The strategy for creating an onboarding plan for an Executive Assistant (EA) role focuses on developing essential skills for effective communication and progression towards a Chief of Staff position. It begins with establishing a robust communication channel with the CEO, which involves scheduling regular meetings, understanding the CEO's expectations, and adapting to their preferred communication tools. For example, an EA might use Slack for instant updates and Zoom for weekly check-ins. Maintaining confidentiality and providing consistent feedback are pivotal in building trust.
Another key aspect is demonstrating proactiveness and initiative. This includes identifying process improvements, suggesting productivity tools, and taking ownership of projects. For instance, an EA could propose a new project management tool like Asana to streamline workflows, showcase initiative, and offer timely updates.
Building a strong professional network, both internally and externally, is crucial. The strategy suggests engaging with key stakeholders within the company, attending industry networking events, and developing relationships with other EAs and Chiefs of Staff. This could involve an EA attending an administrative professionals' conference to gather best practices while also participating in social media discussions to understand industry trends.
The strategies
⛳️ Strategy 1: Establish strong communication with the CEO
- Schedule a one-on-one meeting with the CEO to understand their expectations and working style
- Set up regular check-ins to ensure alignment on tasks and priorities
- Utilise communication tools and platforms preferred by the CEO for efficient information exchange
- Develop active listening skills to fully comprehend the CEO’s needs and directives
- Clarify preferred methods for updates and feedback from the CEO
- Maintain an open-door policy to encourage communication and trust
- Prioritise confidentiality in all communications with the CEO
- Document key discussions to reference in future communication
- Create a summary report of weekly progress and outcomes to share with the CEO
- Continuously seek feedback to refine communication effectiveness
⛳️ Strategy 2: Demonstrate proactiveness and initiative
- Identify and suggest improvements to existing processes and workflows
- Research and propose tools or systems that could enhance productivity
- Anticipate the CEO's needs and prepare resources in advance
- Create a timeline and action plan for your first major project to showcase initiative
- Take ownership of any task delegated to you and provide timely updates on progress
- Develop a list of potential challenges and proactively suggest solutions
- Actively participate in meetings and offer insightful contributions
- Network with other EAs and Chiefs of Staff to gather insights and best practices
- Stay informed about industry trends to provide relevant and timely advice to the CEO
- Seek out learning opportunities to continue personal and professional development
⛳️ Strategy 3: Build a strong internal and external network
- Introduce yourself to key stakeholders within the company
- Schedule introductory meetings with heads of departments to understand their operations
- Attend industry events or networking functions relevant to the company
- Engage with the company's social media accounts to understand public perception
- Join professional networks or groups associated with EAs and Chiefs of Staff
- Develop strong relationships with other administrative staff to facilitate collaboration
- Create an organisational chart with key contacts and their roles for reference
- Plan to meet with the company's HR team to understand culture and employee relations
- Establish and nurture relationships with external partners and vendors
- Regularly update the CEO on any significant networks or connections you have built
Bringing accountability to your strategy
It's one thing to have a plan, it's another to stick to it. We hope that the examples above will help you get started with your own strategy, but we also know that it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day effort.
That's why we built Tability: to help you track your progress, keep your team aligned, and make sure you're always moving in the right direction.
Give it a try and see how it can help you bring accountability to your strategy.
