Effectively Working Together in Smaller Offices

A two-person office can be just as intimidating as an office of 25 or more.  Smaller offices are required to do more with the resources given them and that includes empowering the few bodies available to accomplish the tasks. The bar of effectiveness and productivity is raised and the atmosphere can get intense.

The most important task is the ability to get along with each other and work as a team (short-handed team) to perform the business activities of the organization. Do you have to like each other? Of course, it would help, but we all know that there are some personalities that are hard to like. However, as an administrative professional, it is in our job description to remain professional. Here are 4 ways the small office can succeed:

World Laughter Day!

Just know everyone is being watched.

Today is World Laughter Day! Laughter is the cure for what ails us! Having a good chuckle will reduce stress, release tension, and boost your immunity system.

Stress got you down? Need a good laugh? Here are some expressions for those days when you need to laugh to keep from crying... 

Who knew that the keyboard had other functions?

               I keep hitting the ‘escape’ key but I’m still here.

               I keep hitting the ‘delete’ key, but you’re still here.

The next time the repairman/woman comes to fix your office equipment, ask this….

               How do I set the laser printer to stun?

When you want to make your case about more office space…

               How can I think outside the box when I work in a cube?

Performance review rebuttals…

                I am working on my procrastination issues, just you wait and see.

                I always arrive late at the office, but I make up for it by leaving early.

During  the Interview…

                I like work, it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.

                I will be a team player, if you pay me like a professional athlete.

Make everyday World Laughter Day, your heart, body, and mind will thank you. For more laughs, read the blog, Laughing All the Way to Work, by Patricia Robb, she will have you in office stitches.

Pay Attention to Details Week (March 25-March 29, 2013)

It seems there is a commemorative day, week, and month for everything. Here are the commemorative weeks in March:

March 3-9 - National Problem Gambling Awareness Week
March 11-17 - Brain Awareness Week
March  14-20 - National Farm Safety Week


So, let's declare this week (March 25-March 29) Pay Attention to Detail Week. This week you will especially observe your actions when it comes to completing everyday tasks and look at them in a differently.
 

Try this exercise: Look at the picture on the right, try and find things (not so obvious). For example, what is the name on the garbage can, what time is it, how many laptops are in the office, etc. The idea is small details are just as important.
 
This week is the week to think "less errors" (especially those that are most common, eliminate the need to complete the same task again due to a mistake, and develop a piece of mind that the task is done and will not have a "boomerang effect" and come back to you because you missed a step or made an error.

 Remember, when paying attention to detail:
1. Ask questions/clarify/confirm - Not only does this improve assertiveness skills, you will get all the information you need and won't have to come back two or three times.

2. Get out of the "robotic" routine - when we get in "robotic mode" we miss details because of the frequency of the task. Snap out of it and pay attention to the process, it may need changing.  "What was yesterday, may not be today." 

3. "Know Thyself" - train the eye to look for specific errors that tend to be your Achilles' heel. My Achilles' heel is dates. I know that today is Monday, March 25, but not paying attention, Monday, March 25 could turn into Monday, March 24 on correspondence.

Here are some examples of details you can add special attention to this week:

February 2013 Elite Admin: Barbara Williams

Barbara Williams

Elite Admin February 2013
Administrative Assistant, Altria, Inc.

Barbara A. Williams serves as an administrative assistant at Altria, Inc. working to streamline processes and the coordination of administrative support tasks. Deemed the “best secretary on the planet,” Barbara is a self-motivator, team player, and positive person. She says, “I create a positive environment where ever I go by encouraging people.”

Working with Time through Organization
The best time management tip Barbara finds useful is organizational management, which entails always organizing projects in order. Her system is similar to Microsoft OneNote. She arranges each component of a project in its appropriate order. Barbara sees organizational management as a mental process- seeing the order in your mind’s eye first in which to organize things. Working in this way allows her to always be ahead of the game. She remarks, “When my executive travels,   first, I organize flight options. Second, I make his reservation after discussing with him; thirdly, I would create an itinerary folder for him to store his receipts and materials for the trip.”

Dealing with Change Using Backup Plans
Barbara’s biggest challenge involves meetings and travel changes. She deals with meeting changes by contacting the assistant to find out what meetings on their executive’s calendar are flexible. She provides the information to the organizer of the meeting; therefore, before the meeting is set up, the logistical items have been discussed - eliminating the need to make further changes.

Barbara deals with travel changes by making sure the flights are refundable and hotel accommodations can be cancelled in a timely manner.

Since 1996, Barbara has received many awards and accolades, including Woman of the Year from the Business & Professional Women’s Club, Inc.   She is very active in her professional organizations which include: the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) and the International Association of Administrative Professional (IAAP). Barbara’s proactiveness, dedication, and commitment to the profession prove that she is an Elite Admin.

Barbara lives in Richmond, VA with her companion and four children.

January 2013 Elite Admin: Bonnie Low-Kramen

Author of Be the Ultimate Assistant and co-founder of New York Celebrity Assistants

Bonnie Low-Kramen is an Instructor, speaker and Coach. She is the author of, Be the Ultimate Assistant. The Be the Ultimate Assistant workshop is a 15 hour, 2-day workshop that teaches attendees the essential skills needed to be great assistants. Her workshops include instruction on leadership, technology, and communication techniques. Here is the link for the upcoming Santa Monica workshop on Jan 19-20, 2013 http://conta.cc/PDMICF

Bonnie began her career 25 years ago as the Personal Assistant to award-winning actress, Olympia Dukakis. She noted that she had no experience or training; everyday was like "winging it." Bonnie did whatever it took to get the job done. Her passion for education caused her to resign and start her own business with the goal to provide training so that no other assistant has to "wing it." As a result, Be the Ultimate Assistant was born.

November Elite Admin: Jasmine Freeman, Office Dynamics

 

Chief Executive Assistant to the Founder and CEO of Office Dynamics, Joan Burge

 

Originally from Iowa, Jasmine made the leap of faith in 2006, when she attended a World Class Assistant Seminar hosted by Office Dynamics and learned that her mentor, Joan Burge, was looking for an assistant. She phoned Ms. Burge, interviewed for the position, and six years later, is making an impact on office professionals all over the world.

 Jasmine’s duties include, but are not limited to, arranging contracts with speakers and vendors, making travel arrangements for Ms. Burge, organizing Office Dynamic’s annual conference, event management, marketing, maintaining the Office Dynamic’s blog, and managing all social media outlets.

Meet Elite Admin: Barb Balle, EA to the CEO of McDonald's Corporation

Ms. Barb Balle has been employed at McDonald’s Corporation for 33 years. She is currently the Executive Assistant to the recently appointed President and CEO, Mr. Don Thompson.

Facing Career Challenges

She notes that one of the challenges in her job is the ever changing schedule. Ms. Balle says that, “…you have to be flexible and able to adapt to changes quickly.” With schedules changing constantly, she stays organized by using charts. By compiling information in charts, she is better able to see what is pending and complete. She feels that multitasking is “not as good as everyone makes it out to be” and only focuses on one task at a time before moving on to the next item on her to-do list. Her to-do lists keep her organized and on target.

Stress Management

Stress comes in all forms on any job and Ms. Balle is no stranger to stressful moments. As a breast cancer survivor, she attributes her ability to manage stress at work with the support of a team of co-workers who pitch in when necessary. She notes that it is important to know who you can get answers from when you need help. Her favorite quote by McDonald’s Founder Ray Kroc, “None of us is as good as all of us,” confirms her feelings.

Ms. Balle has been married for 20 years and has 11 ½ year old twins. She was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and is a White Sox fan. In her spare time, she enjoys Jazzercise, baking and watching reality television.

Visit the McDonald’s Corporation website for more information. 

If you would like to be featured as an Elite Admin or know someone who deserves the spotlight, contact me at worklifecoach@excite.com.