PROGRAM DETAILS

Introduction:

The Senior Secretary, or Executive PA, has significant corporate responsibility, working closely with their senior-level colleagues to accomplish their day-to-day tasks. While specific responsibilities and requirements vary across industries, the Senior Secretary, or Executive PA is expected to handle a wide range of high-level administrative tasks including executive communications, handling of corporate documentation and arranging large-scale events.

While many of their responsibilities are specific to the organization they represent, the general duties expected of most Senior Secretaries include:

• Making travel arrangements
• Organising and maintaining office systems
• Working directly with snior-level employees
• Preparing corporate documents
• Maintaining strict confidentiality
• Organising their superior’s entire schedule
• Sustaining a level of professionalism among staff

During this program delegates will learn a great many practical tips, techniques, systems and processes that will help them to deliver high standards of excellence in all of the above duties.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, delegates will be able to:

• Provide full support to stakeholders that will enhance the success of the business
• Apply emotional intelligence to foster excellent business relationships both laterally and vertically
• Harness modern communication concepts and strategies to facilitate workflow
• Use the main functions of management to build and maintain different organizing systems that will lead to increased productivity
• Demonstrate professional skills in using creativity, serving internal customers, and managing stress

Target Audience:

This workshop will be of particular benefit to those who are currently supporting an individual or members of the Executive Committee (EXCOM).  This may include, but is not limited to the following:

• Senior Secretaries
• Personal Assistants
• Senior Administrators
• Office Managers
• Executive assistants and supervisors of junior staff who already possess the essential administration skills and are seeking to further advance their career may find this program of significant benefit.

 Training Methodology:

This practical and results-oriented program incorporates short inspiring facilitated discussions with structured lessons from the learning manual.  There is a captivating PowerPoint slide presentation with stories to enhance learning, a variety of pertinent video sequences, ongoing learning reinforcement and discussions with action planning. Ample time will be given for questions and answers.

 Program Content:

Day 1 – Progressive Role of the Senior Secretary, or Executive or Personal Assistant

 Understanding the strategic role of today’s executive assistant

• Working ‘with’ versus working ‘for’ your leader
• The current challenges impacting administrators
• The competencies of the modern personal assistant
• Self-empowerment: creating your own mission statement
• Developing forward thinking: being a proactive thinker
• Using technology to get things done. 

Day 2 – Emotional Intelligence (EI) Tact & Skills for Handling People 

• Definition of EI
• The conceptual model
• Understanding the four dimensions of EI
• Awareness of own role
• Management of own responsibilities
• Awareness of office politics and environment
• Management of stakeholders

 Day 3 – Effective Interpersonal & Written Communication 

• Building excellent relationships with colleagues
• Dealing with difficult personalities
• Developing self-confidence and assertiveness
• Presenting your ideas and influencing others
• Effective Business writing:
• Writing powerful emails
• Writing minutes of the meeting

Day 4 – Mastering Management Practices

Planning

• Setting SMART objectives
• Writing your personal goal setting plan

Organizing

• Delegating effectively
• Setting task priorities

Directing/leading

• Understanding the team dynamics
• The coaching clinic

Controlling

• Setting useful metrics
• Building and maintaining systems

 Day 5 – The Executive/PA Guidelines for Success

Forging a customer service culture in your office

• The importance of internal customer service
• Making your department customer friendly
• Dealing with visitors

Creativity tools for decision making

• Definition of creativity
• Creativity tools for generating improvements
• The personal creativity profile

Stress management

• Identifying causes of stress
• The personal stress worksheet
• Time management preventive measures