Office Dynamics

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

Do you struggle with gift ideas for your leader for Boss’s Day? We have the perfect gift!

Gifts 246

Gifts 246

Office Dynamics

MAY 11, 2022

Executives working in strategic partnerships with their assistants… Get more done Are more fulfilled in their roles Can take a vacation without worry Are confident nothing is falling through the cracks Are more successful in their roles Assistants working in strategic partnerships with their executives… Get more done Are more fulfilled in their role Love … 6 Steps to Maximizing Your Strategic Partnership with Your Executive Assistant Read More »

Confidence 264

Confidence 264

Office Dynamics

APRIL 16, 2021

A “work” family is similar to a “home life” family in many ways. Both families should have shared values, identify their top priorities, have common goals, and write a mission statement by which they live. It is difficult to work with or live with people who do not have the same value system as you.

Goals 286

Goals Training 286

Office Dynamics

OCTOBER 6, 2020

Take a good, long look around your office (or, if you’re still working remotely, around your Zoom room). How many successful executive assistants do you see? Who is at the pinnacle of growth, productivity, and success? Are you one of those successful administrative assistants?

Learning 189

Learning Training Skills Management 189

Office Dynamics

AUGUST 13, 2020

In an ever-changing world consumed by apps, devices, and software, some administrative assistants think that their experience can be measured by their technical savvy. While staying abreast of the latest tools of the profession is important, it takes a particular skill-set to navigate through the uncertainties thrown our way – timeless skills.

Skills 264

Skills 264

Office Dynamics

JUNE 12, 2020

More words don’t always translate into more meaning. That’s why it’s important to avoid wordiness in your writing, especially in a business setting. Your colleagues’ and customers’ time is precious. They need to know what you offer, need, or suggest quickly and concisely.

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Office Dynamics

MAY 14, 2020

Have you ever come across someone whose decorum is composed amidst the chaos? Their organizational skills, attitude, and outlook seem unscathed. It’s likely that the person you see before you developed those traits over time and has chosen to be resilient regardless of what lies ahead. Developing resiliency is beneficial for two main reasons: Throughout your career and personal life, there will always be turmoil, upheaval, and unwanted change.

Administrative Professionals 246

Administrative Professionals Skills Stress Learning 246

Office Dynamics

MARCH 6, 2020

Sunday, March 8. In a recent interview, I was asked, “What motivates you to be an Administrative Professional Trainer and Coach”? I made it clear: I am passionate about my career of choice. More importantly, I am driven by the concept of igniting the power of you , the opportunity to gain control over your outcomes, and to value your value. I am an advocate for those who feel undervalued, those who are victims of their circumstances, the overwhelmed and stressed— basically, the disengaged and pa

2020 262

2020 International Administrative Professionals Self Esteem 262

Office Dynamics

FEBRUARY 13, 2020

Ask an Admin was created by Office Dynamics to help administrative professionals with their problems through the help of their peers. We don’t always have an answer to each individual’s problem but we know some of you might. Please read the question and comment below. EA with Brains asks: How to approach this situation? I work for a C-level executive who gives me tasks to do even though I’ve asked my executive if there’s anything I can do to assist with project-related work.

Administrative Professionals 226

Administrative Professionals Salary Training Learning 226

Office Dynamics

JANUARY 27, 2020

Ask an Admin was created by Office Dynamics to help administrative professionals with their problems through the help of their peers. We don’t always have an answer to each individual’s problem but we know some of you might. Please read the question and comment below. Preethi asks: Hi Fellow Admins, I am an administrative professional with over 10 years of experience.

Administrative Professionals 250

Administrative Professionals Policies Training Learning 250

Office Dynamics

JANUARY 21, 2020

I would like to address the recent article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on January 18, 2020 by Rachel Feintzeig regarding The Vanishing Executive Assistant. First, I have been entrenched in the administrative profession for 50 years. I worked in the profession for 20 years before starting Office Dynamics in 1990. Office Dynamics specifically focuses on training and development for administrative professionals of all levels.

Calendars 325

Calendars Administrative Professionals PowerPoint Skills 325

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 4, 2019

If you are like me, you are getting caught up in the holiday season plus a long list of To-Do items at work and home. I imagine you are starting to feel a little stressed and you are racing against the clock—December 25. Here are my tips: Breathe! Seriously. Stop whatever you are doing and take a few deep breaths. You can use this tip anytime you feel your mind or body racing.

Holidays 204

Holidays Stress Management 2019 204

Office Dynamics

SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

Christine N. Asks: I’m finally getting around to creating my Administrative Professional Protocol Manual but I’m not sure if it should print everything out in a 3 ring binder (using dividers), using a One Note document, having it electronically in an online file or all of the above. What do most administrative professionals prefer? Thank you! Please comment below.

Administrative Professionals 182

Administrative Professionals Filing Training Learning 182

Office Dynamics

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

A powerful, but underutilized, way for administrative and executive assistants to gain respect and be taken seriously is to exude executive presence. Forbes.com define executive presence as the ability to project gravitas–confidence, poise under pressure and decisiveness. Furthermore, communication—including speaking skills, assertiveness and the ability to read an audience or situation—and appearance contribute to a person’s perceived executive presence.

Assertiveness 157

Assertiveness Confidence Skills Training 157

Office Dynamics

AUGUST 7, 2019

I created the above visual as an image of the ideal situation between an executive and their assistant, especially when it comes to communication. Because of all the technology today, assistants have a very hard time staying “in the loop.” When an assistant is aware of what is going on or what is on the horizon, she or he can better anticipate, be proactive, plan better, foresee barriers, look more professional, and reduce stress.

Calendars 230

Calendars Stress Phones Networking 230

Office Dynamics

JULY 30, 2019

Year after year, one of the biggest struggles executive assistants report to me is effective time management. Let’s face it: your days are chaotic. You’re pulled in a million different directions, and many of you have multiple leaders to support. Deadlines press down on you, distractions steal valuable time, and there never seems to be quite enough hours in the day to get it all done!

Management 184

Management Confidence Training Learning 184

Office Dynamics

JULY 20, 2019

In part one of “ Empowering Tips ” I mentioned that the word Empower is not only the theme of the 26 th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence , it is also used in a variety of situations and conversations. I highlighted the many professional and personal development focuses that I have learned from Office Dynamics resources, conference, team, and owner – Ms.

Administrative Professionals 209

Administrative Professionals Confidence Skills Goals 209

Office Dynamics

JULY 11, 2019

Ask an Admin was created by Office Dynamics to help administrative professionals with their problems through the help of their peers. We don’t always have an answer to each individuals problem but we know some of you might. Please read the question and comment below. Alice S. asks: My beloved manager/leader/friend is leaving our company at the end of July.

Administrative Professionals 174

Administrative Professionals Stress Training Learning 174

Office Dynamics

MAY 16, 2019

Welcome back to Ask an Admin! The blog series that allows administrative professionals to ask any questions they may have and have their peers give the best advice they can provide. This week Stacey asks: I am the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO, and the only assistant (the only admin, really) at this location. Coworkers leave documents on my desk; the expectation is that I secure the signature of the President and CEO, and then return it to the requestor (who’s assistant am I, anyw

Administrative Professionals 179

Administrative Professionals UPS Training Learning 179

Office Dynamics

MAY 9, 2019

The play Fiddler on the Roof recently came through my city, and my friend kept singing her dad’s favorite song from that hit: “If I Were a Rich Man.”. My comment? “I’m glad the lyricist got the grammar right!”. Why is the use of “were” (not “was”) correct in this song title and similar phrases? Consider the conditional meaning associated with using an “if” clause.

Administrative Professionals 185

Administrative Professionals Skills Training 185

Office Dynamics

APRIL 4, 2019

If you are an Administrative Professional looking for your questions to be answered by your peers, then this is the place for you! This is the best blog for advice for administrative assistants and executive assistants provided by Office Dynamics International. This week Renee C. asks: As an administrative assistant, how do you get your supervisor to complete his tasks and get things done, especially in a timely manner and meet deadlines?

Management 184

Management Administrative Professionals International Training 184

Office Dynamics

MARCH 27, 2019

The questions keep flowing in so we will keep posting them! Ask an Admin has been a success because all of the great questions and the amazing answers that administrative assistants and executive assistants have been submitting. This week Lynda asks us: My 2019 development goal is time management. I’ve been studying this for a while and, although I’ve compiled many good tips, many don’t apply to me because of my admin role.

Management 124

Management 2019 Administrative Professionals Training 124

Office Dynamics

MARCH 19, 2019

Office Dynamics has put together a list of books for administrative assistants and executive assistants that will help you with your professional development and personal life. Because we had so many great choices we decided to make it a little easier for you to find what you are looking for by breaking the blog into two sections. The first half of the blog contains titles that are dedicated towards the administrative assistant and executive assistant while the second half of the blog contains t

Administrative Professionals 240

Administrative Professionals Purchasing Confidence Training 240

Office Dynamics

MARCH 19, 2019

Ask an admin is your place to ask your question and have other administrative professionals, from around the world, give you their advice based on their experiences. This administrative professional, Seething in the South, asks us: What do you do? How do you handle….a Manager who doesn’t acknowledge or respect my contributions? This isn’t the first time I’ve been dissed.

Administrative Professionals 124

Administrative Professionals Finance Email Learning 124

Office Dynamics

MARCH 2, 2019

A subscriber to my ezine Add Power to Your Pen asked, “Should I put spaces before/after a dash?” Getting on a roll, I answered a different question: when to use a dash vs. commas vs. parentheses to offset phrases in your sentences? The answer will be useful to professional administrators or anyone who writes. Of these punctuation choices—dashes, commas, or parentheses—how do you select the one to use?

Administrative Professionals 164

Administrative Professionals AT&T Email 164

Office Dynamics

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

The word Empower is not only the theme of the 26 th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence it is used in a variety of situations and conversations. It is also an excellent mantra keyword and topic for personal and professional mission statements. There are several ways to feel empowered and encourage empowerment in others. During conversations, I have had the privilege to have with Joan Burge she has always encouraged the true meaning of empowerment for all, especially those in the admi

Confidence 165

Confidence Resume Goals Interviewing 165

Office Dynamics

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Hello Office Dynamics friends and family! Ernan here and I’m very excited to share with you a little interview I had with Joan Burge. Year after year we host the Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence here in Las Vegas and each year about half of the attendees are new, not just to our Conference but to the city of Las Vegas. This got us thinking, if you are new to Las Vegas and you are here for a conference, it can be extremely overwhelming trying to figure out what you should visit and

Restaurants 185

Restaurants Attire 2015 AT&T 185

Office Dynamics

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Welcome to the part of our blog known as Ask an Admin, where any administrative assistant or executive assistant can submit any question they have and their peers (your peers) can weigh in on the conversation. We know that there is always multiple ways you can approach a situation and we would love to hear your input on how you would handle the problem or situation that is presented.

Administrative Professionals 169

Administrative Professionals Email Management 169

Office Dynamics

FEBRUARY 3, 2019

SURPRISE! It’s me, Joan Burge. Those of you who have followed me for a while know I am a big fan of face-to-face time for executives and assistants. Face-to-face time is also beneficial for any manager who meets on a regular basis with their direct reports. Whether you are an executive or an assistant reading this Monday Motivator, here are ideas on what you can discuss when you have face-to-face time or catch up by telephone, Facetime, or Skype on a regular basis.

Facebook 186

Facebook Travel Calendars Training 186

Office Dynamics

JANUARY 24, 2019

Welcome to another question for Ask an Admin. This is where the administrative assistant and executive assistant can submit any question they have and their peers will answer the question based on their previous experience. We believe that there are many different ways to approach problems, difficult tasks, and situations so we thought this would be a great way to provide you a place to share your input as well as receive input from others.

Administrative Professionals 256

Administrative Professionals Management UPS 256

Office Dynamics

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

Why is it that at the time we make a decision we believe it is the best, right answer or choice. Then days, weeks or months later, we regret the decision we made. We say to ourselves, “What was I thinking? However, based on the information I had at the time, I felt I made the best choice.” We will never be perfect at making decisions but we definitely need to take each bad decision or poor choice, learn from it, and commit to making better decisions in the future.

Purchasing 208

Purchasing Confidence Travel Skills 208

Office Dynamics

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

“Laughter has been shown to increase our pain threshold, reduce blood-sugar levels, boost glucose tolerance and increase blood flow to vital organs.” If that is not enough reason to laugh and play, then how about because it’s fun and relieves stress? I was excited when I came across an article on the internet called Power Play: Getting Into Goofing Off.

Training 208

Training Stress Management Learning 208

Office Dynamics

OCTOBER 24, 2018

October 24, 2018. We enjoyed a fabulous breakfast buffet (so much food!) at TBones upscale restaurant. Large tables made for great breakfast conversation with admins from throughout the country and around the globe. I met Charlotte and Chris from Amarillo. Charlotte described getting approval to attend the conference and her manager’s enthusiastic approval.

2018 203

2018 Restaurants International Skills 203

Office Dynamics

OCTOBER 24, 2018

Starlight Welcome Reception – 10/23/2018. The Starlight Welcome Reception was a fun event! Conference attendees mingled and enjoyed hot appetizers, dessert and drinks while a “Rat Pack” Vegas crooner entertained us with lounge music. His playlist was wonderful. I glanced over and saw a few couples dancing to the music. I met attendees from Atlanta, Burlington, San Jose, Utah, South Carolina, Canada and more.

Administrative Professionals 193

Administrative Professionals 2018 Travel Learning 193

Office Dynamics

SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

It’s been almost a full year since I attended the Conference for Administrative excellence. The conference was a game changer for me. I have over 20 years of administrative professional experience and proud of my personal and professional accomplishments, yet the conference provided new perspectives, opportunities to talk with others in my chosen field and a reminder to embrace my unique talents and skills.

Interviewing 170

Interviewing Administrative Professionals Social Media Training 170

Office Dynamics

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

From Joan Burge’s new book, Joan’s Greatest Administrative Secrets Revealed (2018). I know many seasoned executive assistants who think they do not need to focus on or pay attention to their basic skills, what is also known as the fundamentals. They feel they have been managing calendars or planning meetings forever so why pay attention. This is not smart.

Calendars 223

Calendars 2018 Negotiating Skills 223

Office Dynamics

AUGUST 23, 2018

This infographic is created from the Executives & Assistants Working In Partnership: The Definitive Guide To Success , by Joan Burge. To better understand the people side of the partnership equation, it’s helpful to first understand the stages of growth. Below is a slightly adapted excerpt from Joan’s Star Achievement Series® training.

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Training Management 150