Editor's Letters
Issue: January / February 2014

An Open Invitation

By - January 27, 2014

So here we are. It’s finally the year that we have all been waiting for. It’s our year! The year when we spread the word that Assistants are no longer just ‘assisting’, they are ‘doing’ as business people in their own right. With some of the world’s most powerful Associations and trainers from all four... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: November / December 2013

Changing Perceptions

By - November 27, 2013

Here at Executive Secretary, we are gearing up for a year that could change the world for Assistants. Did you know that 2014 is the International Year of the Secretary and that we have just been appointed as Global Brand Ambassador for this extraordinary event? It’s 30 years since the last one and it couldn’t... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: September / October 2013

Back to School

By - September 27, 2013

As most of you know, I have spent the majority of my summer working from my balcony in Spain. I didn’t take the Summer off, but I did ensure that for two months, I closed the computer at 5pm every weekday and took weekends off. It was a much needed rest and I have come... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: July / August 2013

Changing Lives

By - July 27, 2013

Back in the March issue of Executive Secretary, we featured a truly inspiring young Assistant who I met at the BEL Conference in Anaheim in February. Marina Ivey‘s leg had been amputated at the age of 15, following a particularly nasty car accident. Today, two further amputations later and as a single mother of 11-month-old... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: May / June 2013

Never Alone

By - May 27, 2013

By the time I am done this year, I will have been to 21 different countries delivering presentations on all things administrative. Sometimes I go to Chair conferences or to speak at them, I have presented at various training days for Associations, at internal and external networking events and even the occasional HR seminar. I... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: March / April 2013

Let The Party Commence

By - March 23, 2013

Two years ago this week, I was feeling just as stressed as I am now. The reason? We were just about to launch an unproven concept that had taken months of hard work to put into place. I remember vividly, putting the first issue of Executive Secretary to bed at about 3am on the morning... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: November / December 2012

Resolutions

By - November 27, 2012

New Year is quite possibly the most positive, forward-looking holiday we celebrate. We say goodbye to the past and turn our attention to the good that the coming year promises. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions for positive change, such as quitting smoking, losing weight or pursuing a dream career. New Year’s Day brings... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: September / October 2012

Let the Networking Begin

By - September 27, 2012

Because it’s the start of the school year and most of us are back at work after a holiday, September often feels like a new beginning – a time to start afresh. September is also traditionally the month where there are more events on the Assistant calendar than any other, and we will be at... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: July / August 2012

The Olympic Spirit

By - July 27, 2012

In two days’ time on 27th July, the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place here in London – the first city to have hosted the modern Games of three Olympiads. In ancient Greece, wars would stop for the Olympic games. It was not merely a time out for recreation, but rather an... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: May / June 2012

Loyalty or stupidity?

By - May 27, 2012

As a former employee of News International, I have watched with interest since the phone hacking storm broke last year, and in particular, since Rebecca Brooks became implicated. As a woman in the publishing world, I have followed Ms Brooks as she rose to achieve the ultimate position in one of the biggest publishing companies... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: March / April 2012

Birthday Greetings

By - March 27, 2012

Back in March 2011 we re-launched Executive Secretary. Prior to this it had been in existence for about 16 years in various guises, but in March, we were reborn. And it really was like a birth, painful, at times uncomfortable and a lot of hard work but well worth the wait in the end. Birthdays... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: January / February 2012

An event to remember or a series of unfortunate events?

By - January 27, 2012

If there is one part of my job that I have a passionate love:hate relationship with, it is organising events. I love it because it’s a great chance to project manage something exciting and creative. There is a huge sense of satisfaction when the day finally comes and you have pulled it all off with... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: November / December 2011

Christmas Gifts

By - November 27, 2011

Enjoy your rituals and family traditions over the holiday season but come back to work in January with an open mind, full of new ideas and inspiration
Editor's Letters
Issue: September / October 2011

The End of Summer

By - September 27, 2011

And so here we are, wending our way towards the bittersweet final days of summer. When I was a child, the summer holidays stretched out forever – all now melded into a memory of hot sleepy days spent on beaches, in parks or on picnics. Of course as an adult, the summer holidays are not... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: July / August 2011

The Rain in Spain

By - July 27, 2011

Let’s face it, our lives have been taken over by the electronic gadgets that surround us at work. Internet, email, social media, CRM – it’s all great for productivity, efficiency and speed of turnover but at this time of year especially, I am reminded of the need occasionally to slow down and get back to... Read more »
Editor's Letters
Issue: May / June 2011

Mayday, Mayday

By - May 27, 2011

Sometimes it is not easy to see the bigger picture. My inbox is full of emails from those of you that have been made redundant and trying to find a job for quite some time. Most of you are highly experienced in your roles and are finding the reality of being unemployed hugely stressful. Some... Read more »