This week’s post is going to be a bit different, as I’m currently in the midst of hosting a 60+-person week-long offsite, which requires my full attention. But fear not! Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the honor of being part of various media pieces from the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP), which I am excited to share with you!

When you think about an administrative professional, what words come to mind? Words like dependable, adaptable, resourceful, or supportive? Maybe it is the words with more negative connotations, like “just an admin”, back office, or paper pusher. What if we internally embraced words that showcased not only our role, but the spirit we must have in it, such as encourager, influencer, and leader? How do we embody that spirit?

The Paris 2024 Olympics are in full swing, and as an Olympics Junkie, I’m juggling multiple live streams despite the time difference between California and Paris. This challenge got me thinking about the hurdles administrative professionals face when scheduling meetings across time zones, and how tools like EA Buddy and ShareCal can streamline this process, making it quick, accurate, and integrated with Outlook.

I don’t think anyone could argue that the job market isn’t horrible right now, because it is. Layoffs are seemingly being announced daily from sectors and industries across the board, and while it may seem like there is a plethora of job postings on LinkedIn, Indeed, or other similar websites, there is actually an alarming rise in fake job postings.

I recently read a post in a professional development group where an Executive Assistant was asking for advice about managing her email inbox. She shared that she had been out on PTO, and upon her return she went through her email chronologically and responded to each one in the order they were received. Due to this, she unintentionally missed a time-sensitive email that a meeting for that morning needed to be rescheduled, which resulted in her executive sitting alone on a Zoom call. Her executive was not too thrilled, and he told her that she needed to change something so that this didn’t happen again.

The hallmark of an exceptional administrative professional is their ability to stay on top of their work. We are the backbone of our office: we know what needs to be done and when, we keep track of projects and tasks, strategies and policies, and above all, we are trusted to be true to our word: if we say we are going to do something, we do it. However, it is not possible to do that unless you have a streamlined system in place to stay on top of everything, the most important piece of which is maintaining a centralized, comprehensive task list.

One of my biggest pet peeves as an administrative professional is being repeatedly asked for the same document, as I experienced for four months with a colleague who constantly requested the same PDF. This underscores how administrative professionals are often seen as the information repository, responsible for collecting, organizing, and retrieving information.

Many administrative professionals are involved in the onboarding process for new employees. It could be the Office Manager who gives a tour, the Administrative Assistant who trains the new person on their team’s systems, or an Executive Assistant helping to onboard one of their exec’s direct reports. One of my biggest beliefs is that an onboarding process needs to be clearly defined, or a new employee is not being set up for success. Why? Because I had a not-so-good onboarding experience.

It's nearly impossible to visit a news website without seeing an article about the impact of Artificial Intelligence, more commonly known as AI. Although AI's origins can be traced back to the 1950s, it's only in recent times that applications like ChatGPT have captured the media spotlight. Amidst this backdrop, some organizations have taken a firm stance against AI usage, while conversely, new tech startups are emerging daily, each touting their cutting-edge AI solutions. All of this can give you cause to wonder: Does AI have the potential to replace my role as an administrative professional?

Over the years, the role of administrative professionals has undergone a significant transformation from the traditional "secretary" to a range of specialized positions that better reflect the varied and intricate skills required in today's workplace. This evolution has introduced a variety of titles, each denoting a specific set of responsibilities and expertise, tailored to meet the unique needs of different organizational structures.

Administrative Professionals are the unsung heroes of the workplace, often expected to perform like wizards—making the impossible happen as if by magic. Yet, their multifaceted roles as the glue that holds organizations together often go unrecognized.