you do well or your top work skills, do you say you are a "multitasker?"

I see this term on so many resumes and LinkedIn profiles. People bragging about what great multitaskers they are and I'm going to share with you something about me and the people who work in my office. We don't believe in multitasking. We believe that you should put your focus on one thing at a time, even in short bursts, to really do that task to the best of your abilities. Listen in to our recent Pillar Huddle for our thoughts about this and some supporting evidence on why you may no longer want to multitask or brag about this habit.

Enjoy.

Want to watch the video we are listening to in our Pillar Huddle? Paolo's presentation is very visual and you might hear us giggling in the beginning when we see his sweet mustache (you don't want to miss that) so you may want to watch. Here it is!

Forget Multitasking, Try Monotasking

Are you a monotasker, a multitasker, a supertasker or just a really great juggler? Let us know in the comments below.

Fun and Helpful Videos for Assistants

Jasmine M Freeman — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 18:07:00 GMT

Joan and I were talking yesterday and she was wondering - what ever happened to all those videos you recorded years ago? Guess what, I found them and thought it would fun (and a little embarrassing) to share them with you this week!

Take note, this was the first video series I ever did and I wasn't a pro then, nor am I now. This series stemmed from questions I was getting from our readers, friends and fans about what it is like to work with Joan, how do I plan our annual conference for administrative excellence and other administrative professionals training events, and what my top tips for assistants are. Here is the series for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy and maybe we'll get to do a new series soon. What would you want to know?

Jasmine

Meet Jasmine Freeman!

Administrative Assistants Event Planning Tips

Interested in learning more about our conference for this year? Visit www.OfficeDynamicsConference.com for all the current event information.

What's It Like to Work with Administrative Expert, Joan Burge?

This was a fun one! Obviously I really like working with Joan. I have been her Chief Executive Assistant for nearly seven years now.

A lot has changed with our World Class Assistant venue and experience - it's gotten even better! You can find more out here at World Class Assistant Certificate Program.

The Soft Skills Necessary for Project Management

What soft skills do you value the most when you are doing project work?

The 10 Success Tips for Administrative Assistants

What do you look for in an administrative professionals conference?

Jasmine M Freeman — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:40:00 GMT

There are choices out there for assistants when it comes to training and we think that is wonderful! There are all types of assistants at all levels with different interests and growth needs and learning styles (and this list can go on and on) and that means that there needs to be variety in what is available for assistants today.

What are the types of things YOU look for in an administrative professionals conference? Do you like large or small groups? Do you like big or small cities? Do you like to attend with friends or go alone and possibly make new friends?

Whatever your journey may be when it comes to administrative professionals training we are always here to support you.

Check out this invitation from Joan to attend her Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence (the 20th Anniversary!):

What NOT to get your assistant this year for administrative professionals day

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:56:00 GMT

What NOT to get your assistant this year for administrative professionals day

By Jasmine Freeman, Chief Executive Assistant to the CEO, Office Dynamics.

Congratulations you have an assistant! I meet so many entrepreneurs and business leaders who are either struggling to find a great assistant or they just aren’t ready to bring one on yet. My message to them is you really don’t know what you are missing. Your business can make huge leaps by freeing up your time and putting some of the day-to-day and bigger projects into the hands of a capable assistant. I say capable because I feel that administrative professional’s day is a day about acknowledging someone who does a great job for your organization and deserves a little extra recognition. If you have an assistant in your office you don’t deem worthy enough to buy a card for on Administrative Professionals Day, perhaps you need a new assistant.

In my line of work, I have seen many executives make serious mistakes when it came to buying their assistants a little something to recognize Administrative Professionals Day and I would hate to see you do the same so here’s my advice on what not to get your assistant this year on Administrative Professionals Day (which is Wednesday, April 24).

Lunch that she has to schedule – A lunch out with the team is the typical way of showing appreciation but you completely nix any respect or appreciation when you ask your assistant to call the restaurant and make the reservation for everyone. Part of the gift would be you doing the legwork to make that lunch happen.

Jewelry – Can we say creepy? Yes, your assistant loves jewelry but save this gift for her sweetheart. There are too many movies about the assistant + executive love story that we don’t need to raise any eyebrows in the office about what “might be” between you and your staff. The funny thing is we sell jewelry but it has a specific theme that ties into one of our training programs so there is great meaning behind it. Also, if you are buying an item for a team of assistants it isn’t so creepy anymore.

Clothing – Your assistant is fashionable and always looks sharp, great gift then, right? WRONG! You may think you know your assistants style or color preference or even size but my advice is you don’t and you shouldn’t buy them clothes. Plus, the thought of one of past executives buying me a blouse is just as creepy as the jewelry option.

A forced day off with no back up covering their desk – This one could easily be on my ‘do’ list with one twist. You must not tell your assistant what day they get to take off and you must also have a back-up plan in place for coverage so they aren’t coming back to a disaster that will take staying late and coming in early the next few days just to catch up. Part of the gift is the extra thought you put into this one.

An e-card – Lame. At least spring for a paper thank you card with a hand written sentiment.

Trinkets that junk up the work space – We consult with executives in corporate offices all year long and one of their complaints is about their assistants work space. It has too many knick-knacks or they have a quilt hanging in their cubicle. Don’t contribute to this problem and add more junk to their work space. You want this person to be nimble and able to find things quickly. If they have to push aside the Beany Baby™ collection to put their hands on that important report perhaps we should be having a different conversation.

Flowers – they die, it’s weird (feels just as romantic as jewelry and clothes and in some cases looks like one). Plus, it’s allergy season and you would hate for them to be allergic or someone who sits nearby to be bothered by them.

Trade spaces for the day – Yes, people do this! It just sounds like a horrible idea and a huge waste of your companies’ time to me. I honestly can’t think of how this would be a way of showing your assistant you appreciate and respect the work that they do for you by mocking them and pretending you can do their job while you mess things up for an entire day.

In all seriousness, it’s about respect. You put a lot of faith and trust in your assistant. My advice would be to show them you appreciate them by putting some thought into the gift you give them. Is the gift coming from you, the department/team, or the entire organization? This could affect the size or scale of gift you get your assistant.

A great assistant is always learning and has goals to continuously improve. Consider gifting your assistant a relevant book or audio.

People do choose to be assistants. Acknowledge this by offering to advance their training in their chosen profession. There are high level training programs out there that can inspire and re-frame the mindset of your assistant regarding the work that they do.

For more ideas on what you should get your assistant see my full article on Top Administrative Assistant Gifts for 2013.

Administrative Professionals Day Gift List for 2013

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:38:00 GMT

Do you need ideas for Administrative Professionals Day?

It's April. You've likely landed here because you just realized that Administrative Professionals Day is around the corner and you need a gift. You might just be curious what kind of gifts would be appropriate for an assistant. Use this post as your handy dandy Buyer's Guide to Shopping for the Administrative Professional in your life. I will go through the ‘what’ and they ‘why’ behind purchasing a gift for Administrative Professionals Day.

First let’s start with some basics.

When is Administrative Professionals Day? Administrative Professional’s Day is on April 24 and it’s time to start thinking about what you would like to get for your amazing assistant this year.

What exactly is Administrative Professionals Day – and why do they get a day? Truth be told it’s actually Administrative Professionals Week, and yes, they get a whole week! Having a day (or week) for administrative professionals isn't about Hallmark making a buck. It's about making your assistant feel appreciated and respected for all they do for you. A great assistant bends over backwards for their leader and their organization, makes personal sacrifices, always knows who to call and puts out a fire before you ever feel the heat. So, taking one day out of the year to say "I appreciate you." is way easier than hunting to fill the position time and time again because they just never felt appreciated and something better came along.

If you don’t feel your assistant deserves a gift or you think this is a made up holiday please refer to my article What NOT to Get Your Assistant for Administrative Professionals Day. More about where Administrative Professionals Week/Day came from can be found here.

This list will guide you to the perfect gift for your administrative assistant or executive assistant.

Here are my thoughts on great administrative professional’s day gifts.

Respect the profession – This is rule #1. It happens day-after-day in too many offices around the world where assistants are being belittled because of their role. Do me a favor and never again use the phrase “just an assistant.” In addition, comments to your assistant like “You are so good, why are you an assistant?” or “You are great at this, you should consider working in the XYZ department!” aren’t really compliments. You see, being an administrative professional in many cases is actually a chosen profession. They are in this position not because they can’t get another job but because they really enjoy the work they are doing as an assistant and there are ways to grow the breadth and depth of what they do without changing roles. Comments like those listed above can actually be hurtful to some assistants. Assistants around the globe are helping businesses run every single minute of every single day, respect that. #AssistantsGetStuffDone

Workspace make-over – Your assistant spends more time in their workspace than they do their own home. Wouldn’t it be cool if you provided a budget or consultant for some really great decorating advice on how to best utilize and personalize the space? Note: This idea might backfire if you are just trying to get rid of your assistant’s personal style. If that is the case there is a deeper issue needing to be addressed here and we can help you with that. DreamCubicle.com has some interesting graphics that add a little warmth to the boring cubicle walls. Other interesting décor ideas to dress up a cube space.

Knowledge – An executive or administrative assistant is worth their weight in gold when they have a continuous growth mindset. Is your assistant always growing, a constant learner, never finished developing? Perhaps more education is the perfect gift in their case. We have a great selection of books related to the administrative profession here. If you want to go bigger, consider a conference or high-level training experience.

“Never be so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience.” – Denis Waitley

A one-on-one coffee chat with you – Admit it, you don’t keep to your one-on-ones every day of the week with your assistant like you should or if you do; the two of you get interrupted by others in the office. Why not take a few moments in the day to take your assistant out for coffee and just chat about what’s going on? You might actually gain some insight into how employees feel about the new benefit plan you rolled out or what your assistant has going on in their life. Yes, they have a life and if something major happens to them – it happens to you.

A well-planned day away with pay – A day away also made my DON’T list. Click here to see why. You adore your assistant; they get things done and make it easy for you to function so to have them away for even one day is a scary thought. If you decide to offer them the luxury of a day away you must, and I repeat MUST, also plan for back-up (someone well-trained to provide back-up) for the day they choose to be out. The last thing they want to do is come back to work more hours to make up for the time they missed.

We’ve got options in all price ranges for you. I hope you found some great ideas. Remember to read my don’t buy list as well.

Bonus Tip: Do you have a lot of assistants at your company? Ask for quantity discounts or special group pricing on the registration. Most companies will work with you if you have 10 or more gifts to buy.

You will show up confidently saying:

"Happy Administrative Professionals Day!"

Do you feel like you found the perfect Administrative Professionals Day gift?

We want to hear from you. Are you still looking and need help finding a training option that will best suit your assistants learning objectives for 2013? We're here to help with that.

Administrative Professionals Day Gifts 2012

Gift Ideas for Administrative Professionals Day.

Q&A with Joan: Administrative Profession Ask Anything!

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:42:00 GMT

A free Q&A call with our in-house expert on the administrative profession, Joan Burge.

Get on the phone with Joan and ask her anything about your chosen profession! Joan took an hour and opened it up to a free call with administrators all over the world. Assistants called in and asked their burning questions. The overall theme seemed to be that many administrators are still struggling with other's view of this profession and how to overcome that. Joan gives some great answers and you will definitely want to tun in and listen to this whole call when you get a chance. You can skip the intro piece and jump in to the first questions after the first few minutes.

Joan shares her honest thoughts on the questions assistants are facing today.

What did you think of today's call. Do you have a question you would like to ask Joan? Please share in the comments section below.

Pillar Huddle: Your Money "Relationship"

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:27:00 GMT

We had fun with the pillar huddle and you can tell because we kept going into fits of giggles. Join our huddle and listen in as we talk about how you can actually make budgeting an experience that you enjoy. Let's get started. Click the Soundcloud play button below. This is an embedded audio file, if you don't see the play button hit the refresh button on your screen.

What does the word budget make you feel like?

The Best Administrative Assistant Resources

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:44:00 GMT

Office Dynamics has been named a best administrative assistant resource online TWICE!

Yes, that's right, twice.

Voted in by administrative assistants saying that we are a "best administrative assistant resource" out there on the world wide web means a lot to us. That's cause for celebration, right?

First, just a few months ago by Executive Assistant and Blogger, Nicky Christmas.

Follow @PracticalPA on Twitter.

Best Administrative Assistant Resources on Twitter (the full list)

Next, day ago by Business Management Daily's LinkedIn Group. The group voted on their favorite/best administrative assistant resources and we were pleased to be included in their results!

Follow @BizDaily on Twitter.

Best Administrative Assistant Resources On-line (the full list)

“I love … IAAP chapter information and some recorded webinars,” explains Veronica Cross, clerk II at Shelton State Community College and member of the Personal Assistant and Office Manager LinkedIn group. “Also IAAP website, All Things Admin and of course Joan Burge’s Office Dynamics website. Before I found these websites I was embarrassed of my job, but because of websites and blogs I see the importance of my job.” - from BusinessManagementDaily.com

Please be sure to check out the full listing of resources for the best administrative assistant resources out there and let us know if you find others!

In your opinion, what are the best administrative assistant resources out there?

Share in the comments section below.

Learn more about Office Dynamics, one of the best administrative assistant resources out there.

Be a Better Assistant, Ask the Expert: Free Q&A Call with Joan Burge

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:49:00 GMT

Are you wondering how to be a better assistant? Get on this FREE call with Joan Burge.

April 16, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time Ask administrative expert, Joan Burge, any question related to your profession!

In honor of Administrative Professional's Day just around the bend we'll be holding a FREE Q&A call with Joan Burge. This free teleseminar will be held April 16 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Be a better assistant and ask the expert any question about your profession on this rare occasion!

Expert Advice on Selecting Administrative Training: Access Recording NOW!

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:03:00 GMT

Get expert advice on selecting the right assistant training program for you.

If you need advice from an expert on how to select the right administrative training program you must listen to this call!

Did you miss the "Get on the phone with Joan," live Q&A call with Joan Burge? Don't fret. We've got a recording for you of the entire call. Enjoy listening in and getting the answers (and bonuses) from Joan.

Get On The Phone With Joan: A Q&A Opportunity

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 07:29:00 GMT

For the first time ever, Joan will be on the line, live on Tuesday, March 19 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time/2:00 p.m. Eastern, to answer your questions.

Not sure about what program is best for you? Have a question that hasn't already been answered on our website? Joan will be taking questions live on March 19.

Joan’s been developing and teaching her administrative curriculum since 1990 and she’s got options available for you. The programs are deep and content-rich but you might not be sure which one is right for you?

Joan will be discussing her:

World Class Assistant Certificate Program, Parts 1 and 2
Star Achievement Series Onsite, Certificate Program
Star Achievement Series Open Enrollment Certificate Program, Levels I and II
Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence

Joan will be on the line to answer your questions. Questions will be addressed in the order they are received. This is a FREE call. Hurry, sign up now!

Pillar Huddle: John Maxwell's Laws of Growth

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:49:00 GMT

My favorite time of day might just be the time we dedicate to our Pillar Huddles. If you haven't tried out the Pillar Huddle concept yet, I highly encourage you to do so!

In today's message we spoke about growth. Joan brought this great foundation resource to help us (and you!) grow in each of the Five Life Pillars. Take these concepts and apply to your own five pillars.

This resource has a ton of golden nuggets so get your notebook handy and we did have some sound ups and downs so you may want to toss on a pair of headphones and crank up the volume during a few parts of the audio.

We promise, you'll get some great info in this one.

Join the huddle conversation. What were your thoughts as you listened in today? Share in the comments section below.

What are the tricks that the search-savvy know?

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:19:00 GMT

A great Q from our friends at Business Management Daily. Please help Sally out with your answers. The cool thing is, your answers are helping out just more than Sally, they are helping all the others out there looking for this exact answer.

by MARY ELLEN SLAYTER on MARCH 7, 2013 8:00AM
in ADMIN PRO FORUM

Question: “I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I’m still not really sure about the very best techniques to try when using a search engine. I have to Google things all the time but tend to wind up with way too many irrelevant results, or I can’t quite find what I’m looking for. What are the little techniques I’m missing when it comes to precise and complete web-searching?” – Sally, Medical Coder

This information is proudly provided by Business Management Daily.com:http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/34744/what-are-the-tricks-that-the-search-savvy-know

Pillar Huddle: Never Give Up, Never Quit!

Jasmine M Freeman — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:17:00 GMT

You know I just love, love our pillar huddles, right?! Enjoy our 'double-birthday' week, a Judi Moreo poem, and some good ole' fashion motivation on never quitting! We enjoy and discuss our thoughts on this poem in today's audio of the pillar huddle.

Want to learn more about the five life pillars and Living a BIG Life? Check out Joan's website Joan Burge Big Life for more about the pillars and giving yourself permission to live a big life.

Pillar Huddle: Living A Fulfilling Life

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:45:00 GMT

I'm addicted to our daily pillar huddles. The time our team takes every day to devote to each other, sharing knowledge and personal connections. Each day of the week one of our team members takes the responsibility of leading our huddle and they share a new resource, or perhaps they reinforce some of the knowledge we have gained so far. Everything we bring to the table has one thing in common - it's designed to support the growth and development of our five Life Pillars. What are these 'pillars' we speak of? They are: Career, Family/Relationships, Financial, Spiritual, and Wellness. We also share on Foundational topics. These topics are what lays the foundation for each of our pillars and can easily be applied across the board to the development of each pillar. Join us today as we discuss "Living a Fulfilling Life" and enjoy this Oprah Winfrey interview that Michele Busch brings in as she leads our huddle.

Promotion: Share the Love

Jasmine M Freeman — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:28:00 GMT

It's February and we're all about loving your career! This week only we have a very special offer called Share the Love. What does that mean? That means during this week when you purchase a Joan Burge authored book, CD, or DVD at regular price you get a 2nd copy of that same item for FREE! We'll ship you an extra copy so that you can Share the Love with a friend, colleague, teammate, your local IAAP chapter - whatever your heart desires. Enclosed in your order will be a letter to include with your gift and a special gift just for you with the purchase.

This deal is only valid on purchases made between 2/11/13 - 2/15/13. Limit of up to three items per purchase. Limited to a quantity of 3 free gift items per purchase.

If you have further questions about this promotion please call our office at 800-782-7139 regarding Share the Love.

SHOP NOW!

Go RED for Women - Close to Our Hearts

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:57:00 GMT

This month we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of National Wear Red Day (Feb 1, 2013).

Go Red for Women (http://www.goredforwomen.org) is an American Heart Association initiative that spreads the awareness of heart disease - the leading cause of death in women. We support their passionate initiative and want to also empower women to take charge of their heart health and collectively wipe out the disease. Spread the word with us! Did you know that up to 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts: improved diet, more exercise and abstinence from smoking.

An easy way join us in our effort is by taking good care of your heart and wearing red lipstick! We are proudly wearing Red Lipstick ON!, which is available to you in our store (http://joanburgeliveabiglife.com/products/red-lipstick). There is something about the deep rich hue of red lipstick that immediately gives us confidence, boosts our energy and lets others know that we are in charge of ourselves!

February is also a month where we are focusing on wellness in general and the importance of sharing love. Wellness is one the five pillars and without nurturing it, we simply cannot further ourselves in life. That is why we are particularly conscious of heart disease and the big risk that it is to women.

And finally, the month of red reminds us of love. Now more than ever, we share love with our family and friends and most of all, we strive to find love within ourselves. If you have a story to tell about finding love, nurturing your heart, or carrying on spirit of survival and empowerment, make sure to share it on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JoanBurgeBigLife.

A Grateful Heart is Always Ready for a Miracle

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:19:00 GMT

What are you grateful for? Tune into our Pillar Huddle for the week and listen to some awesome stories about how the power of a grateful heart can bring miracles into your life. Michele Busch leads our Pillar Huddle this week and shares a story from the book, Thank You Power, by Debra Norville.

Fill Your Year With Glowing Moments!

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 03:56:00 GMT

January used to be one of my least favorite times of year. Seriously. I grew up in the Midwest and loathed the cold, icy winter. I love living in Las Vegas now, even though it was 16 degrees this morning. However, January recently began to grow on me over the last few years. So what changed? I began to implement practices each New Year toward making that particular year my "Best Year Ever" and as those practices stuck I was more and more excited for the New Year as it came around.

This year we actually went out and celebrated saying good bye to 2012 and had a great deal of fun ringing in 2013 with friends, food and games. Here is a look into a few of the practices I have adopted and an audio of a recent pillar huddle of a new practice I've just adopted.

Around Thanksgiving I assess my year. You can do this at any time you see fit. What accomplishments, failures, celebrations, were a part of the year? I dig through the calendar for reminders and put down all those big moments onto a sheet of paper.
Keep a gratitude journal throughout the year. Writing down what your are grateful for as a regular practice actually gets you actively thinking more grateful thoughts on a day-to-day basis. Listen in to Oprah's The Power of Gratitude for more.
Set goals! Set goals for yourself in these five areas: Career, Financial, Relationships, Spiritual, and Wellness. When you have a clear vision of where you want to be, you will consciously take steps to meet those goals throughout the day/week/month/year.
NEW! I keep a "Glowing Moments Jar." When I initiated the practice of step 1 I realized it was so hard to think of everything the year encompassed for me and I missed a lot of the great accomplishments. This year I am planning on capturing all the great moments of the year by writing down what they were, how I felt at that moment and another other celebratory thoughts. You can put whatever is important to you in this jar. For example: tickets, photos, notes of all shapes and sizes, confetti, and so on. Then at the end of the year you can open the jar and recount those moments. Each moment a glowing part of your history from the year (like little lightning bugs you caught throughout the year and placed in this jar). Listen in to our pillar huddle audio and follow the links on where to get the instructions to make one of your own!

Best wishes to you for a Happy New Year. Make 2013 your best year ever!

Your BIG Dreams (a Spotlight)

Jasmine M Freeman — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 00:17:00 GMT

Our theme this January is swirling around BIG dreams and dreaming as big as you can. Joan challenged you to submit your big dreams to us to share her on the blog. Thanks to these wonderful ladies for getting the ball rolling. It can be intimidating saying your big dream out loud for others to hear. You begin to wonder if it's too much, what they think and whether you deserve it. You do deserve it! Don't let guilt get in the way of your dreams. Shout them from the mountain tops and own them. Put them out into the universe and let them come back to you fully. Help us lift these women up as they set out to capture their big dreams and please feel free to share yours here as well; it's a safe place.

Hi Joan, my "BIG DREAM" this year is to either adopt a child or become a foster parent. There are just soooo many kids out there who truly need to be cared for and loved. We would be overjoyed to add an addition to our family. Wish my husband and I luck!

I want to relocate to the Gatlinburg TN area. I’ve vacationed there for the past 10 years and fell in love with it and now just seems the time in my life to make some big changes. I’m actively looking for and pursuing opportunities to make that a reality.

My big dream is to learn Spanish. I learned Spanish in High School, read and wrote the language. I know enough of the language to get help, say my name, ask for things and greet. Spanish language is expressive, beautiful and easy to learn

I work with Hispanic people, would like to understand them, speak their language and learn their heritage.

I plan to take online courses, practice with my Hispanic coworkers, and be able to write and speak the language.

Aren't these wonderful big dreams?! We can't wait to see what you have in store for 2013 and keep those dreams coming.

Are You Dreaming BIG Enough Yet?

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:40:00 GMT

The theme around our office this month is Dream BIG. We meet daily for our Pillar Huddle and our huddles this week were all around this theme. The discussions have been really great and everyone is really diving deep into thought about what their dreams truly are. Have you done that for yourself yet? January is a perfect time of year to do so and set some goals for yourself!

Listen in to one of our huddles from the week titled: Are you dreaming BIG enough?

Let us know in the comments below what your BIG dreams are! We'd love to spotlight them this month via our Monday Motivators and here on the blog!

The Future of Administrative Professionals

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 02:01:00 GMT

Do you read Executive Secretary Magazine? We do and we love it! Lucy Brazier and her team do a fantastic job and that is why Joan is honored to be on their advisory board and to contribute occasional articles to this fantastic publication. They care about this profession, as we do. They are looking to amplify the success of the administrative profession, as are we.

We hope you enjoy this article, The Future of the Administrative Profession - Surviving or Thriving? - Click the icon below or click on the article title to read this two page article today. What are your thoughts on the future of this profession? What is happening in your own organization? What changes are you seeing? Are you noticing changes across your entire industry? Please join the conversation in the comments section below or chat with us on Facebook or twitter @OfficeDynamics. We look forward to hearing from you!

Remembering Dave Burge

Jasmine M Freeman — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:20:00 GMT

Today marks the anniversary of the day we lost one of our own. Dave Burge was the Chief Operating Officer for Office Dynamics International when he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on January 3, 2011. His passing was peaceful and he was with loved ones. It's two years later and we still miss Dave and cite him around the office on a regular basis. We'll tell each other, "That's so DAVE!" or we'll ask each other in a team strategy meeting "What would Dave have done?" He is definitely still here in spirit with us.

Joan's family has an annual tradition to remember Dave on this day. They gather at her home for a nice family dinner and they remember him with special cherished touchstones and photographs of Dave. They release balloons into the sky and talk with young grandchildren about their 'Papa' - it truly is a beautiful thing.

We are into living BIG here at Office Dynamics and Dave certainly lived his life BIG. We wanted to commemorate the day with something special and we know that Joan just adores flowers. She'd have fresh flowers in the office daily - and someday she will! We also know that the color purple means something around here. As I mentioned above, Dave passed from pancreatic cancer and the color of their awareness bracelets, etc is all a beautiful deep purple. That's why we chose to gift this beautiful Gemstone Orchid to Joan in memory of her beloved Dave. They put it on display with his photo and favorite hat that reads "Life is good" above the bill.

Wishing you a beautiful day. Remember those you lost and what you loved about them. Feel their presence with you today.

What reminds you of them? For us whenever anyone starts to get really detailed or saves money on something we instantly think of Dave! How about you? Share your stories in the comments below.

BIG Surprise Drawing Winner Recorded Call

Jasmine M Freeman — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:07:00 GMT

Thank you for participating in our 12 Days of Christmas sales and prize drawing! Each purchase during 12/3 - 12/18 was entered into a drawing to receive a BIG surprise! We called our winner today to announce the news. Listen in below by clicking on the play icon.

I Believe In You! An Open Pillar Huddle

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:41:00 GMT

It's the end of the year and while we are winding down we are still moving and planning for our BIG return in early January. We have many hopes and dreams for the New Year and we have many accomplishments to celebrate from this year in the days to come. I'm sure you are feeling ready to chill out for a few weeks, too!

Today our Pillar Huddle is open because it is a message I wanted to share with you, too. I believe in my team and I believe in you! I believe that we will rise up and be the great people we need to be in a world that is full of hurt, pain, sadness and more. I believe we can be the inspiration. Listen in to our message today. I hope that it's message resonates with you. Please share with us in the comments section below.

What is a "pillar huddle?"

Credit from audio: Tanya Paluso, CEO, Tribal Truth.

Photo credit: iStockPhoto

One Last Chance! Three Books for $30! Wednesday Only.

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 01:32:00 GMT

One Last Chance!

Valid December 19, 2012 until Midnight Pacific Time.

Happy holidays from Office Dynamics. We really enjoyed connecting with you over the last 12 Days of Christmas Deals. We were sad to see it end so we decided to offer up a last chance - one more day offering of our most popular deal!

Today only you can purchase all three of Joan's bestselling books for the administrative profession for only $30 (this set is a retail value of $64.85!) Today only. This deal expires at midnight. Just because you're extra special, there is no limit to how many sets you can purchase.

Three Books for $30!

For $30 you will receive:

Become an Inner Circle Assistant: How to be a star in your profession and achieve Inner Circle status!
Underneath It All: Postgraduate Level Revelations Life Administrative Assistants to New Heights
Who Took My Pen ... Again? Secrets from Dynamic Executive Assistants
BONUS! Free access to the full 26 Weeks to Administrative Excellence video series where Joan dives into Become an Inner Circle Assistant and Underneath It All, week by week, to develop the core skills as well as the 'icing on the cake' for administrative professionals everywhere.

Joan

Purchase your books now!

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 12

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:54:00 GMT

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming a grand finale! Today is our final day of the 12 Days of Christmas sale and we saved something special for you! Today only get 40% off all Live a BIG Life books and product found at www.JoanBurgeBIGLife.com. Just use the coupon code BIG40

. The entire BIG store is on sale, today only.

This is the time to grab gifts for the women in your life who you know are destined to Live a BIG Life!

(Scroll down for a peek at BIG Life products!)

Give Yourself Permission to Live a BIG Life excerpt

"The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more things you will have to express gratitude for.” ~ Zig Ziglar

When they closed up Dave after three hours of surgery and came to tell me he had pancreatic cancer that had spread to the superior mesenteric vein (a major vein) and they couldn’t do anything for him, I felt like I was in a Black Hole. I felt like I was falling into this very, very deep hole with no bottom, and I wondered to whom I could turn. My sister, Gina, gave me a Gratitude Journal. I found that by writing, my list grew and grew. It was amazing to see how many things for which I was grateful.

When I’m not reading or writing in my Journal, I leave it next to my bed so that I see it before I turn out the lights. No matter how weary I may be, I can always manage to make a few notes. I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve heard that women tend to focus more on what they didn’t accomplish than what they did accomplish. By the end of a day you can find at least one thing for which you are grateful. Read more straight from the pages of Joan’s Gratitude Journal and more in this chapter of her book, Give Yourself Permission to Live a BIG Life. You can also find your own Gratitude Journal or BIG Girl Diary at the store for 40% today only! Shop now!

Peace, love and red lipstick.

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 11

Jasmine M Freeman — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 02:22:00 GMT

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping and cheering for Adminology!

Who among us doesn't remember the perceived crisis of Y2K? That was more than a decade ago, but it seems like eons since everyone was worried about the changeover from 1999 to 2000. Today it’s the Mayan calendar that has people in an uproar! We face a new year: 2013 (and I’m sure we will get to see it); what is going to be different during the next decade in the administrative community? I’m not referring to your work. How will this profession as a community, as a group, as career-minded professionals, make strides of significance for this profession? An Adminologist is an administrative professional who studies their profession. They know the art and the science of their chosen profession. An Adminologist is one of today’s brightest administrative professionals. State you or someone you know studies Adminology and knows their stuff by ordering today’s special gift bundle for $9.00 (receive the Adminology logo’d coffee mug & sticky note cube).

Buy now!

Adminology Article

For years, executive assistants have been building partnerships with their leaders. Adding the word ‘strategic’ gives a new meaning to what the relationship should be. In the corporate word, strategic is a common term. There are marketing strategy meetings, creative strategy meetings and financial strategy meetings. So how does this apply to you, as an assistant?

The word strategic means calculated, planned and intentional. That means you and your leader have to work together to plan the weeks’ and months’ activities, projects, action steps and who is involved in what. It means you have intentional dialogue with each other. You intentionally make time to meet and discuss everything from major projects and events to daily processes. As a team, you take calculated risks. Your actions are deliberate.

This means you and your leader have to be future focused. It’s not just about today or the next two days. You discuss the happenings, events, meetings and special projects that you either know about or are anticipating to occur in the next three months. You anticipate what might happen, what resources will be needed, who is involved, time expectations and you see how it fits in the big picture; look at the pieces of the puzzles. This gives you an opportunity to be in the lead. You will be able to better plan, anticipate, organize, prioritize and reduce stress. There will be plenty of days where you will have to react to the current situation. When you work strategically with your leader, you reduce time reacting and are able to be more proactive.

How do you make this happen? A few ways you build a strategic partnership are to:Be engaged in the scope of your leader’s work. This is different than knowing what your leader does such as hold weekly meetings with her direct reports. The scope is the big picture of why your leader shows up every day—why he or she is paid to do what they do; what’s makes them tick? For example, you might think the scope of my work is training assistants, writing books, producing educational videos and conducting workshops for assistants. That is how I achieve my scope.

The scope of my work is to:

improve the quality of work life for administrative professionals worldwide

educate managers and high-level executives on the importance of investing in their assistant’s professional development and career

make every assistant who attends my workshops or annual conference feel like a VIP

have the world view the administrative profession as a career of choice

provide in-depth, worthwhile education for assistants that change their life

challenge assistants to strive for excellence; not settle for mediocrity

Contribute to team objectives.
Align your professional goals with your organization and department goals.
Become more involved in making decisions.
Maintain the flow of information.

There are several ways in which you can accomplish the above.

Ask ‘why’ more often
Attend strategic meetings
Learn the issues your leader faces; gain a true understanding of what is behind what is happening
Understand the deliverables expected from their staff
Attend meetings
Look for ways to help your leader prepare for meetings beyond what you do today
Thoroughly and completely track action items
Follow-up
Meet with your leader’s direct reports and learn the scope of their work
Ask your leader to be your strategic business partner
Observe/listen
Understand the breadth and depth of your organization’s mission and live their values

Building strategic partnerships with managers and leaders is the way of the future. You need to see yourself as a business partner. Adminologists work side-by-side with managers to help lead the organization. Their ideas count and add value. Make sure your contributions and ideas are worthy of your leader’s time and attention. Show others in your office that you are an Adminologist by sporting your Adminology mug and sticky note cube! Today only receive the set for $9.00. Hurry, this deal expires at midnight!

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 10

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:04:00 GMT

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten lords-a-leaping. These lords were leaping for joy because they just heard about our FREE Shipping Friday offer! Now is the time to stock up on all you need for holiday gifting and pay zilch for shipping!

What kind of things might you consider ordering today to take advantage of this offer? How about several cases of the book, Become an Inner Circle Assistant? Get a copy for every administrative professional in your organization.

Become an Inner Circle Assistant excerpt

What if you perceive yourself as being assertive but not everyone agrees? You may, for example, be demure when dealing with a group of upper management people. Why? Are you intimidated? Do you know that some of your skills are not finely honed? If the people you work with and for don’t see you the way you see yourself, what then? The inner circle assistant realizes that the way others assess her is their reality. In order to be most effective, the inner circle assistant needs them to have faith in her and her capabilities.

Take the Effectiveness Assessment in the book and learn how to hone these skills as you move forward into the new year. Get this book or any of our others today and enjoy FREE shipping on all orders.

How do I move from administrative assistant to executive assistant?

Jasmine M Freeman — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:45:00 GMT

Today, Joan and I sat down to discuss a question we received from Susan of California. Susan's issue is one that plagues many assistants and we wanted to respond in this format so that we are able to reach a broader audience.

Susan feels stuck in the administrative assistant title and can't seem to graduate onto executive assistant in her organization.

Listen in as Joan describes these two roles and offers up some thoughts on how you can move from one role to the next.

How does an admin assistant become an executive assistant? by LiveABigLife

Joan and I continued the conversation and discussed how you might go about asking for this title change or proving to your manager and organization that you deserve more in the way of a title change, more pay or more benefits. Listen in and share your thoughts, how have you gone about asking for a title change? Would you add something to Joan's list?

How does an admin assistant ask for a title change? by LiveABigLife

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 9

Jasmine M Freeman — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:45:00 GMT

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing. These ladies are dancing the happy dance! You want to know why? They just heard that all of the of the Workplace Tools in our store are 20% off today only. Now that is something to dance about. Boogie yourself right over!

One of the great products we highly recommend in this category of motivational and inspirational gifts is the 5 book. Here is an excerpt from this fabulous book.

5 Book excerpt

Where will you be 5 years from today. This is the perfect time of year to assess! Decide what’s next in your life and strategize how to get it.

You don’t have to take life the way it comes to you. You can design your life to come to you the way you want it.

This is your life, your one-and-only-life, and you don’t want to miss any part of it. So, what is it going to be? You decide. Starting today, you can make the next five years the most exciting, satisfying, productive and amazing years of your life so far – or just another five years.

The future is sending back good wishes and waiting with open arms. ~ Kobi Yamada

Get this book and map out your vision for the next five years of your life. What it looks like, what it feels like, how you will get there and then enjoy the journey! Get this book and many others for 20% off in our Workplace Tools section of the store today!

As a BONUS, all orders placed December 3 - 18 will be placed in a drawing for an extra special gift from Joan. All orders qualify as entry into this drawing.

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 8

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:29:00 GMT

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me eight maids a milking and a great offer on the new book, Who Took My Pen … Again? This book was written by assistants for assistants! The content in this book is rich and you’ll enjoy every bit of it. Get your copy of Who Took My Pen … Again? along with extra copies for your friends at $15 today only!

Have a Kindle? Get your Kindle version through Amazon for only $1.99 this week only. Get the Kindle reader for your PC free here today.

[Be] Courageous in 2013 and follow these tips

Mark Twain’s apt comment is sage. Courage is not always the absence of fear, but a choice to master the fear by taking appropriate action. You can still feel fear while retaining the courage to take action.

Here are some ideas from the book, Who Took My Pen … Again?, on possible ways to demonstrate being courageous:

Approaching your leader on a problem related to the two of you working ineffectively in certain areas or a change you want to see in your leader.
Taking a stand to be positive and hopeful in a poor morale environment.
Whistle-blowing an unsafe practice or non-integral activity.
Selling a new process to increase productivity.
Addressing a situation with a peer – having the critical conversation.
Avoid hiding behind e-mail, ignoring an issue, or hoping it goes away on its own.
Promoting unpopular ideas to anyone in the company, department, or a team.
Starting an administrative team in the company.
Getting training in your organization for the administrative community.
Trying something new.
Finding an alternative.

Find these tips and more on how to acknowledge your fear, risk and live your values in Chapter 8 of this awesome new book by administrative professionals, for administrative professionals, Who Took My Pen … Again?

Hurry and milk this deal today only; it ends at midnight!

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 7

Jasmine M Freeman — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 23:51:00 GMT

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a swimming draped in Star Wear™ jewelry! Today you will receive 20% off all Star Wear merchandise! Enjoy your shopping!

Day 7 of 12 Days of Christmas Deals

Star Wear Because You Care - Star Wear™ shows you care about how the world sees you. Star Wear™ states emphatically that you strive for excellence, you are a force to be reckoned with and you have set a course for stellar success. You are 100% professional. You challenge yourself to grow and reach for the stars, knowing your destiny awaits you.

Because you care about your branding and want to manage what it tells others, you artfully set the stage for success before speaking a word. Star Wear™ is a resume you wear or carry. Star Wear™ is a statement of quality and purpose. Star Wear™ becomes you!

Instill excellence in every day for your team (or yourself!) through quality items given as awards, recognition, or motivational gifts.

Star Wear™ because you care!

20% off today only!

Hurry, this deal ends at midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 6

Jasmine M Freeman — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:33:00 GMT

Register for the 20th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence during this special and receive $50 off your registration and a bonus $25 Boutique Coupon valued for $25 off a Conference Boutique purchase of $50 or more.

Day 6 of 12 Days of Christmas Deals

Valid December 31, 2012 until Midnight Pacific Time.

The 6th day of Christmas brings 6 geese a laying. Laying down a conference registration special that will last the entire month of December!

Today when you register for the 20th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence during this special you will receive $50 off your registration price and a bonus $25 coupon to be used in the Office Dynamics Boutique (conference shop) off any $50 purchase or larger. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer.

Enhance not only your work life but your whole life. Live Bold and Balanced after attending the 20th Anniversary Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence.

Mastering Exceptional Leadership One BOLD Step at a Time

excerpt from the 19th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence

Lead yourself first and others will follow. Joan says this during her 2012 annual conference for administrative excellence opening speech. Here is more from Joan from this event.

To be a BOLD LEADER you have to be a warrior! This is part of your foundation.

You must be willing to take up a sword for the cause, whatever the cause might be. I know a lot of times as assistants you think about the things you want to do, wish you could do. You have wonderful ideas, dreams and plans on how you would like to bring attention to the administrative professionals within your own organization. How you want to build teams within your organization. I know because you share them with me. You have so many amazing ideas but all of a sudden you start to get a little push-back from management or even your peers and then you give up the idea.

If you really believe in the cause you have to be a warrior.

I have been pushing and fighting for professional development of depth and breadth for the administrative profession for 22 years! It's not been easy at all. When I founded Office Dynamics I wanted to differentiate myself from the other administrative one-day programs that were available at the time. I wanted rich in-depth education for assistants. I would speak to an organization and I would hear the reply over and over again, "We don't spend money our assistants."

Do you know how many times I have gotten mad over the years? Do you realize how upsetting that reply is?

You have to be a warrior when you believe in something. You keep pushing forward. Be BOLD. Do not give up. I can tell you that today, we would NOT be where we are if I hadn't been BOLD. What if I didn't choose to fight the fight all these years? Today, we have people calling our office to say, "We realize our assistants are an integral part of our organization and we need to invest in them."

At this 20th Anniversary Event of Distinction we'll focus on Your Career and Your Life! It is not enough to just focus on your administrative competencies, although they are extremely important and we will address them during this event. Your ability to have impact and reach extraordinary levels of success at work will only occur when you have a 360° view of your life.

We are bringing together all the elements employed by the most successful administrative and executive professionals who have made this their "Career of Choice." We are sharing the wealth of knowledge and tools we have created, gathered and implemented for 22 years as Office Dynamics International, a leader in administrative training and development.

This once-in-a-lifetime 20th anniversary promises to be the best ever!

We will show you how to:

Direct and manage your life and career
Approach your work holistically
Increase creativity
Harness the talent within you
Master vision and decisiveness
Create a brilliant career
Collaborate with administrative peers
Be bold and balanced in the 5 Pillars: Career, Family, Financial, Spiritual, and Wellness
Develop executive presence
Increase your competitive advantage
Achieve professional peak performance

Join us in celebrating your profession!

SEATING IS LIMITED TO THE FIRST 300 REGISTRANTS

You may also begin viewing our 2012, 19^th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence today by registering for our sessions on demand.

Enjoy today's deal quickly, it ends at midnight 12/31/12!

SHOP NOW!

Deals of the Week

Jasmine M Freeman — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 03:33:00 GMT

Lucky you, you caught us right in the middle of our 12 Days of Christmas Deals!

Here is a snapshot of the deals we are offering this week. Pay attention, some have slightly changed from the original plan (for the better).

ALL WEEK – World Class Assistant Certificate Program (CWCA designation achievement). Register for this program during the month of December and receive a special welcome kit of Joan Burge workplace tools upon your arrival for the course in Las Vegas. This deal applies to any registration for dates of training available in 2013.

ALL WEEK – Star Achievement Series® (CEAP designation achievement). Register for this program during the month of December and receive a special welcome kit of specially selected Star Wear items upon your arrival for the course in Las Vegas. This deal applies to any registration for dates of training available in 2013.

ALL WEEK – Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence, 20th Anniversary registration special. Register for this event (to be held September 17 - 20, 2013) in December and receive $50 off the registration price

TUESDAY – 20% off of Star Wear™ merchandise. This is a brand new product line you will surely enjoy. Find star-themed jewelry and accessories.

WEDNESDAY – Who Took My Pen ... Again? book for $15, eBook/Kindle version on Amazon.com $1.99

THURSDAY – All Workplace Tools 20% off. See our Workplace Tools Category

FRIDAY – Free Shipping all day, all items.

12 Days of Christmas Sale is back! Dates & Deals Cheat Sheet

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hello!

It's that time of year again and we are getting ready to launch our popular 12 Days of Christmas Sale once again! It's a great way to get your administrative peers or your assistant an excellent gift for the holidays at a great price! We aren't going to keep these deals a secret from you! Here is our cheat sheet for the deals you can find in our store this season. Figure out what deals best suit you and mark your calendar so you don't miss these super savings.

Day 1 * December 3 through 31, 2012

Two great registration specials start off this celebration of savings!
Star Achievement Series® or World Class Assistant™ - both are certificate-based designation programs. Each with their own curriculum. So how do you decide which is right for you? Check out the overview and objectives for each course here. The dates and the pricing and then make your educated decision.

When you register for either class we'll have a surprise gift package for you upon arrival. These classes are limited seating events and a great way to kick your career into high-gear.

Day 2 * December 4, 2012

50% off of all CD and DVD programs created by Joan Burge. One day only so stock up on your supply and fill your gift closet!

Day 3 * December 5, 2012

Purchase Who Took My Pen ... Again? and receive the book, Underneath It All FREE! Two wonderful books relating to the administrative profession at one LOW price. One day only!

Day 4 * December 6, 2012

Purchase all three of the Joan Burge authored books for $30. One day only! That's only $10 per book when you buy this 3-book bundle of:
• Become an Inner Circle Assistant
• Underneath It All
• Who Took My Pen ... Again

Day 5 * December 7 through 9, 2012

Purchase the World Class Assistant Audio CD program Parts 1, 2 and 3 - receive the book Real World Communication Strategies That Work FREE with your purchase.

Day 6 * December 10 – 31, 2012

Register for the 20th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence during this special and receive $50 off your registration and a bonus $25 Boutique Coupon ($25 off a purchase of $50 or more).

Day 7 * December 11, 2012

10% off all Star Wear items! This NEW product line is gorgeous and would make great holiday gifts for the star lovers in your life! Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, scarves! One day only!

Day 8 * December 12, 2012

The newly released book for the administrative profession, Who Took My Pen ... Again?, today only for $15.00 and as a bonus deal we are offering the Kindle ebook version of this book on Amazon.com for $1.99! Get both versions today for less than the retail price of the soft cover book.

Day 9 * December 13, 2012

All items in our Workplace Tools categories are 20% off. One day only!

Day 10 * December 14, 2012

Free Shipping Friday. That's it - every order placed on this date will not pay for shipping!

Day 11 * December 17, 2012

Adminology Bundle. Purchase the Adminology branded mug and sticky note cube for $9. This deal makes a great stocking stuffer. One day only!

Day 12 * December 18, 2012

10% off the entire store at Live a BIG Life for one day only! Visit JoanBurgeBIGLife.com. Last day!

BONUS!

All purchases made December 1 - December 18 will be entered into a prize drawing. The winner of this drawing will receive a special surprise gift from Joan Burge! This is going to be an awesome prize so be sure you make your purchases on one of these hot dates.

If you are an Office Dynamics website registered user - watch your Inbox for FREE content from each of these resources daily during our 12 Days of Christmas event!

Which gift do you hope gets slipped under your tree this year? Share in the comments below.

WELLNESS Pillar Ways to be well following W-E-L-L-N-E-S-S

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 22:47:00 GMT

Join our Pillar Huddle as we talk about Wellness. We meet daily and talk about our five pillars (Career, Family, Financial, Spiritual and Wellness). Each day a different team member leads our huddle. Today you will hear me, Jasmine Freeman, as I sum up what we have been learning about wellness and turn it into an easy to follow acronym.

What would your wellness acronym look like?

The Big Turkey Day Weekend Sale

Jasmine M Freeman — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:32:00 GMT

Office Dynamics has a great holiday weekend sale for you! Don't forget to shop! We know you may not be interested in shopping on Thanksgiving so our sale is extended all the way through Cyber Monday!

We are offering 40% off all Joan Burge authored books, CDs and DVDs! She's got a big selection to choose from, too.

In addition to this great sale we are adding a special savings of 15% off of all the new Star Wear merchandise on Cyber Monday only. Visit our store today and begin your shopping!

Sale runs Thursday, November 22 through Monday, November 26!

Spiritual Pillar Huddle How to Get Over Anything

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 07:15:00 GMT

We love our Pillar Huddles! We started them in April 2012 as preparation for a speech was doing at our Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence. We quickly realized what a gold mine they were to our team. We have some samples of our huddles available for you. We'll also try to share one per week with you here on our blog and through our Facebook page, too. We hope you enjoy them.

Thanks, Michele Busch, for leading our Pillar Huddle today!

We also received this open letter from one of our team members this morning that shares the value we feel from these Pillar Huddles - she allowed us to share her message with you.

Hi Joanie,

I want to express my absolute gratitude for the Daily Pillar Huddles as part of my morning routine. The blog article you brought to the Spiritual pillar yesterday on happiness has made an enormous impact on me in the last 24 hrs. It is such a simple message that has helped me relieve the pain of suffering from the loss of a loved one. I began the forgiveness exercise yesterday and will continue it for 30 days. I already feel different about the way my little Chula transitioned to the next stage of life.

As I was writing in my journal this morning I realized how Spirit is expressing through all of us to bring the messages we all need to hear to live fuller, happier, more loving lives. While originally Spirit has moved thru you to initiate the Pillar Huddles, I feel that was the spark to light all of our individual flames for being conscious and loving with each other.

The team/family that we have is absolutely amazing and is so precious to me. While we are all in alignment, we all bring such beautiful and unique perspectives and experiences to not only help each other but help to heal our own wounds in life.

The Office Dynamics family is so blessed to have you as a leader and team member and never doubt that you are a pillar in the lives of many. Thank you so much for letting your heart and spirit guide you to bring an enormous amount of good to all our lives.

I love you,
Gina

2013 Course Dates & Curriculum Announced

Jasmine M Freeman — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 07:43:00 GMT

Thank you for your patience as we mapped out our training schedule for 2013. It doesn’t usually take us until November to make this announcement but there were a few reasons for the delay. After a lot of research we decided to move the venue of the World Class Assistant Certificate Program to...

NEWS RELEASE: Star Achievement Series Has Gone Public

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:12:00 GMT

Hey there! Big news from our office! The long-awaited public offering of the highly-acclaimed and extremely successful, culture-changing, Star Achievement Series is here. You can get on our waiting list or inquire by contacting Jasmine Freeman at 800-STAR-139 today. Seats are limited and we only have one set of dates at this time. Thanks!

NEW: For the first time in 22 years, Office Dynamics’ flagship high-level, in-depth course for executive and administrative assistants is open to the public. This course is taught by Joan Burge, creator and master trainer of the Star Achievement Series with more than 39 years of administrative expertise and learning and development. Our nationally-acclaimed Star Achievement Series® Certification and Designation Course has been taught only on-site since its inception. This proven program has been updated 15 times thus bringing timely and relevant information to administrative assistants, executive assistants, and administrators in Fortune 500 corporations and mid- to small-size organizations across industries.

Benefits of attending this course

Equivalent or superior to a college course for administrative and executive assistants, Star Achievement focuses on competencies that are relevant and necessary to succeed in the Administrative Profession. This course is for those individuals who see this as a Career of Choice and want to perform at the top of their game.
Pre-course work will be assigned to prepare the student thus engaging them in the learning process before they arrive.
Interim course work is assigned between attending Level I and Level II. This provides an opportunity for students to implement what they learned and prepare for their next course.
Post-course work is assigned to ensure the student is transferring the Star Achievement concepts into their everyday work life.
Comprehensive Course Materials can be used as reference guides and for individual study. Joan Burge designed the course materials with follow-up activities and assessments to be completed outside of class time.
• Action Items and Follow-up Activities extend learning beyond the class room and empower students to self-develop.
• Star Savers™ provide quick tips that can be applied right away.
• Recommended Resources are listed for individual, continued learning.
2.2 CEUs will be awarded for completion of each Level.
Certified Executive Administrative Professional (CEAP) curriculum-based designation is awarded to those students communicating their interest to apply. Stringent requirements are in place for obtaining this special designation that is only held by 475 assistants nationwide. An Intent to Apply form will be sent to the student prior to attending their class. This must be signed by the student’s executive.
22 hours (per Level) of focused time with Joan Burge includes personal coaching, skill practice and evaluation during class, assessments, networking and sharing best practices with other high-caliber assistants, and high-energy learning activities.
Students can earn college credits through the University of Phoenix.
The course will be taught in an environment where student can be fully focused on learning. The JW Marriott is located 10 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip. This beautiful property near Red Rock Canyon is the perfect setting for students to open their minds to new ideas, network, and be their personal best.

Course Preview: Are you considering bringing the Star Achievement Series® to your organization? This will be a great way to preview the course and learn new tips and strategies.

Location: JW Marriott (in Summerlin) 221 North Rampart Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89145
Sleeping rooms will be booked through Office Dynamics as we are holding a special block.

Dates and Class Schedule:
Level I: Tuesday, April 9: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; one hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks
Wednesday, April 10: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; one hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks
Thursday, April 11: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; one hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks
Friday, April 12: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; one hour lunch and one 15-minute break

Level II: Tuesday, October 11: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; one hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks
Wednesday, October 12: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; one hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks
Thursday, October 13: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; one hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks
Friday, October 14: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; one hour lunch and one 15-minute break

Tuition: Includes: 4 nights hotel accommodations (Monday through Thursday), hotel taxes, course materials, 4 lunches, breaks, Certificate of Completion and CEUs, Certificate of Designation (based on student’s choice to apply)
Level I: $2,595.00
Level II: $2,595.00
Level I and II/package: $4,990.00 (Save $200.00 for registering for both Levels at once.) See cancellation policy.

Hear What Clients Say & Read More Benefits

For More Information & Course Enrollment Call 1-800-STAR-139

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Star Achievement Series®
Course Agenda

Level I
Day 1	Be a Star Achiever™ (Attitude Module) Star Achieving Techniques™ (Skill Module)
Day 2	Star Achieving Techniques™ (Skill Module) Building a Star Partnership™ (Team Module)
Day 3	Building a Star Partnership™ (Team Module) Reaching Stardom™ (Strategy Module)
Day 4	Reaching Stardom™ (Strategy Module) Debrief Presentation of Certificates
Level II
Day 1	Be a Shining Star™ (Attitude Module) Give a Stellar Performance™ (Skill Module)
Day 2	Give a Stellar Performance™ (Skill Module) Expanding the Star Team™ (Team Module)
Day 3	Expanding the Star Team™ (Team Module) Contemporary Star Performer™ (Strategy Module)
Day 4	Contemporary Star Performer™ (Strategy Module) Debrief Presentation of Certificates

Space is limited. Register now!

Star Achievement Series®
Course objectives

Level I, Module 1 (Attitude)/Be a Star Achiever™
Overview:
A person’s attitude is a fragile, delicate thing. It can be easily broken by poor self-image, or it can become hard and cold. Attitudes are also susceptible to outside forces, such as family, co-workers and society. Yet they are the foundation upon which our work performance, productivity, relationships and health are built. When employees feel hurt, angry or put down, they cannot do their jobs well. Therefore, it’s important to help them guard and protect positive attitudes – among their most important assets to success in the workplace.

Participants will learn to:

Choose the attitudes they want and need to embrace for success.
Achieve and maintain positive attitudes about employers, managers, co-workers, customers and themselves.
Focus on self-change vs. changing others.
Overcome intimidating situations or people.
Recognize and conquer fears that hold them back from advancing in their careers.
Accept criticism as a tool to grow.
Deal with difficult people in a tactful and professional manner that gets positive results.

Level I, Module 2 (Skill)/Star Achieving Techniques™
Overview:
In today’s work environment, employees can no longer be merely “good” at the basics.
They must be brilliant at the basics! Core business skills, such as communication and time management, are keys to developing Star Performing employees with advanced skills that add even more value to the workplace. Today’s office environment is busier than ever before. Almost all employees are managing more projects and juggling priorities with increased pressure for high-quality work. Knowing one’s strengths and areas for growth, along with upgrading fundamental skills, are paramount in today’s fast-paced office.

Participants will learn to:

Embrace the Star Achievement philosophy.
Assess current skill levels, and identify areas for growth.
Record winning personal voice-mail messages.
Leave succinct voice-mail messages.
Write effective e-mails.
Cut the length of phone calls by 40%.
Tap into another person’s communication style to build rapport.
Execute and facilitate successful meetings.
Manage and prioritize tasks.
Challenge and improve current processes that no longer work.

Level I, Module 3 (Teamwork)/Building a Star Partnership™
Overview:
Managers rely on their staff for everything from project follow-through to ensuring internal and external customers are served appropriately. A manager’s daily effectiveness is increased or decreased depending on the staff’s skill, knowledge and ability. Employees are dependent on managers to provide clear, specific direction. They need managers to communicate their expectations well so they can effectively meet those expectations. Star Teams don’t just happen overnight; they are created. Most often, the responsibility for building a stellar team is placed upon administrative or support professionals.

Participants will learn to:

Embrace the qualities of good team players.
Clarify their manager’s expectations and perceptions.
Communicate accurate, timely and relevant information.
Initiate conversation with their managers.
Explore hidden communication and its effects on team relationships.
Give positive feedback to their managers.
Listen, not just hear.

Level I, Module 4(Strategy)/Reaching Stardom™
Overview:
Good skills, a positive attitude and strong team relationships are three keys to being a Star Achiever. There is a fourth key to reaching stardom – having a strategy for actualizing your professional self. It is your responsibility to set career goals, to build networks helping you achieve those goals and to reflect a professional image. In today’s highly competitive marketplace, when you might be equal in skills and attitudes to others, what will give you the competitive edge? What will make you stand out, shine and be different?

Participants will learn to:

Navigate their careers through goal setting.
Align professional goals with organizational and department goals.
Turn obstacles into opportunities.
Cultivate internal and external networks. Contacts count!
Expand their network.
Get their unique talents noticed at work.
Present a powerful professional image.
Enhance credibility through visible presentation.

Level II, Module 1 (Attitude)/Be a Shining Star™
Overview:
Work has become increasingly demanding in all professions, as emphasis in the workplace shifts from individual, specialized performance to multi-functional, generalized performance. Although many employees are in specialized positions, many more are moving into roles that require flexibility and diversified skills. Across industries and professions, employees are being asked to do more work, fulfill various roles, support multiple managers, and still maintain high levels of quality. As a result, interpersonal skills and the ability to manage one’s thoughts and behaviors become imperative.

Participants will learn to:

Identify and evaluate elements that may be creating stress at work.
Apply self-management techniques vs. stress-management tips.
Cope with specific types of difficult people.
Listen in order to understand another person’s point of view.
Create a win-win situation when handling conflict.
Listen for underlying issues which can reveal the heart of a conflict.
Develop a healthy work spirit, including:
- Keeping an open mind
- Gaining an even fuller sense of self
- Becoming a risk taker, and
- Being creative in the workplace.
Master their careers.

Level II, Module 2 (Skill)/Give a Stellar Performance™
Overview:
You present yourself to others constantly. You make connections by telephone. You send
visual messages to individuals who approach you. Every day you come in contact with many
people: co-workers, customers, vendors and other professionals. Your personal presentation style and speaking abilities will either enhance or detract from points you are trying to make.
Equally important is the ability to communicate your needs assertively. There is a fine line between being assertive and being perceived as aggressive. Your ability to communicate clearly with others can be one of your best business assets.

Participants will learn to:

Become more confident when speaking to and in front of others.
Handle challenging situations tactfully.
Project the image they want others to see.
Generate enthusiasm for their ideas.
Communicate their needs assertively.
Gain awareness of the potential risks of being assertive.
Help others see their side to resolve conflicts even more effectively.
Creatively problem solve.

Level II, Module 3 (Teamwork)/Expanding the Star Partnership™
Overview:
Teamwork can be seen in three levels or stages: 1) teamwork, 2) partnership and 3) synergy. It takes more than thinking you know someone to build a partnership. And it takes more than showing up for work each day and merely fulfilling the requirements of your job description. To develop a true partnership with the people you support and work with, you must know their characteristics and understand their work philosophies, preferences and habits.

Synergy becomes the ideal team relationship – one all Star Performers want to strive for. When synergy is achieved, more is accomplished by individuals working and thinking together than if they had teamed up, but worked separately, to achieve the same goal. In
other words, two heads are better than one! Synergy is thinking alike on many levels, but
also having an appreciation for each other’s differences.

Participants will learn to:

Adapt to and leverage their supervisor’s “manager” or “leader” orientation.
Encourage managers to change ineffective work patterns.
Build a partnership with the management team.
Be cognizant of their manager’s style.
Help their managers maintain a competitive edge.
Apply the “strength in unity” philosophy with peers to boost the bottom line.
Increase overall team productivity.

Level II, Module 4(Strategy)/The Contemporary Star Performer™
Overview:
Today’s Star Performing professionals pay attention to emerging work and world trends so
they can prepare for success and remain on the cutting edge. Trends in office technology, workforce diversity and quality requirements can and will impact productivity, effectiveness and the bottom line. Thriving on change is critical to personal and professional success. As organizations continue to experience change, they need employees who embrace the need for high-quality performance and efforts to streamline work. All levels of employees are becoming more involved in decision making, problem solving and leadership.

Participants will learn to:

Recognize predicted work trends and determine how they will affect the future.
Prepare skills and attitudes for the future.
Discover why people resist change.
Recognize the three related aspects of change that affect people’s reactions to it.
Optimize change using 10 proven strategies.
Apply the Star Performance philosophy to quality work.
Develop a “whatever it takes” attitude.
Emerge as respected leaders in the workplace.
Use creative thinking, and determine ways to become a supernova – a rising star!
Stay on the cutting edge.

Space is limited. Register now!

2013 Course Dates

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Jasmine M Freeman — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:49:00 GMT

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and it’s important for us to share that with you. In January of 2011, Our CEO and founder, Joan Burge, lost her husband of 34 years to Pancreatic Cancer. She knows this cancer on a personal level as it has impacted her life in a number of ways. When Joan was in the process of writing a book for administrative professionals she was also dealing with the heartbreak of seeing her husband, Dave, bravely battle this disease. She titled this book, Underneath It All. Joan explored new territory by going deeper into “what really matters, underneath it all” while approaching the different subjects like responsibility, trust, chemistry between a leader and their assistant, self-confidence at work, self-awareness and more. She artfully maintains a delicate balance between the “how-to” of the administrative work and the personal stories and intimate details of the human behind the book.

How You Can Help

Know what to look for. Pancreatic Cancer is sometimes referred to as a silent disease because the symptoms aren’t typically present in the early stages and this causes many patients to be in the advanced stages of the disease by the time they receive a diagnosis. Learn about the types of symptoms to look for here and research more about this type of cancer at Pancan.org.
Learn about cancer of the pancreas. Here’s an informational video from Jai Pausch to get you started. http://pancanfz.temp.veriohosting.com/section_stories/story_details.php?id=308&lang=1
Purchase this book/Proceeds are donated to Pancan.

Today’s executives have much higher expectations of assistants than in the past. Many executives want their assistants to learn, understand, and especially “know” the business. Administrative/executive assistants will need an entirely new set of skills such as commitment to quality performance, cognitive thinking, and management of organizational goals.

You’ll read why it’s essential to maintain your competitive advantage and continual improvement makes it possible. You will explore key points that lead to success and you’re likely to wonder who switched on the lights?

Once you “see” what is underneath it all, you will become a more effective person – in your personal life as well in your business life.

No matter what month it is, we’ve always donated 10% of the proceeds of Underneath It All to the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Network for the treatment and research to cure Pancreatic Cancer and we will continue to do so. We are taking this month as an opportunity to highlight this story and raise awareness about this disease – ultimately hoping to save lives.

November 1, 2012 would have been Joan and Dave's 36th Wedding Anniversary.

Stars Shining Brightly In Vegas

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:56:00 GMT

(October 26, 2012 - Las Vegas, NV)

I'm pleased to announce happy news! Our Star Achievement Series family grew by four today. Joan Burge conducted a Star Achievement Series Level I Trainer Certification program October 24-26. The graduates of this program included (as pictured below with Joan Burge, CEO and founder, Office Dynamics International): Susan Craddock, Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County; Sheri Jamieson, Long View Systems; Elsa Sanchez-Vahamonde, Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County; and Stephanie Pierce, Kindred Healthcare.

These four women let their stars shine brightly this week as they learned how to facilitate this successful and highly sought after program.

If you or someone you know is interested in beoming a Star Achievment Series Certified Trainer, please contact Office Dynamics International at 800-STAR-139.

Birthday Project: A Sweets Table for Guests

Jasmine M Freeman — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:58:00 GMT

Joan celebrated her 60th Birthday this August and one of the surprises I wanted to prepare for her included a "Sweets Table" for her guests to gather up goodies and take them away at the end of the night. I thought it would make for an attractive display and would be a fun project to undertake.

I found glass containers all over (everyone seems to have several) and there were some really pretty ones at a local Home Goods store for around $7 - $10 each. You can find these everywhere!

Next, I found candies in the color scheme for her party (red, white and silver). I used marshmallows for filler in the jars and little red and black take-out boxes for the guests to fill up. Here is the finished project! For all red candies I used Oh Nuts! because you can search their inventory easily online by the color of candy you are looking for. I found red and black jelly gumdrops, red pistachios and more! You find M&M's in one solid color through their website and order just what you need!

Here is how everything turned out...

My inspiration? Pinterest of course.

How are we going to top that?

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 06:39:00 GMT

We spent some time last week in our conference room brain storming ideas on what to do for our 19th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence team building exercise. I think we are all feeling like we have such a huge expectation to ‘top that’ with this exercise. You see, in 2011, we had much success with our activity. The teams were charged with coming up with their top ways they add value in their work lives every day. The 24 teams in the room quickly went to work and jotted down their ideas. We then implemented a creative exercise for the 24 teams to design a book cover. The book cover and the title would be for the ideas they just came up with. The plan was to publish the book by Administrative Professional’s Day 2012 and share 50% of the books proceeds to St. Jude Children’s Hospital for the research and treatment of children’s cancer. The result was amazing. The teams voted out of the top three designs and the administrative professional’s book, Who Took My Pen … Again? was born.

The group donated their supplies from the activity to a local school in the Las Vegas, Nevada area where the majority of their student population is homeless, Whitney Elementary School. After hearing about the school’s situation, the tables also took it upon themselves to pool a donation for the school and placed a fishbowl at the back of the room where our guests dropped in cash to be given to the school. In addition to their donations Office Dynamics was able to make a donation when we dropped off the supplies and other household and office items donated not only by the company but our office staff.

So you can see why we may have had some struggle coming up with ideas on how to make this event’s team building exercise even better.

In the meantime we are still experiencing the success of the 2011 project. The book, Who Took My Pen … Again? (A collaborative effort by 240 administrative professionals and three authors; Joan Burge, Nancy Fraze and Jasmine Freeman) is at the top of the charts (still) on Amazon.com on their Best Seller list under the Secretarial and Training Aids category. It’s also listed as a Hot New Release and one of the Most Wished For products in its category.

Kudos to all the amazing administrative professionals who were able to be part of this project. The entire project was so amazing – I am sure you are wondering how could we top that? We will. Don’t worry; we always do!

Our First eBook Is 99 Cents

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:35:00 GMT

Exciting news! We just published our first eBook in Office Dynamics history. This eBook is available on Amazon.com right now and it's only 99 cents!

July 25 & 26 we are celebrating the release of this eBook with an eBook Launch Party and offering the book at an introductory price of only 99 cents. The eBook will be $8.99 by Friday so hurry and get your copy purchased now.

Who Took My Pen ... Again? Secrets from Dynamic Executive Assistants is a book for assistants by assistants.

In exchange for this great price all we ask is that you take a few moments to review the book after you have had a chance to read it. You can submit your review on Amazon.com at the Who Took My Pen page or link used below to purchase.

eBook Launch Party!

Hurry, this great price is only available for two days! Wednesday, July 25 & Thursday, July 26.

Fun Facts:

This is the first ever eBook by Office Dynamics.
Who Took My Pen ... Again? Paperback Edition was published March 2012.
Who Took My Pen ... Again? Cover and title was designed by Office Dynamics conference attendees at the 18th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence.
This book was a result of a collaborative effort by authors: Joan Burge, Nancy Fraze and Jasmine Freeman.
50% of the proceeds from this book are being donated to aid in the treatment and research to cure children's cancer.
Ideas for this book were contributed at the 18th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence by 240 administrative professionals.

You will learn how to:

Earn the respect of peers and managers.
Create a rock-solid reputation.
Rise above petty jealousies.
Be a financial wizard.
Act - and be - a leader.
Become your manager's goodwill ambassador.

This book will:

Offer real-life success stories!
Provide ignition for positive change!
Infuse life with confidence!
Provide seasoned professionals' best ideas!
Light or rekindle the fires of career passion!

Buy the eBook for 99 cents (Only available at Amazon.com)
Buy the Who Took My Pen ... Again? Paperback
Learn more about the book, Who Took My Pen ... Again?

Amazon Reviews:

"I've worked in career development and business my entire life. A friend suggested I take a look at this book, since I advise people in their careers. I'm impressed by the approachable tone of the book - it's not stuffy or boring, unlike most of the other books I've seen on this topic. It's full of good tips and goes into depth, giving detailed examples of just how to win over the people you work with, without being over the top. It does a good job of balancing an understanding of the career and professional environment with the realities of being in the trenches doing work as an executive assistant. The book is also written so that you can get something out of it, whether you have years of experience or just started in the field." - By Andrea from Become a Consultant Blog "Become ... (Vancouver, BC Canada)

"While reading Who Took My Pen ... Again? I realized how much this book can help me in all areas of my life. The advice and tips the authors give are real actionable items that apply to every aspect of life. They do focus in on how you can apply the tools at work and that is so great. I started reading my book and I kept saying to myself that the chapter I was reading would be the last one for the day but I just kept on reading! I like how easy it is to read and the format is really fun. They give you examples of the topic then they tell you how to use the information and then they give you an example of how others have used it. I am going to buy copies for all my co-workers for administrative professionals day." - Gina

"This book is great and is well worth adding to any career library. It is just full of ideas right from the beginning when the concept was developed through to the conclusion. I have highlighted phrases or sentences all over the place and has certainly sparked lots of ideas so that I can pay it forward to the other administrative staff that I work with." - Anonymous

Effective iPad Use for Business Webinar

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:01:00 GMT

Hello!

We all use an iPad in our office for many things and we are always learning more about this awesome tool. In fact, we know of a webinar that will help you if you are interested in learning about effective use of your iPad for business.

If you don't have an iPad but your boss does and you need to help them with it, often, this might be a great webinar for you to attend so you can teach them how to really use their iPad for business!

You can learn more and register for the iPad for Business Webinar here.

Gina and Brian at lunch using an app on team member, Michele's iPad.

Do the Technology Tango

Jasmine M Freeman — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:10:00 GMT

Whether you like it or not “embrace technology” has become a common mantra in the business world. For the purposes of this book (Who Took My Pen … Again?), we state unequivocally, forget about embracing technology; you’ve got to dance the technology tango!

Anyone who has watched the hit television show, Dancing with the Stars, knows two things about a successful tango: you must exhibit great passion and stay in step with your partner. Technology is that smoldering, mysterious, dark-eyed partner who draws you close to his chest in a passionate embrace, and the next moment, flings you across the floor. The technology tango is simultaneously maddening and thrilling, enjoyable and frustrating, eye-opening and hair-pulling.

Technology was brought up by half of our teams at the 18th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence. They felt it was important that an assistant know technology in order to add value every day. They understand you need to be able to tango with this seemingly untamable partner. Technology is not going anywhere; in fact, it is becoming more and more a part of our lives at work and at home. As I write this blog I personally have four (4) devices I use on a daily basis. Four different ways I stay connected, enhance my viewing experience when watching a favorite show, get the best deals on things I want to do in my city, stay on top of what’s next in this great world of technology. It can be overwhelming, too.

Technology

Instead of looking at particular devices or sites, let’s focus on what we can control in technology:

Harvest reputable online blog sites and tech support sites for information and user tips and tools. They are often better than the manufacturer’s. Bookmark them for easy reference.
Join a networking technology forum, or better, yet, form one.
Pool your knowledge with other administrators.
Don’t resign yourself to technology; celebrate it! And move with the ocean’s current. Accept that you will be in learning mode from now on. The wave will crest and dip, but it will be a wave of learning over and over.
Create a running log of troubleshooting issues and resolutions, as well as new user questions. Publish it on a collaborative website in your department.
Offer users solutions; don’t just present the problem.
Understand that some users will want a printed booklet to learn from rather than taking an experiential approach. Let users learn the way they are comfortable in order to help them adapt smoothly.

Thanks for stopping by today and reading. Comment below to enter our blog-a-thon contest.

What are you doing to brand your digital self?

Jasmine Freeman, Contributing Author, Who Took My Pen ... Again? Secrets from Dynamic Executive Assistants

The Networked Administrative Professional

Jasmine M Freeman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:23:00 GMT

“It’s not what you know but who you know that makes the difference.” Have you heard that line before? It’s true in the sense that the person who actively creates a reputable brand for themselves with genuine relationships will see more opportunity simply because there is a broader network of people in the world who know who they are, what they are capable of and know this is a genuine person they feel they can trust.

Today our excerpt is from the book, Who Took My Pen … Again? on the chapter titled Networking. Enjoy!

Networking

Building your network is about more than just shaking hands and collecting business cards. To truly build your network you must first build relationships. You must lay out a path of stepping stones, taking care not to use them in stacks to build walls between people!

What can networking do for you? Networking will help you obtain a new position, help your organization gain or keep customers! A broad network opens up an array of opportunities to you.

Outside Your Organization

• Know your “elevator speech.” Update it twice a year, based on your latest achievement, current events, or new business practices in your organization.
• Join a professional group relevant to your profession or industry. Attend frequently and go with the goal of meeting at least two new people each time. Follow up after the meeting with an email, and forward whatever book title or information you agree to provide when you met them.
• Be aware of opportunities. You don’t always have to be at a mixer to meet a relevant new contact.
• Know the potential of online networking and use these tools to your advantage. The impact you can make here, alone, is endless.

For more on this subject I encourage you to check out the book, Who Took My Pen … Again? for the full chapter.

I would love to hear your stories about networking experiences – good and bad! Comment below to be entered in our blog-a-thon prize drawing.

Jasmine Freeman, Contributing Author, Who Took My Pen … Again? Secrets from Dynamic Executive Assistants

Office Dynamics

Happy Administrative Professionals Day/Week to You!

Happy Administrative Professionals Week!

Pillar Huddle: What We Really Think About Multi-tasking

Forget Multitasking, Try Monotasking

Fun and Helpful Videos for Assistants

Meet Jasmine Freeman!

Administrative Assistants Event Planning Tips

What's It Like to Work with Administrative Expert, Joan Burge?

The Soft Skills Necessary for Project Management

The 10 Success Tips for Administrative Assistants

What do you look for in an administrative professionals conference?

What NOT to get your assistant this year for administrative professionals day

What NOT to get your assistant this year for administrative professionals day

Administrative Professionals Day Gift List for 2013

Do you need ideas for Administrative Professionals Day?

This list will guide you to the perfect gift for your administrative assistant or executive assistant.

You will show up confidently saying:

"Happy Administrative Professionals Day!"

Q&A with Joan: Administrative Profession Ask Anything!

A free Q&A call with our in-house expert on the administrative profession, Joan Burge.

What did you think of today's call. Do you have a question you would like to ask Joan? Please share in the comments section below.

Pillar Huddle: Your Money "Relationship"

What does the word budget make you feel like?

The Best Administrative Assistant Resources

Office Dynamics has been named a best administrative assistant resource online TWICE!

In your opinion, what are the best administrative assistant resources out there?

Be a Better Assistant, Ask the Expert: Free Q&A Call with Joan Burge

Are you wondering how to be a better assistant? Get on this FREE call with Joan Burge.

April 16, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time Ask administrative expert, Joan Burge, any question related to your profession!

Expert Advice on Selecting Administrative Training: Access Recording NOW!

Get expert advice on selecting the right assistant training program for you.

If you need advice from an expert on how to select the right administrative training program you must listen to this call!

Get On The Phone With Joan: A Q&A Opportunity

For the first time ever, Joan will be on the line, live on Tuesday, March 19 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time/2:00 p.m. Eastern, to answer your questions.

Pillar Huddle: John Maxwell's Laws of Growth

What are the tricks that the search-savvy know?

Pillar Huddle: Never Give Up, Never Quit!

Pillar Huddle: Living A Fulfilling Life

Promotion: Share the Love

SHOP NOW!

Go RED for Women - Close to Our Hearts

A Grateful Heart is Always Ready for a Miracle

Fill Your Year With Glowing Moments!

Your BIG Dreams (a Spotlight)

Are You Dreaming BIG Enough Yet?

The Future of Administrative Professionals

Remembering Dave Burge

BIG Surprise Drawing Winner Recorded Call

I Believe In You! An Open Pillar Huddle

One Last Chance! Three Books for $30! Wednesday Only.

One Last Chance!

Three Books for $30!

Purchase your books now!

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 12

Give Yourself Permission to Live a BIG Life excerpt

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 11

Adminology Article

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 10

Become an Inner Circle Assistant excerpt

How do I move from administrative assistant to executive assistant?

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 9

5 Book excerpt

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 8

[Be] Courageous in 2013 and follow these tips

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 7

Day 7 of 12 Days of Christmas Deals

12 Days of Christmas Sale Day 6

Day 6 of 12 Days of Christmas Deals

Deals of the Week

12 Days of Christmas Sale is back! Dates & Deals Cheat Sheet

Day 1 * December 3 through 31, 2012

Day 2 * December 4, 2012

Day 3 * December 5, 2012

Day 4 * December 6, 2012

Day 5 * December 7 through 9, 2012

Day 6 * December 10 – 31, 2012

Day 7 * December 11, 2012

Day 8 * December 12, 2012

Day 9 * December 13, 2012

Star Achievement Series®
Course Agenda

Star Achievement Series®
Course objectives