By asking the right questions, you can build a productive, rewarding career and contribute meaningfully to your executive’s success, explains Sue France
With the start of a new year, I’ve been inspired to reflect on and share with you what will help you be successful, using my hindsight and real-life experience. My whole career has been about either teaching Executive Assistants (20 years) or as a hands-on Executive Assistant (30 years).
While the job title may vary (there are over 160 different names for this role that encompasses the work of being the right-hand person to an executive), the essence of being an Assistant remains the same: to support, anticipate, be a trusted confidante advisor and help drive the success of themselves, the executive as well as the organisation.
I will share 10 key essential questions every Assistant should ask of themselves and their executives to build a strong, productive partnership and have a successful and fulfilling career.
5 Questions to Ask Yourself:
1. What do I want from my career, and what are my aspirations?
This question goes beyond short-term goals to consider your longer-term vision. Do you see yourself advancing within the Assistant profession, or would you like to transition into another area such as prompt engineering, event management, marketing, human resources or project management etc? Consider what excites you about the role and where you see opportunities for growth. Define what success looks like for you so that you can shape your career path intentionally.
Action
Set aside time to reflect on your career aspirations and update your long-term goals. Define what success looks like for you, considering both professional achievements and personal fulfilment. Schedule a conversation with your executive to discuss your aspirations, seeking their insights and support. For example, you may want to let people know you are interested in becoming a team leader or becoming an expert in an area that you could be involved in training others or getting more involved with artificial intelligence and prompt engineering. Actively look for growth opportunities within your role – such as taking on new projects, expanding your skills, or shadowing in other departments that align with your vision for the future. Regularly revisiting and realigning your goals will help you shape a purposeful and rewarding career path.
2. What are my goals, objectives, values, and vision?
An effective Assistant knows their own values and aligns them with the goals of their executive and organization. Your personal goals and objectives, whether related to skill-building, gaining a broader understanding of the business, or contributing to a positive company culture are essential for your motivation and satisfaction in the role.
Action
Reflect on and clearly define your core values, personal goals, and professional objectives. Write them down, and then compare them with the company’s mission, values, and your executive’s priorities. Identify areas where your values and aspirations align with theirs and use this alignment to guide your actions and decision-making. Regularly revisit this exercise to ensure you stay motivated, aligned, and engaged in your role and look for ways to integrate these shared values into your daily work to add meaningful impact to both your career and the organization.
3. What are my triggers for stress and anxiety, and how can I strive to be the healthiest version of myself?
Assistants often operate under high pressure, handling constant changes and urgent demands. Understanding your triggers can help you develop strategies to manage stress, build resilience and maintain your well-being, which is vital for sustained success. Explore techniques such as mindfulness, physical activity and time management adjustments to cope effectively.
Action
Develop a personalized self-care plan that includes proactive strategies for managing stress as well as methods to recover when stress levels peak. Identify specific techniques that work best for you, such as mindfulness, regular physical activity, regular breaks and time-blocking for focused work etc. Commit to a weekly reflection session to evaluate which strategies were effective and adjust as needed. By consistently prioritizing your well-being, you can build resilience, maintain your energy, and sustain high performance in your role.
4. What are my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT)?
Completing a personal SWOT analysis can be enlightening. Knowing your strengths allows you to leverage them in the workplace; while understanding your weaknesses helps you identify areas for improvement. Reflecting on external opportunities and threats keeps you adaptable in an ever-evolving business environment.
Action
Conduct a personal SWOT analysis annually, assessing your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats. Use this analysis to set specific, actionable development goals that will help you leverage your strengths and become experts, address your weaknesses, and take advantage of emerging opportunities and create opportunities. Revisit your SWOT throughout the year to track your progress and adapt as needed. Bring your findings into performance review discussions to showcase your self-awareness, proactive growth mindset, and commitment to continuous improvement.
5. What areas of development do I need and want?
The skill set of Assistants must constantly evolve. Identify areas where you’d like to deepen your expertise, whether it’s in technology and artificial intelligence, project management or interpersonal communication. Seeking professional development not only keeps you competitive but also enhances your effectiveness and adaptability.
Action
Identify key areas for professional growth that align with both your role and career aspirations, such as project management, advanced digital/AI skills, or enhanced communication techniques etc. Seek out relevant training programs, mentorship opportunities or on-the-job projects to develop these skills. Create a plan to track your progress, and schedule regular check-ins with yourself or your executive to assess your development and adjust as needed. By intentionally building new competencies, you’ll stay competitive, adaptable, relevant and more effective in your role.
5 Questions to Ask Your Executive
1. What is crucial to your day, week, month, and year?
Understanding your executive’s priorities helps you anticipate needs and be proactive. Learn about the essential meetings, deadlines, and milestones that drive their schedule so you can structure their time effectively and be prepared and organised.
Action
Schedule regular check-ins with your executive to stay updated on their evolving priorities and key objectives. Time block meetings/activities into their calendar including deadlines and milestones for the day, week, month, and year. Use the calendar to anticipate their needs and proactively structure their schedule to support both immediate and long-term goals. Use my 25/75 rule which is to spend 25 minutes checking the forthcoming 75 days in your and your executive’s calendar 2-3 times a week to help you anticipate and prepare everything required e.g. preparing for meetings, collating information, preparing briefs and reports, organising travel, organising meeting rooms, ordering audio/visual, sending out agendas, printing etc. Regularly update and review to stay aligned with any shifts in priorities and ensure seamless time management.
2. What are your goals, objectives, values, and vision?
An Assistant must align with their executive’s goals and values. Understanding these allows you to act as an extension of their intentions, ensuring your work directly contributes to their vision for the business.
Action
Actively listen and take detailed notes during strategic discussions with your executive to gain a clear understanding of their goals, values, and vision. Regularly review and reflect on these notes to reinforce your alignment with their objectives. Attend meetings with your executives to understand their priorities as well as read their ‘sent’ emails. Schedule regular check-ins with your executive to confirm your understanding and adapt to any shifts in their priorities to enable you to proactively support their evolving vision and ensure your work consistently contributes to their goals and the broader business strategy.
3. How can I add value, and how can I make a difference?
Every Assistant should aim to be indispensable, constantly finding ways to add value. Ask this question to your Executive and it will invite constructive feedback and build a collaborative relationship.
Action
Think creatively, identify inefficiencies, propose ways to streamline processes, support new initiatives, improve and enhance communication e.g. by facilitating clear communication between your executive and others as well as ensuring important information flows smoothly, reducing misunderstandings and delays. Support decision making by researching and analysing. Create concise and informative briefings, summarizing key points from meetings, reports, or industry news enabling them to stay informed and make better decisions. Assist in overseeing projects by coordinating timelines, tasks and team members. Keeping projects on track adds significant value to your executive’s agenda. Build and maintain relationships both inside and outside the organisation.
Discuss your ideas, present your thoughts and you will reinforce your role as a strategic partner, ultimately contributing to the overall success of your team and organization. Taking the initiative to innovate and improve processes not only showcases your capabilities but also positions you as a key partner in achieving organizational goals. This proactive approach demonstrates your commitment to your executive’s success.
4. What are your weaknesses?
An understanding of your executive’s weaknesses, whether it’s organisation, delegation or time management, allows you to complement their skills effectively and make their weaknesses your strengths. You can detect their weaknesses by observation and by questioning with sensitivity as it can ultimately lead to a stronger, more balanced partnership.
Action
Observe your executive’s work patterns and look for areas where they seem to struggle or express frustration. Offer specific solutions, like managing their inbox or coordinating time for focused work and mitigate their challenges wherever possible.
5. What can I do for you that I do not already do?
This question can open doors to new responsibilities and opportunities for growth. Executives may not always realize the full extent of your capabilities, so asking this helps them see how you can support them in additional ways.
Action
Review your executive’s workload and ‘to-do’ list regularly and suggest areas where you can take on additional tasks, to show what you are capable of doing. Based on your review, identify specific tasks or projects where you can help. Present your suggestions during your one-on-one meetings to demonstrate your initiative and readiness to take on more. Emphasize you want to grow in your learning and your role. This not only showcases your commitment to their success but also highlights your potential as a valuable team member.A proactive Assistant doesn’t just respond to tasks, they anticipate needs. Train yourself to look a few steps ahead, whether it’s scheduling a follow-up meeting after a big event or preparing a briefing in advance of a critical decision. By proactively seeking ways to expand your role, you increase your value to the executive and contribute to the overall success of the organization.
Conclusion
The role of an Assistant is multi-dimensional, requiring both personal and professional growth. By asking yourself and your executive the right questions, you can build a productive, rewarding career and contribute meaningfully to your executive’s success. As I look back on my career, I recognize that these questions were essential at every stage of my journey. Whether you’re just starting or well into your career, use these questions as a guide to clarify your path, refine your skills, and enhance your partnership with your executive. I wish you every success in all you do.
Sue is delighted to offer all Executive Support readers a 20% discount on her signed books – visit www.suefrance.com and put the word FAVOUR in the code box.
