It's All about A Sound Communicating EA
“We are stronger when we listen and smarter when we share.”
Introduction
The EA needs both technical and cognitive skills to give the required support to the Executive as expected, while the technical skills deal with the expertise of specific job tasks and applications of tools to carry on these tasks professionally and successfully as an EA, the cognitive skill deals with the application of your mental abilities within the context of being a proficiency EA. One of the most sought skills of EA proficiency is communication skills, which this section will discuss. The EA must have, understand and apply communication skills in such a crucial role, which are in verbal and non-verbal modes. Communication skills such as written, oral, active listening, visuals, gestures, postures, facial expressions, and silence to mention a few are required in every day’s job of an EA. In the views of Estafanous (2021), the EA as an effective communicator should have open and honest communication, active listening skills, and a friendly tone in conversation to avoid misunderstandings. Deliver good or bad news with empathy, and listen and hear what the other person is saying. Communication skill involves the ability to decipher and pass on the message in a manner that must be understood as passed to the recipient. This will enable every EA to be at the top of his job, partnering with and supporting the Executive to excel and succeed at all times.
Communication is the transfer and understanding of a message between two or more people (Tranquilino, 2022). This act allows the sender of information to present the information in a manner that must be understood by the recipient. The formal modes of communication are highly deployed in this role which entails the passage of information through a predetermined channel, it maintains information confidentiality, is reliable, systematic, and has evidence. The channels of formal communication include business letters, emails, calls, and text messages, through various media, for instance, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., however, to have the skills to communicate effectively such skills are not limited to written, nonverbal, active listening, verbal, presentation skills, trust, personal connection, cultural awareness, compassion, and patient education. Communication skill is a package that an EA must have.
Benefits of effective communication skills
The importance of effective communication is the transfer of the right message which must be understood as sent by the recipient. According to Indeed.com (2023), effective communication will always keep the EA and the Executive on the same page, enabling the EA to deliver effectively and efficiently on the request made, increasing productivity, and helping the Executive to achieve his targets and goals. Effective communication helps the EA to build a better relationship and understanding with the Executive and furthermore build trust, increase EA’s engagement as well as boost job satisfaction. It also helps to handle any potential misunderstanding or conflicting instruction and creates a healthy work culture in the organization.
Research outcome and personal experience
My research has shown the first ten communication skills as sourced from various publications according to Lyon (2020), the most sought communication skills are persuasive, public speaking and presentation, interpersonal, listening, communicating with empathy, providing and accepting feedback, teamwork, and collaboration, non-verbal, phone and written skills. An efficient EA needs this skill as it is the most sought-after in the market. Furthermore, G. Aitcheson (2023) in my interview session highlighted communication skills as one of the most important skills which any intending successful EA must have. In her submission, communicating effectively and efficiently helps the EA to understand his Executive better, create a better working environment, prioritize the Executive ever-changing schedules, and pass the right messages within and outside the organization, through email, business letters, phone calls, and responses, and other social media platform for instance, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, updating blog posts and websites. Additionally, from her experiences, an EA usually serves as a note-taker in top management meetings, an EA must be proficient in listening skills to capture the essential highlights and decisions of the meeting, which is utilized to generate the final meeting report, a team player, being able to collaborate with other EAs.
Furthermore, on a personal note, I am a good presenter, I have persuasion skills, a team player and leader, I love listening attentively, I communicate with empathy and always provide constructive feedback. I was assigned to prepare and present the operating budget of my organization annually to top management’s review and approval. This, along with my persuasive skill always helped get my budget approved with little or no delays. I am a team player and have developed the ability to manage a team effectively. I am a good listener, and listening propels one to be a good leader, I believe “good leaders are good listeners”. Phone and writing skills have been of great help in my career growth as this is required every day at work.
Conclusion
Effective communication skills and an EA are inseparable, a must-have skill for proficiency, effectiveness, and efficiency. Do you think communication skill is not essential to every EA? Which of the listed skills of communication by Lyon is the most important to you that an EA must have?
References
1. G. Aitcheson. (2023, February 2nd) The Role of Executive Assistant interview session. The EA to The Vice President, Finance, and Admin at
Wilfrid Laurier University
2. Estafanous, J. (2021, March 16). How to Be an Effective Communicator at Work allybright.com/are-you-a-good-communicator-heres-how-to-tell/#:~:text=Effective%20communicators%20have%20open%20and,the%20other%20person%2is%20saying.
3. Indeed.com (2023, February 23) https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/communication-benefits
4. Lyon Alexander (2020, October 27) What are your communication skills https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQfYiHbAjJo
5. Tranquilino C. (2022, November 11) Formal and Informal Communication ( (PowerPoint slide). econestoga
Multitasking EA? It’s Easy If You Do It Smart
"Multitasking is a part of my every day life" Monica Dennis Brown
Introduction
Humans have always had the capacity to attend to several things at once. Mothers have done it since the hunter-gatherer era, picking the berries while suckling an infant, and stirring the pot with one eye in the toddler (Wallis 2006). The development of technology has been of great help in recent times, for instance using a handle-free earpiece to answer calls while driving or typing a document. We all multitask in one way or other and it is one of the ways of working smart.
For clarity, multitasking isn’t just the ability to handle more than one task simultaneously without losing focus and delivering on the job efficiently and effectively, according to America Psychological Association (APA), it also includes switching from one task to another without completing the first one, as well as performing two or more task in rapid succession. It is a skill that every EA must have to professionally execute and achieve the daily tasks of professionally managing the Executive activities, planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating. The EA handles phone calls, emailing, scheduling an appointment, could be booking a flight ticket, and entering data into the database. Most of these tasks occur concurrently and an efficient EA is required to handle multiple tasks professionally.
Secrets of Multi-tasking
Multi-tasking skill is complex in nature which may propel some phobias into the minds of upcoming EAs, however, this skill is required if one must succeed. I have conquered such fears and proficiency in this skill has helped to meet up deadlines and add great value to my Executive successes. To excel in this skill, there are secrets to learn. According to Bachrach (2006), the secrets of effective multi-tasking are; giving full attention to the task in front of you, setting specific time frames for task completion, and becoming effective at switching gears within like/similar activities. Prioritizing high pay off and low priority tasks and finally honouring thy calendar. With these secrets, multitasking is made easy and seamless.
Benefits of Multi-Tasking Skill
The job of an EA could be so overwhelming with so many tasks, requests, and needs to attend to at the same time. If the EA is not skilled to handle multiple tasks, he might not be able to meet up with deadlines and deliverables which are so important to the Executive. The benefits of a multi-tasking EA amongst others are increased productivity, better suited to handle complex situations, and the capacity to manage pressure at work. Furthermore, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), rapid shifting between tasks can cost as much as 40 percent of someone’s productive time. Although multitasking has its cons, it is effectively managed by planning and prioritizing tasks.
Interview Outcome and Sharing my Experience
In my interview session with Grace Aitcheson, she clearly stated that in view of her position, she multi-tasks, she switches from one job to the other upon notification of a change in priorities and also completes tasks in quick succession where the completion of one task initiates the next task. In her conclusion statement stated that “the role of an EA is very demanding and she advises interested and upcoming EAs to equip themselves with skills such as multi takings, research skills, good communication skills, typing skills”. From my personal experience, multitasking is a way of life and could be fun if you understand and adhere to the secret of multitasking, which also identifies which tasks you could easily multi-task to remain efficient and effective. Data entry on the database and answering phone calls, answering phone calls and filing or greetings visitors, booking Uber, Air tickets, and hotel accommodation in quick succession is also multitasking.
Conclusion
A successful Executive needs a proficient EA who must be versatile with multitasking abilities to sail through different and changing prioritized tasks every moment. Multi-tasking skill is a must and adds flair to every EA. Do you admire multi-tasking at work? Do you want to excel in Multitasking skills?
References
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G. Aitcheson. (2023, February 2nd) Interview session on "The Role of Executive Assistant and Her experience".
American Psychological Association (APA) https://www.apa.org/research/action/multitask -
Bachrach, A. (2014, June 6). The 5 Secrets of Multi-tasking
http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/ -
Wallis, C. (2006, March, 27) The Multi-Tasking Generation. Time Magazine Archive Article http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview//0,10987,1174696,00htlm
