Archive for Entrepreneurs
Do you know how to have “Crucial Conversations” successfully?
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I have a top 10 list of books that I recommend to admins and other professionals I work with. But this book had held the #1 spot since the day I started reading it years ago:
Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high
By Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler
It should be required reading for all human beings! It IS REQUIRED reading for Success-Minded Administrative Professionals.
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with two or more people that you did not know how to manage your way through? Did opinions vary? Were the stakes high? Did emotions run strong? If so, you were having a “crucial conversation.”
The authors make an audacious claim in the first chapter: Master your crucial conversations and you’ll kick-start your career, strengthen your relationships, and improve your health. As you and others master high-stakes discussions, you’ll also vitalize your organization and your community. The authors demonstrate through their research that strong relationships, careers, organizations, and communities all draw from the same source of power – the ability to talk openly about high-stakes, emotional, controversial topics.
Dialogue skills are learnable. This book takes you step by step through the mental and emotional processes to help you begin to understand how you personally react in these situations including the physical and chemical changes that take place in your body and how to overcome them. You’ll learn how to stay focused on what you really want, how to notice when safety is at risk, and how to make it safe to talk about almost anything. One of the key skills the authors teach you is how to stay in dialogue when you’re angry, scared, or hurt, and how to listen when others blow up or clam up. Finally, once you learn and apply all of these new skills, they show you how to turn crucial conversations into action and results.
When this book was recommended to me several years ago, I had no idea the profound impact it would have on my personal and professional life. Now, I apply the principles of how to have a crucial conversation every single day. Some days I’m more successful than others. But the skills are priceless. Learning how to have a crucial conversation is truly one of the most powerful tools that you can add to your skill set and apply to every aspect of your life.
You may visit the Vital Smarts website here and enroll in free webinars they host. Sign up for the Vital Smarts e-newsletter and you can download and read the first chapter and take their Style Under Stress Test. But don’t wait another day – get online, get to the bookstore, or go to the library – start reading this book today!
What books have you read that have profoundly impacted your professional development?
TECH TIPS: Naming Conventions for Electronic Filing
Posted by: | CommentsHave you ever searched your electronic files over and over again looking for a document?
Do you use a standard file naming system to keep your electronic files organized?
Many use electronic folders to begin tackling electronic file organization, but that doesn’t always solve the issues depending upon how many files you have stored on your system. Here are some ideas to create organization and structure for your electronic files beyond using folders to help you name, file, and retrieve your documents more efficiently.
Consider beginning each file name with a 3 or 4 letter abbreviation to help categorize the file and help you find it more quickly later. Think about the primary types or categories of documents that you create and begin writing them down. Then create a 3 or 4 letter abbreviation to represent that file type. Here are some examples:
- FORM – Forms
- LTR – Letters
- MEMO – Memos
- LBL – Labels
- MAP – Maps
- ENV – Envelopes
- RPT – Reports
- SIGN – Signs
Keep this list and the abbreviations posted next to your computer so you can refer to it quickly when creating files or searching for files until you get used to using this system.
The nice element of this is all of your file types show up together on the menu list and then in alphabetical order by the name of the file.
This is also handy if you do travel itineraries for multiple executives. Here’s an example of a file naming convention for travel itineraries:
- XXXXXX – Location – Name or Initials of Traveler (i.e. 073007 – Tampa FL – JLP)
- XXXXXX – Location, Event, Name of Traveler (i.e. 073007 – Tampa FL IAAP Conv JLP)
When using dates in your file names, consider using full six-digit dates so they always align accurately. You may also consider starting with a 2-digit or 4-digtit year, so you can find things by the year, then the month and day. Using the same sample data from above, that would look like this:
- 2007 0730 Tampa FL JLP
It’s easy to rename files that you already have created by going in to Microsoft Explorer and adding the prefix or format to your file names. Click on the file name once to select it. Click on the file name again (don’t double click) to open the editing box. The file name will appear in a box with your cursor highlighted at the beginning. You can rename the file, then click outside the file name box and it’s renamed.
For questions about this tech tip, to share a tech tip, or to request a tech tip you’d like to learn more about, please send an e-mail to Julie Perrine CPS/CAP at Julie@julieperrine.com
Putting My Own Oxygen Mask On First
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my professional goals for 2009 is to “put my own oxygen mask on first.” As practical and easy as that may sound, client projects and tasks are usually more pressing (or exciting)…and they pay better than my own do. Or do they?
As an entrepreneur, if I’m losing leads or opportunities because I’m not regularly updating my blog or developing and promoting new products and services for my own business, I’m robbing myself. I’m cutting off the very oxygen I require to stay alive and fresh as a business owner.
As an administrative professional, if I’m not reading good materials, keeping up on the latest technology and office trends, and pursuing my own professional development plan, I’m also cutting off the oxygen supply required to keep me sharp and vital to the team I’m supporting.
When you fly, they always tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first because you can’t help others around you if you start to pass out from a lack of oxygen. And this happens much more quickly than you realize it will! The same applies to our personal and professional lives. Don’t let a lack of oxygen cut off your future growth and development. What are YOU going to do TODAY to put YOUR own oxygen mask on first?
To your administrative success,
Julie Perrine CPS/CAP
Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Administrator
http://www.julieperrine.com/
Successful Communication Begins With Self Awareness
Posted by: | CommentsNo matter where you work, who you work for, or how many people are on your team, good communication skills are vital to your success. Many conflicts on teams and issues with teamwork are directly linked to communication issues…or more accurately communication preferences.
As a qualified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator administrator and trainer, I have had the opportunity to work with individuals and teams as they learn about their personal preferences and begin to observe more objectively the preferences of their team mates. One of the most enlightening moments in these workshops or coaching sessions come when participants realize how their own communication preferences – how they gather, send, receive, and make decisions on information – dramatically affects those they work with or live with. I always say – it’s not that the person in the cube next to you is a complete nut, it may be that they just send and receive information differently than you do.
Understanding how to communicate successfully begins with understanding yourself and your personal preferences for:
- How do you gather information?
- How do you make decisions?
- How do you get your energy?
- How do you show your preferences to the outside world?
When you understand and recognize your own personal preferences in these four areas, you begin to recognize the preferences of those around you and how they may be similar to or different from your own preferences. This is where truly meaningful conversation begins (or improves).
If you or your team would benefit from improving your communication skills and positively impacting how you work together as a team, contact me at julie@julieperrine.com for more information on scheduling a Myers-Briggs workshop.
Julie Perrine CPS/CAP
Qualified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Administrator – ESTJ
What do you do for professional recharging?
Posted by: | CommentsWhat do you do to ensure your professional batteries stay fully charged?
There are numerous ways to approach this including continuing education courses, reading books and industry publications, researching trends and issues on the Internet, and networking with other professionals. Yes, I said NETWORKING with other professionals.
Don’t let the word networking scare you off. You don’t have to be an overly extraverted person to be a successful networker. To me, networking isn’t something you do; networking is a mindset. It’s making connections between people and resources and being able to connect yourself or others to those people or resources when you need them.
One of the best ways I’ve found to recharge my professional batteries is membership in the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).
If you haven’t heard of IAAP, go visit their website at www.iaap-hq.org. You can search by state or region to find a local chapter near you. I have personally been a member for over seven years, and it has had a profound impact on my professional development, my career path, and the experiences I have added to my resume and professional portfolio.
Let me share a few reasons why you should consider looking into IAAP membership to recharge your professional batteries.
- NETWORKING: My father always used to say, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know that gets you where you want to go.” How true in this profession! I went from looking for jobs to having jobs come find me as a result of networking with members in my local chapter. A key career changing position was presented to me when I wasn’t even looking for a new opportunity, and it was a direct result of getting to know my fellow chapter members and them getting to know me. It’s back to my quote, “Networking is not something you do. Networking is a mindset.” It’s paying attention to what’s going on in the world around you and the people you encounter each day and making connections when appropriate to help yourself and those around you build a successful network of resources to call on anytime an opportunity or a need arises.
- CONTINUING EDUCATION: Each month, most local chapters present educational programs for their members at the local level. There are events hosted annually at the divisional, regional and international levels also. Through IAAP, you can add to your knowledge base or sharpen your skills by taking advantage of the educational resources presented and others that are available online through their international website. Sometimes it’s tough to get away during the day for training opportunities, but IAAP still provides many options for busy administrative professionals to continue their education and training on a monthly basis.
- LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: There are numerous opportunities within IAAP to develop and hone your leadership skills. Whether you choose to get involved on a committee, chair a committee, pursue a board position, or just participate in the various chapter activities, your communication, teamwork, and leadership skills will benefit. These skills are directly applicable to what you encounter and do each day at work as an administrative professional.
- CERTIFICATIONS: The Certified Professional Secretary® (CPS) and the Certified Administrative Professional® (CAP) certifications are administered and promoted through IAAP also. They are NOT required for membership. However, they are another way to set yourself apart in your position and in your profession. Studying for these exams was a very educational and beneficial process for me. You don’t know what you don’t know sometimes until you expose yourself to new ideas and information. I frequently refer to my study materials as resources.
There are many additional reasons, but these are the most important ones for me professionally.
As I work with some of my clients in recruiting or retaining great administrative talent, I am always surprised by how many administrative or executive assistants and their managers do not know about the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). Take some time to learn more about this international association and the local chapter options near you.
I originally joined because I thought it would look good on a resume, but I have stayed because of the incredible benefits to me personally and professionally. I encourage you to consider membership, too!
IAAP Membership: A Career Advancing Move for Administrative Professionals
Julie Perrine CPS/CAP
Qualified Myers-Briggs Administrator
IAAP Member Since January 2000
Recharging My Professional Batteries
Posted by: | CommentsI spent the end of July and the first part of August recharging my professional batteries by attending the IAAP International Convention and Education Forum in Tampa, Florida. The information, education, and infusion of new ideas for me, my business, and how I approach my profession was incredible.
I spent the rest of August formulating some new plans and preparing to launch some new training programs which you’ll be reading more about in the upcoming weeks on my blog and on my website.
September is one of my favorite times of the year. I look forward to helping all of you recharge and re-energize your professional batteries in the upcoming weeks. I’ll be back to posting weekly again, so visit regularly!
Let’s head into fall with a renewed vigor for what we do and make 2007 our best year yet!
Professionally,
Julie Perrine CPS/CAP
Qualified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Administrator
Working Successfully with Your NEW Assistant
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I know it takes time to train a new assistant…but if you do it well the first time, you only have to do it once. This is your chance to set expectations and communicate exactly how you want things done. It is your corporate and professional brand that you are working to enhance. It’s easier to train someone to do it right from the beginning than to go back and try to change wrong or bad habits later. I cannot emphasize enough – Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! Your assistant cannot read your mind and you cannot read your assistant’s mind either…so you both need to really focus on communicating as you build your new relationship in the first few weeks. The second thing I’ll emphasize is: ASK for feedback. As you get used to working with each other, asking for feedback will help you both get more comfortable with the communication piece also. Your new assistant is a fresh set of eyes that may be able to see some things in a different way or have a new idea/approach that you have not considered previously. Make your assistant an integral part of your team. Here are a few tips and things to make sure you include in your first few days of training with your new assistant to get her/him off to a great start at your company. Things to cover the FIRST DAY with your new assistant:
-
HR Paperwork and Orientation. I-9 Form, Time cards and related procedures, any HR forms you need completed, Company Tour, etc.
- Issue Office Key(s). Explain expectations of when they should or should not be coming and going from the office or how you expect they’ll use the key(s).
- How to use the phone system. If you have a system manual that you can leave out for easy referral when your assistant has some time to review it in detail later, that is always helpful also. Or if they can’t figure out how to do something with it, then they have it as a reference if you aren’t available to ask.
- How to screen your calls for you. Who do you ALWAYS want to talk to? Who do you NEVER want to talk to? When should your assistant forward calls to your voice mail and when should your assistant take a written note?
- How to greet visitors when they enter the office. It isn’t always obvious to everyone that they should stand, specifically make eye contact, and greet someone with a professional greeting and/or handshake. So tell your assistant what you prefer or expect or want. This is the best time to set expectations and instill great habits.
- Review your dress code in detail. What’s appropriate, what isn’t? Be specific. Your assistant needs to hear this from you and in detail about what your expectations are…and maybe even why it’s important. Sometimes people don’t always agree with dress codes, but if they at least know where you’re coming from, it helps.
- Tour the office and point out where things are stored, file locations/types, office supplies, kitchen materials, etc.
- Lunch/Break policies. When do they get lunch/breaks? Do they need to stay at the office or can they leave? If they leave, do they need to notify you first or lock it up? Can they eat at their desk? If not, where do they eat their lunch?
- How to log into the computer / access office electronic files.
- Daily/Weekly Schedule. Review what a “typical” daily and weekly schedule is going to look like so your assistant has a framework to put everything that you are training on into. There will always be exceptions, but helping someone understand the framework gives the details a place to call home when you’re training them.
- Ask your new assistant to document all of the training for your office/administrative procedures manual. This is a great time to begin developing a standard operating procedures binder for your office if you don’t already have one. If you do, it’s a great time to make sure it’s still current and up-to-date. As you are training your new assistant, ask her/him to take notes and type them up for your procedures manual. It will help as a resource tool until your assistant gets more comfortable with the position/job. But it will also be valuable to you or the other office team members if they are filling in or need to know how to do something that your assistant just normally handles for all of you.
Things to cover the FIRST WEEK:
- Show how to use Office Equipment – Copier, Fax, Computers, etc. If you have manuals for the fax or copier, etc., have them available or tell her where they are so she can refer to them if needed.
- Mail Sorting/Pick-up/Delivery. Review procedures with this. What do you ALWAYS need to review? What do you NEVER need to review? How do you handle/process mail for other office staff? For the first week or two, have your assistant sort it all as if she were on her own, but review it with her/him daily to answer any questions, provide coaching, etc.
- Establish a Weekly One on One time. I know you’ll be talking daily. But this one on one time is more to review the overall weekly events/projects (not the specific day to day tasks). It’s a time to review what went well, what could go better, and what the plans are for the upcoming week. I used a form at one place called a Hits/Misses Form. It was the top 3 hits (things we accomplished) for the week, the top 3 things we missed (or didn’t get accomplished) and the plan for the upcoming week. This also gives you both dedicated time weekly to get to know each other better and to communicate about things that may not have gone as well as you wanted in some areas…or to praise and recognize your assistant for things that did go very well. If you aren’t used to doing these, it may take a few weeks to adapt. But make this “sacred” time – don’t cancel them if things come up, get them rescheduled ASAP.
- Job Specific Training. How to do all of the elements of the position. You are always going to be busy, but you have to make time to show your assistant how to do these things in order for your assistant to be able to get them off of your plate again. It may mean shadowing you as you do them the first time or two. And it may mean you shadowing your assistant as she/he tries them the first time or so on her/his own. But if you invest the right amount of time into this in your assistant’s first week or two, you’ll be set for months to come! Go bullet by bullet through the position’s job description to make sure you cover all areas needed.
I am very passionate about the administrative profession and helping assistants and their managers work successfully and productively together. I have developed some solid processes, procedures, and checklists that have helped me and many clients I’ve worked with be very successful in their positions. If you would like some additional assistance with the development of any of these types of administrative materials, please contact me at Julie@Julieperrine.com.
I wish you the best of success with your new assistant!
Julie Perrine CPS/CAP
Qualified Myers-Briggs Administrator
What are you READING?
Posted by: | CommentsWhat do you read each week to sharpen your administrative skills?
What do you read each week to learn more about the industry in which you work?
What do you read each week to develop new knowledge in an area you don’t know much about?
As administrative professionals, it’s very important to constantly expose ourselves to new ideas, new methods or approaches to doing things, and industry related trends and issues if we want to excel in our profession. I hear many people say that they enjoy reading, but they just don’t have time to do it. I would counter with, “You cannot afford not to read.”
Here are some things you can do to increase your reading opportunities during the normal work day:
- Skim through ALL of the industry related publications that come in the mail each day for references to your company, your companies competitors, product information that relates to what your company does, or interesting articles on how top managers or companies are implementing new systems, procedures or motivational programs to improve company operations. This may make the mail sorting and distribution take a few more minutes, but you will increase your knowledge base significantly over the course of just a couple weeks or months if you do this regularly. Flag the most interesting articles or references to your company for your manager to show your initiative and engagement in what is going on at your company.
- Take a book or magazine with you to read over lunch. If you don’t normally get/take a lunch break – START NOW! Even if you only get 30 minutes, start with that. You need to mentally and physically refresh a couple of times during the day to maintain and sustain high levels of performance on the job. Feeding your body physically (with food) and mentally (by reading) will give you the nourishment you need to get you through the rest of the day more successfully.
- Schedule a minimum of 10-15 minutes for personal reading time for yourself each day. You can get a lot of great ideas and take in a lot of information each day even if you only read for 10-15 minutes. If you do this daily, it will become “part of your day.”
- Read while you are working out. I began reading regularly when I started working out regularly. It was a great way to make working out go more quickly while also filling my mind with some very useful and helpful information. When I’m on an exercise bike, treadmill, or eliptical machine, I almost always have my book or magazine of choice with me. I don’t always love working out, but I do love the opportunity to read more. So it’s a great way to use one habit to motivate the completion of the other.
- Have books or publications in the car with you when you’re waiting to pick up kids or family members from their activities during the week and on the weekend.
What are some good things for administrative professionals to be reading?
- As stated above, the first place I start is with industry related publications that come into my office. I quickly skim each publication from cover to cover before delivering it to my managers. If it wasn’t time sensitive, sometimes I took it to read over lunch and then delivered it after lunch.
- Books on administrative topics you’d like to learn more about or improve your skills or abilities in. Do you have trouble communicating with certain members of your team or with your manager when things are tense in the office? Read a book on improving communication techniques. [My recommendation is Crucial Conversations.] Do you enjoy event planning, but wish you felt more in control of all of the details? Find a book on the topic and dig in. [My recommendation is Planning Successful Meetings and Events by Boehme.] Go to your public library or local bookstore and just start skimming through the books to see what catches your attention…then start reading!
- Websites, Blogs, or Ezines. Do a Google search on any administrative topic imaginable and see what comes up. You can subscribe to some terrific online publications, blogs, ezines, etc. The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) is a website that has a lot of great resources at www.iaap-hq.org also.
Just because you pick up a book that is of interest doesn’t mean you have to read it cover to cover. Skim through the book to find the sections of information that are most helpful to you and read those. Some books may be more suited to being read from cover to cover. But there are plenty of others that can be read a chapter at a time and you will still benefit greatly from the information that you specifically wanted to find.
I have a list of websites and book titles listed on the sidebar of my blog to get you started. If you have other things that you do to make reading part of your regular schedule or resources that you regularly use, I’d love to hear about them. Send me a message at julie@julieperrine.com or post a response to this blog.
Reading profession specific materials will propel you to greater professional heights! Start reading something good today!
Julie Perrine CPS/CAP
Qualified MBTI Administrator
