The 21st Century Administrative Professional

The 21st Century Administrative ProfessionalPenny O’Reilly

Agenda

• The ongoing evolution of the administrative professional

• Emerging skill-sets,capabilities and experiences for future career success

• The role of the organisation in nurturing and developing talent

• Career pathways to an executive administrator role in a leading company

Evolution of the Administrative Professional

• Survey Results (Completed survey on 339 people)

What is your preferred job title?

- 22% PA’s , 21% EA’s , 12% Administrators , 6% Office Managers, 6% Receptionists , 3% Secretary , 27% Other

Do you have formal training for your role as an Office Professional?

- 49% Yes , 43% No


What do you think is your most valuable role as an office professional?

- 51% Organisational Skills , 23% Relationship Building , 12% Administration & Typing , 10% Other , 3% Event Organisation

Are your duties and job title clear to you?

- 69% Yes , 21% No , 2% Both

Do you view being an office professional as a long-term career path (5+ years)?

- 66% Yes , 19% No , 17% Don’t know


How valued do you feel as an office professional in your organisation?

- 50% Highly Valued , 40% Valued , 9% Under Valued

Do you think that specific secretarial or business administration qualifications are an essential component for the new generation of office professionals?

- 63% Yes , 35% No

Traditional EA Role

Past

Communication

Organisation and Time

Management

Flexibility

Technical Skills

Confidentiality

Present EA Role

Present

Interpersonal Skills

Organisation and Time

Management

Drive, Flexibility

& Adaptability

Technical Skills

Confidentiality

Human Relations &

Cultural Diversity

Business & Financial

Overview & Vision/Foresigh

t

Project Management

Evaluating your current skills

Technical Skills Non-Technical Skills

MS Office suite Emotional intelligence

In-house systems Intuition

Typing Flexibility

Minute taking Adaptability

Emotional Intelligence

Definition

The capacity for recognising our own feelings and those of others. For motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions

well in ourselves and in our relationships


• Emotional Intelligence is largely learned and continues to develop throughout our life

• Studies show people improve as they grow more adept at handling their own emotions, at motivating themselves, and at honing their empathy and social skills

• Maturity = growth in emotional intelligence


Five Basic Emotional and Social Competencies:

• Self Awareness

• Self Regulation

• Motivation

• Empathy

• Social Skills

Self Awareness

Definition:

The ability to recognise and understand your moods, emotions and drives, as well as their effect on others

Hallmarks:• Trustworthiness and integrity

• Comfort with ambiguity

• Openness to Change

• Innovation

Self Regulation

Definition:

The ability to control or direct disruptive impulses and moods

Hallmarks:• Trustworthiness and integrity

• Comfort with ambiguity

• Openness to change

• Innovation

Motivation

Definition:

A passion to work for reasons that go beyond money and status.

A propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence

Hallmarks:• Strong drive to achieve

• Optimism, even in the face of failure

• Organisational Commitment

Empathy

Definition:

The ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people.

The skill in treating people according to their emotional reactions

Hallmarks:• Expertise in building and retaining talent

• Cross – Cultural sensitivity

• Service to Clients and Customers

Social Skills

Definition:

Proficiency in managing relationships and building networks. An ability to find common ground and build rapport

Hallmarks:• Effectiveness in leading change

• Persuasiveness

• Expertise in building and leading teams

Emotional Competence

• A learned capability based on emotional intelligence resulting in outstanding performance

• The five elements of emotional intelligence determines our potential for learning the practical skills

Adding Value…

• Be the ‘eyes and ears’ of your Manager.

• Establish strong working relationships within the wider team.

• Be at the crux of communication.

• Project a positive and professional image.

• Make confidentiality ‘non-negotiable’.

• Reflect the insightful behaviour of your Manager and the

Management team.

• Be a role model and mentor.

• Focus on the solutions, not the problems.

• Networking

Professional Development

Course Institution

Exec PA Suite IPAA (Institute of Public Administration Australia, Queensland)

Management Skills for PA & EA Institute for International Research (ACT,WA,NSW,QLD)

The Indispensable Personal Assistant

University of Adelaide

Moving from PA to EA University of Adelaide

Management Skills for EA Australian Institute of Management

Role of organisation in nurturing & developing talent

• Be proactive

• Know the organisational structure to identify possible career moves

• 360 feedback

• Career framework

• Seek advice

The Current Career Model

Age

Stag

e

Exploration

Establishment

Maintenance

Disengagement

Establishment

Maintenance

Disengagement

ExplorationExploration

Achieved

Career Pathways Self Awareness and

Self AssessmentResearching

Opportunities and Options

Informed Decision Making

Effectively Managing

Career Transitions

Career Pathway

Taking control of the Career Management process involves making an accurate assessment of your current position, in terms of your:

• Interests

• Skills and abilities

• Values and Career drivers

• Achievements and strengths

An accurate self analysis of “where” you are right now will help you to identify and clarify career goals which are: realistic, time-framed, attractive, measurable, and specific.

Understanding the Current Market

• Gain awareness of the job market

ANZ Job Ad SeriesThe Hudson Report

• Salary Guides

• Industry movements

Salary Guide

Researching Career Options

Networking is a very effective method of researching options, it helps:

• Improve your chances of being considered for opportunities even if you don’t know they exist.

Developing the ability to network is critical in your career management planning.

Narrowing the Options

Decide internal and external career/occupation options you consider to be most appealing.

These need to be assessed against:

Also consider factors which may work against these options and how these barriers can be overcome.

• Skills, knowledge,experience and background

• Personal values, needs and goals.

Goal Setting

• We have set them ourselves, ie. we “own” them

• They are realistic and attainable and related to our interests, skills and abilities, career related values and drivers

• We establish them within a timeframe that is realistic and attainable; and

• We are comfortable with the consequences of attaining the goals.

Goals are most likely to be achieved when:

Developing long term career goals

SMART Goals

S Specific and Stretching

M Measurable

A Attractive

R Realistic

T Time frame

Steps to achieve career growth

• Take the time to develop your business and commercial acumen

• Mirror the behaviours of leaders within your organisation

• Communicate your goals and timeframes

• Contribute to the organisation

• Grow your network

• Adopt a mentor or coach

• Tertiary qualifications

• Feel the fear

Questions