
Leverage positive psychology to amplify your impact, says Diana Brandl
As an Executive Assistant, your work often places you in the role of the ultimate problem-solver, gatekeeper, and strategist. You juggle priorities, anticipate needs, and build relationships that drive the success of those you support. While everyone currently seems to focus on AI, tech, and hard skills, it’s easy to overlook the immense power of soft skills and personal strengths.
But here’s the truth: your strengths are your success factors, and when coupled with the principles of positive psychology, they become unstoppable. As a certified strength coach, I’m here to inspire you to embrace your strengths, nurture them, and let them shine.
What Is Positive Psychology, and Why Does It Matter?
Positive Psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. It emphasizes cultivating strengths, building resilience, and fostering a sense of well-being and purpose. For Executive Assistants, these principles can transform how you view your role, your challenges, and your growth.
Let’s explore how these principles can help you strengthen your strengths and thrive:
1. Focus on What’s Right: The Power of Strengths
Positive psychology teaches us to focus on what’s right with people, not what’s wrong. Instead of dwelling on weaknesses, build on your natural talents and amplify them.
Identify your strengths
Use tools like Gallup’s CliftonStrengths or self-reflection to discover your unique abilities. Are you a natural at relationship-building? A whiz at executing complex projects? Knowing your strengths is the first step to leveraging them.
Apply your strengths daily
Align your tasks with your talents. For instance, if you excel at empathy, focus on roles where your people skills shine, such as managing team dynamics or resolving conflicts.
Action Tip
At the end of each day, reflect on moments where your strengths made a difference. This builds confidence and reinforces your value.
2. Embrace a Growth Mindset: Believe in Your Potential
A growth mindset – the belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning – is a cornerstone of positive psychology. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about striving to grow.
Reframe challenges as opportunities
Instead of seeing last-minute changes or difficult personalities as obstacles, view them as chances to showcase your adaptability and resourcefulness.
Celebrate progress, not perfection
Every step forward, no matter how small, is a win. Recognize and celebrate your achievements.
Action Tip
Keep a “wins journal” to document your progress, from solving a tough scheduling conflict to learning a new tool.
3. Cultivate Positive Relationships: The Foundation of Success
Executive Assistants are masters of connection. Positive psychology underscores the importance of nurturing relationships, as they are essential to well-being and success.
Build trust and rapport
Invest in genuine connections with your executive, colleagues, and stakeholders. Your ability to foster trust makes you the go-to person in times of need.
Be a catalyst for positivity
Your attitude has a ripple effect. By staying calm under pressure and showing gratitude, you set the tone for a positive work environment.
Action Tip
Start team meetings with a moment of appreciation or acknowledgment. Small acts of gratitude strengthen relationships.
4. Practice Resilience: Bouncing Back Stronger
Resilience is your ability to recover from setbacks and keep moving forward. Resilience isn’t optional – it’s essential.
Use optimism as a tool
Positive psychology highlights the power of optimism in navigating challenges. Focus on what you can control, and approach problems with a solution-oriented mindset.
Learn from adversity
Every setback is a lesson in disguise. Reflect on what went wrong, but also on how you overcame it. This builds confidence and prepares you for future challenges.
Action Tip
Create a personal “resilience mantra” to remind yourself of your strength during tough times. For example, “I am resourceful, capable, and solutions-driven.”
5. Find Meaning and Purpose in Your Work
Positive psychology emphasizes the importance of aligning your work with your values and sense of purpose. As an Executive Assistant, your role is about more than tasks – it’s about making an impact.
Connect your strengths to purpose
Reflect on how your skills contribute to the bigger picture. Your efficiency allows your executive to focus on strategic goals, your emotional intelligence fosters collaboration, and your problem-solving enhances productivity.
Seek fulfillment in the everyday
Even small actions, like solving a scheduling conflict or mentoring a junior colleague, are meaningful when tied to a greater purpose.
Action Tip
Periodically ask yourself, “How am I making a difference?” Let the answer guide your decisions and priorities.
6. Savour the Positive: Celebrate Your Wins
Positive psychology encourages us to savour positive experiences and build on them. For Executive Assistants, this means celebrating your strengths and the difference you make.
Acknowledge your impact
Your role might be behind the scenes, but it’s pivotal. Own your contributions and recognize their value.
Spread the positivity
Share your wins and acknowledge the successes of others. This fosters a culture of collaboration and motivation.
Action Tip
At the end of each week, write down three things you are proud of accomplishing. Share these with a mentor or peer for added accountability and encouragement.
My Top Five Strengths
Let me share my top 5 strengths with you that came out of Gallup.
I thrive on envisioning a brighter tomorrow and inspiring others to see its potential. As someone with a Futuristic strength, I naturally gravitate toward possibilities, imagining innovative ways to achieve growth and improvement. My mind is constantly attuned to what could be, fueling both my drive and the energy I bring to those around me.
My Positivity amplifies this forward-thinking vision. I approach life with an optimistic outlook, lifting the spirits of others with my enthusiasm and resilience. Even in challenging times, I focus on solutions and seek opportunities to create momentum. My positive energy not only uplifts but also motivates those I collaborate with, making every journey more enjoyable and productive.
With Connectedness, I see the threads that bind people and events together. I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason and that we all have a role in a larger, interconnected narrative. This perspective allows me to foster harmony and trust within teams, encouraging collaboration and mutual understanding. I am driven by the belief that when we work together, we can achieve extraordinary outcomes.
My strength in Communication enables me to articulate ideas with clarity and passion. Whether speaking, writing, or storytelling, I excel at engaging others, simplifying complex concepts, and ensuring that everyone feels heard and understood. Communication is the bridge I use to bring people together and ignite action.
Finally, my Ideation strength fuels my creativity. I love exploring new ideas, uncovering connections others might miss, and brainstorming solutions that challenge conventional thinking. This inventive mindset complements my vision and optimism, helping to turn ideas into reality.
Together, these strengths make me a visionary, a motivator, and a collaborator who seeks meaningful connections and inspires progress in both personal and professional settings.
Conclusion
Believe in your skills. Make them visible. Celebrate your unique impact. Your strengths aren’t just valuable – they are vital. Strengthen them, own them, and let them shine.