Welcome to the latest edition of Executive Support Magazine. We are now in our 15th year of publication, which is quite the milestone, explains Kathleen Drum
As has been our practice since the first issue, we have included an image of a tree on the cover of the April/May issue. Sometimes abstract, sometimes more realistic, our tree symbolises new beginnings: the start of a new volume of the magazine and the first issue of that volume.
This issue’s AI seedling cover image is a visual representation of our continuing exploration into how AI is disrupting not just the Assistant profession, but the entire world of work. Our cover story, from Shelagh Donnelly, You and GenAI: Status Quo or Career Growth?,is a snapshot of how Assistants are embracing AI in their current workflows – or not! Daniele Viappiani, in his excellent article, AI Will Not Replace You; It Will Empower You, makes the case that those Assistants who learn to train AI to handle repetitive tasks will become AI facilitators and AI-driven workflow specialists, ensuring that AI systems align with company goals. Give yourself permission to explore this brave new world; the next iteration of your career may be closer than you think.
There is also the increasing pace of technological change to consider; the AI tools that we used six months ago are being updated and superseded by even faster and more intuitive versions. So, it is not so much different tools that we need to learn, but the concepts behind those tools, familiarising ourselves with methods for critical thinking, analysis, and continuous learning. In conjunction with our exploration of AI, we continue to advocate strengthening your existing “soft” skills – now more often referred to as character skills, or human skills. Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, we still crave authentic human connection, so leaning into those skills is a must. AI lacks emotional intelligence and cultural fluency – two of the skills that make a great Assistant great. Lean into that, cultivate curiosity, and have an open mind. We will have to unlearn and relearn new ways to do the fundamentals of the role.
We will all need to get used to being a beginner again, and again, and again.
At Executive Support Magazine, we will continue to champion the role and to bring you articles that challenge your perceptions, remind you how necessary your role is, and encourage you to embrace new technology and enhance your understanding of existing technology.
I look forward to continuing our journey of discovery together.
Kathleen
