By: Jennifer C. Zamecki, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix
It always has been a little perplexing to figure out what exactly makes a top-notch Executive Assistant. Well-Run Concepts has been conducting research to quantify what is needed in the position of Executive Assistant today by defining these key areas:
- Attributes: personal skills or competencies
- Values: rewards and culture
- Behaviors: how they do the job
We used a comprehensive, validated, step-by-step process called the Trimetrix™ system to determine what is needed for top performance. This article will summarize our findings to date and here is what we found.
Attributes tells us if an individual can do the job by looking at what personal skills or competencies are needed in the job of Executive Assistant.
The Top Seven Attributes are:
1. SELF MANAGEMENT: The ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
- Independently pursues business objectives in an organized and efficient manner
- Prioritizes activities as necessary to meet job responsibilities
- Maintains required level of activity toward achieving goals without direct supervision
- Minimizes work flow disruptions and time wasters to complete high quality work within a specified time frame.
2. CUSTOMER FOCUS: A commitment to customer satisfaction.
- Consistently places a high value on customers and all issues related to customers
- Objectively listens to, understands and represents customer feedback
- Anticipates customer needs and develops appropriate solutions
- Meets all promises and commitments made to customers
3. DIPLOMACY AND TACT: The ability to treat others fairly, regardless of personal biases or beliefs.
- Maintains positive relationships with others through treating them fairly
- Demonstrates respect for others
- Understands and values differences between people
- Respects diversity in race, national origin, religion, gender, lifestyle, age and disability
4. TEAMWORK: The ability to cooperate with others to meet objectives.
- Discards personal agenda to cooperate with other team members in meeting objectives
- Contributes positively and productively to team projects
- Builds and sustains a trust relationship with each member of a team
- Supports other team members and team decisions
5. GOAL ACHIEVEMENT: The ability to identify and prioritize activities that lead to a goal
- Establishes goals that are relevant, realistic and attainable
- Identifies and implements required plans and milestones to achieve specific business goals
- Initiates activity toward goals without unnecessary delay
- Stays on target to complete goals regardless of obstacles or adverse circumstances
6. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: The ability to establish a process for activities that lead to the implementation of systems, procedures and outcomes.
- Defines plans and organizes activities necessary to reach targeted goals
- Organizes and utilizes resources in ways that maximize their effectiveness
- Implements appropriate plans and adjusts them as necessary
- Consistently demonstrates organization and detail orientation
7. PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY: A measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions
- Accepts personal responsibility for the consequences of personal actions
- Avoids placing unnecessary blame on others
- Maintains personal commitment to objectives regardless of the success or failure of personal decisions
- Applies personal lessons learned from past failures to moving forward in achieving future successes
Values make up the next critical success factor needed, which tells us why an individual will do the job or, in other words, what rewards & cultures are they seeking on the job.
The Top Three Values are:
1. THEORETICAL
Rewards those who value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, continuing education and intellectual growth.
2. UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC
Rewards those who value practical accomplishments, results and rewards for their investments of time, resources and energy.
3. TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY
Rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules regulations and principles
Behaviors tell us how an individual will perform the job. We analyzed which of the behaviors an individual should possess to perform well in the job of Executive Assistant. This is very important information to know in understanding communication styles.
The Top Three Behaviors are:
1. ANALYSIS OF DATA
The job deals with a large number of details. It requires that details, data and facts are analyzed and challenged prior to making decisions and that important decision-making data is maintained accurately for repeated examination as required.
2. ORGANIZED WORKPLACE:
The job’s success depends on systems and procedures, its successful performance Is tied to careful organization of activities, tasks and projects that require accuracy. Record keeping and planning are essential components of the job.
3. CUSTOMER ORIENTATION:
The job demands a positive and constructive view of working with others. There will be a high percentage of time spent in listening to, understanding and successfully working with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds to achieve “win-win” outcomes.
Now that we have a clear picture of what the Executive Assistant Job looks like, I would like to ask you this…
- If you are an Executive Assistant, do you have these critical success factors mastered? If not, what’s your plan to develop them?
- If you are a Hotel, how are you currently measuring the talent in your Executive Assistant today?
- Do they have the above named attributes, values and behaviors?
- If so, great! You are ahead of the competition!
- If not, how will you develop them or better yet, select talent that already has it?
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
If you want to know for sure, then run a Personal Talent Profile on yourself or your staff. Then match the results to the benchmark of the Executive Assistant Job in this article.
If you have a unique culture in your company, you may want to be more specific and run a Trimetrix™ job benchmark with your own stakeholders. Then you can match your talent to your unique culture.
Either way, if you are not assessing your talent now, how can you meet the challenges of your evolving clients needs?
Well-Run Concepts would like to work with you to develop a scientifically validated system for defining, selecting and developing top talent for your company.
If you would like more information on how the Trimetrix™ system works, or more details of our research, please visit us on the web at www.well-run.com, or email us at success@well-run.com.
Your comments are encouraged and welcomed.
For more information on sales skill training and assessments, visit our website at www.well-run.com or call (877) 566-2900.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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http://well-run.com/hottips.html
Thank you~
Jennifer C. Zamecki
WELL-RUN Concepts Inc.
Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent
Ph: (352) 624-2684 Toll Free: (877) 566-2900
Fax: (352) 624-2689
303 S.E. 17th St. Suite 309-170
Ocala, FL 34471
Web Address: www.well-run.com
email: Jennifer@well-run.com
About the Author Jennifer Zamecki
Jennifer Zamecki is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm that specializes in the TriMetrix Process for analyzing the unique configuration of personal skills, behaviors, and motivators required for a specific job. Her specialties include:
- Assessments
- Hiring top talent
- Management training
- Employee selection and coaching systems
- Executive Management and Leadership Coaching
- Job benchmarking
- Leadership
- Profiles
- Talent and performance management
- Talent development and coaching
- Talent selection and recruitment
- Teamwork, team building, and communication
- Validated assessment tools
