But it’s not a great idea.  One of the first things that I look at when working with a leader who’s been elevated into a new role is whether they’re fully utilizing the talents and abilities of their executive assistant.  Almost always, they are not.

Below are five EA responsibilities that I’ve seen to make a great difference for my clients:

1. Calendaring with thought. Building in time between meetings to transit to other meetings and take lunch and restroom breaks, thereby keeping you on time and optimally functioning.  Understanding when to move meetings and those which supersede.
2. Playing gatekeeper in a professional, polite, and knowledgeable manner. Which means knowing who always gets through, who can be shuffled if need be, etc.
3. Filing time and expense reports.
4. Making travel arrangements that are seamless and have you in the right city at the right time.
5. Taking on other responsibilities with finesse, such as making arrangements for conference rooms and menus when you’re organizing an event.

I encourage clients to build in one meeting each week with their EA, to review the upcoming week together.  That way, your EA can learn your preferences and better make decisions that align with them.

For more on working with me directly, you can reach me at: sarah@sarah-levitt.com  My next openings are in late July.

I work with talented and successful senior leaders who want to make a lasting impact.

For leadership narratives of all kinds, you can go here to get a copy of my book on Amazon.

Booking your national association or corporate conference?  My two most popular keynotes are “Magnificent Leadership® — Keys to Success” and “Magnificent Leadership® — Building Self-Correcting Teams™”.  To inquire about my availability: sarah@sarah-levitt.com