Aisha Everett-Khalif has over 20 years of professional experience and is currently a Business Manager at TruStage.
In this episode, Aisha shares a bit about her career journey, talks about the power of connection and community, and dives into the value in building cultures of belonging.
LEADERSHIP QUOTES
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
– Marianne Williamson
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Be Brave. Be Fearless. Be Kind.
– Aisha Everett-Khalif
CONNECT WITH AISHA
- Aisha on LinkedIn
- Aisha’s email – wonderaces20@gmail.com
ABOUT AISHA
Aisha Everett-Khalif delivers the greatest impact in these key areas: Internal & External Communication; Building Culture & Engagement; Centering DEIB; Strategic Planning; and Project Management. She earned her Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) designation and successfully completed the McKinsey & Company’s Black Leadership Management Accelerator program. Additionally, Aisha is completing her B.A in Organizational Leadership and Finance at The Pennsylvania State University.
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00.000 –> 00:00:13.100
AISHA: Well, hello, I am Aisha Everett-Khalif, and today’s leadership quote is taken from Marion Williamson, and it reads, Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
00:00:13.840 –> 00:00:16.940
AISHA: Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
00:00:17.460 –> 00:00:20.900
AISHA: It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
00:00:21.600 –> 00:00:27.140
AISHA: We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
00:00:28.300 –> 00:00:30.720
AISHA: Actually, who are you not to be?
00:00:31.180 –> 00:00:32.780
AISHA: You are a child of God.
00:00:33.100 –> 00:00:35.180
AISHA: Your playing small does not serve the world.
00:00:35.600 –> 00:00:40.940
AISHA: There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
00:00:41.300 –> 00:00:43.660
AISHA: We are all meant to shine, as children do.
00:00:44.000 –> 00:00:47.300
AISHA: We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
00:00:47.780 –> 00:00:50.480
AISHA: It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.
00:00:51.160 –> 00:00:56.560
AISHA: And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
00:00:57.000 –> 00:01:01.980
AISHA: As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
00:01:08.269 –> 00:01:15.969
<v SPEAKER_3>The Leader Assistant Podcast exists to encourage and challenge assistants to become confident, game-changing leader assistants.
00:01:24.738 –> 00:01:28.718
JEREMY: Are you a strategic senior executive assistant thinking about what’s next?
00:01:29.278 –> 00:01:37.378
JEREMY: Whether you’re ready for a promotion or loving the job you’re in, Nova Chief of Staff’s certification course may be just the resource you’re hungry for.
00:01:38.078 –> 00:01:54.698
JEREMY: With over 400 students across 20 countries and rave reviews, students graduate from Nova’s hands-on, self-paced online course with the confidence, knowledge, and power to make the move to Chief of Staff for their executive.
00:01:55.158 –> 00:01:56.458
JEREMY: But don’t take my word for it.
00:01:56.698 –> 00:02:05.678
JEREMY: Visit leaderassistant.com/nova to find countless testimonials, the course syllabus, and lots of free resources to support you in your career journey.
00:02:06.298 –> 00:02:08.738
JEREMY: Hey friends, welcome to The Leader Assistant Podcast.
00:02:08.758 –> 00:02:21.678
JEREMY: It’s episode 280, and you can check out the show notes for this conversation at leaderassistant.com/280, leaderassistant.com/280.
00:02:21.698 –> 00:02:28.578
JEREMY: Today, I’m very excited to be speaking with Aisha Everett-Khalif, and Aisha is in Michigan, is that right?
00:02:29.398 –> 00:02:30.538
AISHA: That’s exactly right.
00:02:30.558 –> 00:02:31.238
JEREMY: Nice.
00:02:31.258 –> 00:02:32.038
JEREMY: What part of Michigan?
00:02:33.178 –> 00:02:34.678
AISHA: I’m in East Lansing, Michigan.
00:02:34.698 –> 00:02:34.798
<v SPEAKER_2>Nice.
00:02:36.638 –> 00:02:42.258
AISHA: So for context, it’s probably like an hour and 15 or 30 minutes away from Detroit.
00:02:43.078 –> 00:02:43.858
JEREMY: Okay.
00:02:43.878 –> 00:02:44.618
JEREMY: Are you from that area?
00:02:46.298 –> 00:02:46.938
AISHA: No, no.
00:02:46.958 –> 00:02:52.738
AISHA: So my hometown is Chicago, born and raised, lived there for a number of years.
00:02:52.838 –> 00:03:07.678
AISHA: And then my mother and my brothers and I moved to Atlanta, and I lived in Atlanta for a longer period and just recently relocated from Atlanta to kind of bounce to Madison and then landed in East Lansing.
00:03:07.698 –> 00:03:10.738
AISHA: So this is where our roots are growing right now.
00:03:12.258 –> 00:03:12.678
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:03:12.818 –> 00:03:18.298
JEREMY: And do you have pets, kids, both, none?
00:03:20.058 –> 00:03:28.018
AISHA: Well, I don’t have any fur babies, but I do have human babies and they’re actually 25.
00:03:28.038 –> 00:03:39.798
AISHA: So I have five kids and their ages range, 25 is my oldest, 23 is my next oldest, 21, 20 and 19.
00:03:42.458 –> 00:03:43.238
JEREMY: That’s amazing.
00:03:44.858 –> 00:03:45.638
JEREMY: That’s awesome.
00:03:45.658 –> 00:03:47.418
JEREMY: So I’m one of four.
00:03:47.458 –> 00:03:57.098
JEREMY: So and my parents, I’m the oldest and I was born in 84, my brother in 85, my other brother in 86, and my sister in 89.
00:03:59.458 –> 00:04:00.918
AISHA: Well, we have some things in common.
00:04:00.938 –> 00:04:01.598
JEREMY: Four bunches together.
00:04:03.918 –> 00:04:07.918
AISHA: I’m one of four and also the oldest, but the only girl.
00:04:09.238 –> 00:04:09.558
JEREMY: Nice.
00:04:11.138 –> 00:04:13.618
JEREMY: Well, what do you like to do then?
00:04:14.398 –> 00:04:23.318
JEREMY: You know, it sounds like your kids should be mostly, you know, independent, I would think at this point, but what do you like to do when you’re not working?
00:04:24.738 –> 00:04:25.778
AISHA: That’s a great question.
00:04:25.798 –> 00:04:27.858
AISHA: I love the outdoors.
00:04:27.878 –> 00:04:29.278
AISHA: I love exercising.
00:04:29.298 –> 00:04:30.798
AISHA: I love traveling.
00:04:30.818 –> 00:04:31.798
AISHA: I love cooking.
00:04:31.818 –> 00:04:35.998
AISHA: Um, binge watching on occasion is fine.
00:04:36.018 –> 00:04:45.778
AISHA: And I would say that my kids are older, but what I’ve learned in this journey of parenthood is they just require something different at different stages.
00:04:45.798 –> 00:04:50.278
AISHA: So three of them are still in college while the other two have completed college already.
00:04:50.938 –> 00:04:58.698
AISHA: And so my interactions and what my two oldest need for me are very different than what my three youngest require.
00:05:00.418 –> 00:05:02.498
JEREMY: Yeah, I totally agree.
00:05:03.058 –> 00:05:04.718
JEREMY: My boys are younger.
00:05:04.738 –> 00:05:06.818
JEREMY: They’re 10 and 12.
00:05:07.838 –> 00:05:14.258
JEREMY: And, you know, my wife and I always talk about how there’s those different stages so far.
00:05:14.278 –> 00:05:18.038
JEREMY: And we obviously are about to hit the teenage stages, and so those are going to be fun.
00:05:18.518 –> 00:05:29.218
JEREMY: Maybe I’ll have to ping you for some advice, but, but yeah, it’s like there’s different, different, different parenting hats to put on, if you will, in those stages.
00:05:29.378 –> 00:05:32.338
AISHA: So, yeah, I would absolutely agree.
00:05:32.398 –> 00:05:32.978
AISHA: I would absolutely.
00:05:33.078 –> 00:05:37.038
AISHA: The only off the only advice I would offer is buckle up.
00:05:37.758 –> 00:05:42.078
AISHA: Teenage years are fun and it is quite the journey.
00:05:42.098 –> 00:05:44.118
AISHA: So just buckle up and be prepared.
00:05:45.118 –> 00:05:45.838
JEREMY: Sounds good.
00:05:45.958 –> 00:05:46.658
JEREMY: Sounds good.
00:05:47.298 –> 00:05:50.618
JEREMY: Well, Aisha, tell us a little bit about your career journey.
00:05:51.298 –> 00:06:02.538
JEREMY: How did you end up in the, you know, assistant role, you know, throughout your career and in operations and administrative professional type roles?
00:06:03.178 –> 00:06:12.778
JEREMY: And then just give us a little bit of that story from beginning and then how you ended up where you’re where you’re at today and a little bit more about what you’re doing right now.
00:06:14.158 –> 00:06:15.758
AISHA: Well, that’s a really good question.
00:06:15.778 –> 00:06:20.278
AISHA: I appreciate even the desire to learn more about me.
00:06:20.298 –> 00:06:25.558
AISHA: I have been in a professional setting for a little over 25 years.
00:06:26.618 –> 00:06:39.598
AISHA: And I want to say that what first introduced me to the world of administrative work is watching some of the work my mother used to do and not intentionally, right?
00:06:39.618 –> 00:06:44.658
AISHA: Like not watching her to follow in her footsteps, but just watching what she did.
00:06:44.678 –> 00:06:49.118
AISHA: And then she would, as the oldest of four, she would give me certain tasks to do at home.
00:06:49.138 –> 00:06:51.878
AISHA: She would say, Aisha, I want you to file these papers.
00:06:51.898 –> 00:07:03.218
AISHA: And she kind of kept a stack of papers because a single mom, as you can imagine, when she gets home from work, she doesn’t have the energy to devote to all of these other smaller tasks.
00:07:03.238 –> 00:07:08.598
AISHA: And so that’s kind of how I started just understanding what does it mean to keep something in order?
00:07:08.618 –> 00:07:12.858
AISHA: What does it mean to keep track of something?
00:07:12.878 –> 00:07:16.198
AISHA: What does it mean to help someone and support someone else in that way?
00:07:17.098 –> 00:07:30.678
AISHA: And so from there, as I started looking at job opportunities, those were the easiest roles for me to sort of enter into because of the experience that I had.
00:07:30.698 –> 00:07:33.958
AISHA: And the requirements weren’t super demanding.
00:07:33.978 –> 00:07:40.458
AISHA: It was more or less, do you have the presence to be able to greet people warmly?
00:07:40.478 –> 00:07:42.038
AISHA: Can you keep things organized?
00:07:42.538 –> 00:07:45.958
AISHA: Are you, how do you engage with other people?
00:07:45.978 –> 00:07:46.818
AISHA: That sort of thing.
00:07:47.278 –> 00:08:03.918
AISHA: And from that, what I learned along the way is that some of my, some of the things I just sort of experienced as being the oldest of four were things that I can transfer into my working space.
00:08:04.618 –> 00:08:07.118
AISHA: And I just took, I took full advantage of that.
00:08:07.138 –> 00:08:08.418
AISHA: I was like, okay, I can do this.
00:08:08.438 –> 00:08:27.918
AISHA: And it was almost, you know, there’s this dance of not being, not necessarily providing too much direction, but providing just enough support so that the other person who’s really in charge knows that they’re in charge and you’re helping them accomplish all the things that they need to do and check the things off their list.
00:08:28.798 –> 00:08:34.538
AISHA: So that path led me through supporting a number of executives at different levels.
00:08:35.278 –> 00:08:39.218
AISHA: And my experience is at different levels, they require different things.
00:08:39.518 –> 00:08:44.558
AISHA: So there was always an opportunity for me to sharpen my skills and develop new ones.
00:08:44.918 –> 00:08:57.998
AISHA: And so I went from supporting people at director levels, then to officer levels, then to executive director, senior officer levels, and then C-suite levels.
00:08:58.458 –> 00:08:59.738
AISHA: And I really enjoyed it.
00:09:00.338 –> 00:09:01.278
AISHA: I really enjoyed it.
00:09:01.278 –> 00:09:21.218
AISHA: What I experienced over that period of supporting different people at different levels was this personal satisfaction of watching them succeed, watching them win, watching them feel accomplished, watching the team around them have this sense of joy and excitement.
00:09:21.438 –> 00:09:22.538
AISHA: And I really love that.
00:09:23.258 –> 00:09:26.598
AISHA: And then I learned that there’s probably some things I can do on my own.
00:09:27.298 –> 00:09:32.158
AISHA: I started having these interests peak a little bit around having my own business.
00:09:32.178 –> 00:09:38.678
AISHA: And I received a nudge or two from some family members who thought, Aisha, you have this niche.
00:09:39.198 –> 00:09:43.378
AISHA: You have these five kids, they’re stair steps, and they’re all doing so well.
00:09:43.398 –> 00:09:45.618
AISHA: Maybe this is something that can turn into a business.
00:09:46.538 –> 00:09:48.978
AISHA: I didn’t really want to do it at first, to be honest with you.
00:09:49.018 –> 00:09:54.458
AISHA: I appreciated the comfort of just simply going to work every day and allowing someone else to be the boss.
00:09:55.638 –> 00:10:08.618
AISHA: But I did find success and a really, the work that I did as a business owner for those years was a level of fulfillment that I had not experienced before.
00:10:09.478 –> 00:10:19.498
AISHA: And it was like one idea helped me to think of another idea, which then brought on another idea and it just continued to grow and blossom.
00:10:20.818 –> 00:10:31.078
AISHA: And then there came a point in time where I had done that for probably eight years and thought, you know, this ride has been really busy and demanding.
00:10:31.098 –> 00:10:32.878
AISHA: Maybe I want to take a step back.
00:10:32.898 –> 00:10:36.378
AISHA: And some of that was also due to my responsibilities as a mother.
00:10:37.338 –> 00:10:40.858
AISHA: For as long as I’ve worked, I’ve always tried my best to balance the two.
00:10:41.278 –> 00:10:48.198
AISHA: Being a professional woman in a setting, while still being the present and attentive mother that I wanted to be.
00:10:49.378 –> 00:10:52.478
AISHA: And not that I was ever forced to make choices.
00:10:53.438 –> 00:10:56.698
AISHA: There were times where I just chose to do certain things.
00:10:56.798 –> 00:11:03.578
AISHA: And in choosing to do certain things, it automatically meant that other things were not going to be an option available to me at that time.
00:11:04.318 –> 00:11:20.938
AISHA: And towards the end of that stint for running a business, I decided, okay, I want to go back to the professional setting, but I want to elevate from serving as an executive assistant or assistant director of operations.
00:11:20.998 –> 00:11:32.258
AISHA: I really want to get to the point where I can sit in a chief of staff seat and help the most senior leaders lead teams to drive business results.
00:11:32.278 –> 00:11:38.658
AISHA: And so I returned to the corporate world, stepped into an executive assistant role.
00:11:38.878 –> 00:11:48.078
AISHA: 12, 14 months later, found out about a new opportunity and applied for that position, which is the one that I’m currently in as a business manager.
00:11:48.858 –> 00:12:03.338
AISHA: And so this is where I get to leverage a different skill set, work with a more cross-functional senior leadership team, and sharpen some additional skills that I’ve kind of collected along the way.
00:12:04.638 –> 00:12:06.798
AISHA: So that’s my journey story in a nutshell.
00:12:09.018 –> 00:12:18.718
JEREMY: And what was maybe the number one thing you learned in running your own business that has helped you in the assistant or business manager roles?
00:12:18.738 –> 00:12:33.618
AISHA: I would say one thing that I’ve learned is resilience, and in a more meaningful way than I probably would have viewed it before.
00:12:35.478 –> 00:12:39.238
AISHA: Having your own business and the responsibility of that business is huge.
00:12:39.718 –> 00:12:45.398
AISHA: For me, that particular business that I owned had everything to do with humans.
00:12:45.918 –> 00:12:56.318
AISHA: It was an early education business, so it wasn’t something that I felt like I can make mistakes and then wipe the slate clean the next day.
00:12:56.718 –> 00:13:11.398
AISHA: These were individuals whose, you know, a part of their life experiences and perhaps even some of their desima opportunities that were made available in our program.
00:13:18.119 –> 00:13:20.719
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00:13:21.639 –> 00:13:29.319
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00:13:29.939 –> 00:13:41.459
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00:13:42.139 –> 00:13:44.559
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00:13:45.119 –> 00:13:50.079
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00:13:55.976 –> 00:13:56.756
JEREMY: Nice, nice.
00:13:59.656 –> 00:14:10.696
JEREMY: What has been maybe the difference or the progression from the assistant to business manager?
00:14:10.716 –> 00:14:14.476
JEREMY: Is business manager, it can mean a lot of things.
00:14:14.536 –> 00:14:16.496
JEREMY: It’s kind of a general title.
00:14:17.756 –> 00:14:24.976
JEREMY: And so is it a, would you still call it like, is it kind of like a chief of staff?
00:14:25.616 –> 00:14:29.356
JEREMY: Is it kind of like a senior executive assistant to a CEO?
00:14:29.416 –> 00:14:34.296
JEREMY: Is it a little bit more removed from the administrative professional role?
00:14:34.316 –> 00:14:34.936
JEREMY: Does that make sense?
00:14:35.736 –> 00:14:36.616
AISHA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:14:36.836 –> 00:14:38.216
AISHA: And I think that’s a great question.
00:14:38.796 –> 00:14:48.436
AISHA: So it is, it is a bit removed from administrative work in that one of my counterparts is a senior executive assistant.
00:14:48.876 –> 00:14:52.296
AISHA: So a lot of the work that I used to do is not work that I do any longer.
00:14:53.556 –> 00:14:56.876
AISHA: And it is definitely a form of chief of staff.
00:14:56.936 –> 00:15:16.636
AISHA: You know, some organizations and companies have these particular roles nestled in their org charts, while others might have the same functionality of this particular position, you know, sort of situated somewhere along their senior leadership team, but they may refer to it as a chief of staff.
00:15:17.116 –> 00:15:20.456
AISHA: And the roles are about the same.
00:15:21.036 –> 00:15:22.916
AISHA: So, you are very much a generalist.
00:15:24.036 –> 00:15:30.196
AISHA: You work horizontally across that particular business unit or team or group.
00:15:30.836 –> 00:15:36.016
AISHA: And some of your main focus areas would potentially be like mine.
00:15:36.376 –> 00:15:38.656
AISHA: My main focus areas are communications.
00:15:39.336 –> 00:15:41.076
AISHA: Another one is engagement.
00:15:41.876 –> 00:15:51.156
AISHA: Another one is diversity, equity, and inclusion in terms of how we weave that into all the things that we do as a business unit.
00:15:51.856 –> 00:15:56.136
AISHA: And another area that’s connected to that is culture.
00:15:56.176 –> 00:16:02.316
AISHA: Now, obviously, I work alongside several officers within our department.
00:16:02.616 –> 00:16:13.156
AISHA: And so, my job is to help ensure alignment cross so that we can execute the things that need to happen down through the different levels of the business unit.
00:16:13.976 –> 00:16:23.076
AISHA: So, it requires a certain level of savviness, but not a lot of administrative responsibility rests on me anymore in this position.
00:16:23.796 –> 00:16:24.296
JEREMY: Gotcha.
00:16:24.516 –> 00:16:24.916
JEREMY: Gotcha.
00:16:25.696 –> 00:16:31.276
JEREMY: Do you miss the the assistant administrative stuff?
00:16:31.436 –> 00:16:35.216
JEREMY: Are you like, no, I don’t really miss it, I’m excited for the change?
00:16:36.716 –> 00:16:37.656
AISHA: I don’t miss it.
00:16:37.896 –> 00:16:54.516
AISHA: And the interesting thing is the reason why I selected that quote that I shared in the beginning of this, because I find, first of all, I was just in a meeting earlier today and I acknowledged that Administrative Professionals Day is April 24.
00:16:55.736 –> 00:17:06.176
AISHA: That is a special day for me as a former administrative professional, because I understand the significance of that work and that role that’s done.
00:17:06.696 –> 00:17:19.536
AISHA: And it serves as a glue to the different areas of that team that often will be unrecognized, not appreciated outwardly.
00:17:20.356 –> 00:17:23.876
AISHA: And I think that’s a missed opportunity.
00:17:24.216 –> 00:17:49.216
AISHA: And so for me, I love the fact that I’m in the position that I’m in to also inspire other people that desire to elevate from an executive administration role to serve in something that’s a bit more broader, a little bit more larger scale, to take some of those skills that they’ve kind of honed over the years and learn how to apply them in a different space.
00:17:49.576 –> 00:17:56.376
AISHA: So I don’t miss it, but I do have a ton of respect for people that continue to serve in those positions.
00:17:57.876 –> 00:17:58.576
JEREMY: That makes sense.
00:17:59.616 –> 00:18:08.396
JEREMY: So let’s talk about a couple of the topics that you brought up when scheduling this time for us to chat.
00:18:09.296 –> 00:18:12.296
JEREMY: One of them is the power of connection and community.
00:18:12.316 –> 00:18:18.956
JEREMY: How have you seen throughout your assistant career and now your business manager career?
00:18:21.116 –> 00:18:23.896
JEREMY: How have you cultivated connection and community?
00:18:23.956 –> 00:18:32.116
JEREMY: And then what’s what has been some of the bigger benefits to you or to your colleagues of connection and community?
00:18:33.736 –> 00:18:36.016
AISHA: That’s a really fantastic question.
00:18:36.036 –> 00:18:37.296
AISHA: I’m glad that you asked.
00:18:38.136 –> 00:18:50.676
AISHA: You know, for me, I think that relationships at their core matter and they have a lot of influence over what you do and what you’re able to do.
00:18:51.856 –> 00:18:54.436
AISHA: I like to lead with curiosity and empathy.
00:18:54.796 –> 00:18:59.256
AISHA: So regardless of the task at hand, I want to get to know the people that I’m working with.
00:19:00.356 –> 00:19:01.776
AISHA: I’d like to know their style.
00:19:01.876 –> 00:19:03.496
AISHA: I’d like to know their preferences.
00:19:04.076 –> 00:19:06.776
AISHA: I don’t often ask a lot of questions.
00:19:07.056 –> 00:19:12.436
AISHA: It’s a balance of asking questions and just actively listening and observing.
00:19:12.456 –> 00:19:23.556
AISHA: I find that when you do that, you’re able to build a connection with that individual that sort of transcends the tactical work that needs to be done.
00:19:24.216 –> 00:19:29.396
AISHA: You end up building trust along the way in those organic engagements.
00:19:30.196 –> 00:19:33.536
AISHA: You get to know this person beyond their title and their name.
00:19:33.796 –> 00:19:35.316
AISHA: And I think that’s super helpful.
00:19:35.656 –> 00:19:53.996
AISHA: So for me, the building a community and the significance and importance of engagement cross is huge because it will, you know, there’s something that I think about when I think about people in leadership roles, right?
00:19:54.396 –> 00:20:06.476
AISHA: So if there were someone in a leadership role and they were just very transactional with me, and they just only came to me when they needed something, I’m like, okay, they need something.
00:20:06.536 –> 00:20:07.196
AISHA: I’m going to do it.
00:20:08.316 –> 00:20:15.476
AISHA: Probably won’t go, you know, out of my way and do something extra because they just asked me for this one thing.
00:20:15.976 –> 00:20:33.916
AISHA: However, with someone that I built a relationship with and we’ve interacted on some different things, or through conversation, they’ve learned something different about me that’s outside of my title, that’s outside of, you know, their normal curiosities.
00:20:34.316 –> 00:20:38.096
AISHA: And they come to me and say, Aisha, would you be willing to do fill in the blank?
00:20:38.416 –> 00:20:40.656
AISHA: Aisha, what do you think about this fill in the blank?
00:20:40.916 –> 00:20:47.296
AISHA: You stand to get more out of that person from that ask because you’ve built that relationship over time.
00:20:47.916 –> 00:20:49.136
AISHA: You’ve built this community.
00:20:49.156 –> 00:20:50.536
AISHA: You’ve engaged with them.
00:20:51.196 –> 00:20:54.136
AISHA: And you can see other businesses have done it.
00:20:54.156 –> 00:21:12.296
AISHA: Studies have proven that when you have engaged employees, when you have people that genuinely feel like they belong at different organizations and companies, they are willing to do above and beyond what they would normally be asked to do because they feel like they’re welcomed in that space.
00:21:12.576 –> 00:21:17.456
AISHA: They feel like they’re a valued member of that space and everybody wins.
00:21:19.356 –> 00:21:20.596
JEREMY: Yeah, that’s great.
00:21:21.476 –> 00:21:28.916
JEREMY: So, you know, it’s kind of that relationship versus transactional aspect.
00:21:29.216 –> 00:21:34.696
JEREMY: And how do you, let’s say you’re new to the role.
00:21:34.716 –> 00:21:38.016
JEREMY: Let’s say you’re new to the organization, actually, more specifically.
00:21:39.236 –> 00:21:46.376
JEREMY: How do you build those connections and how do you build that community if you’re just starting with that new team?
00:21:47.756 –> 00:21:49.876
AISHA: Yeah, that’s another great question.
00:21:50.336 –> 00:21:52.756
AISHA: You know, I encourage people to be curious.
00:21:52.876 –> 00:22:00.976
AISHA: I encourage people to do something that may feel uncomfortable, but will yield results later.
00:22:01.016 –> 00:22:11.156
AISHA: So, for example, some things that I’ve done, when I attend meetings, and these are things that I do both at my company and outside of my company.
00:22:11.476 –> 00:22:20.916
AISHA: If I’m at a meeting, a webinar, conference, whatever the setting is, I’m taking inventory of the people that are speaking to me.
00:22:20.916 –> 00:22:31.396
AISHA: So that might be people on a panel, that might be a keynote speaker, that might be a host, but I’m taking all of that information in, because I want to know who I’m interacting with.
00:22:31.736 –> 00:22:38.996
AISHA: And I’m going to find some time to, after jotting their names down, look them up and see, okay, well, what kind of work do they do?
00:22:39.296 –> 00:22:40.936
AISHA: What are their areas of interest?
00:22:41.176 –> 00:22:42.656
AISHA: Do we have any synergies?
00:22:44.076 –> 00:22:58.396
AISHA: After listening to whatever their presentation is, or reading whatever material they may have shared, I’m going to think deeply about what was communicated and reach back out to that individual and say, hey, I thought what you shared was fascinating.
00:22:58.796 –> 00:23:00.996
AISHA: This was a remarkable presentation.
00:23:01.296 –> 00:23:05.336
AISHA: Would you mind meeting with me for a virtual coffee chat to discuss more?
00:23:05.376 –> 00:23:06.756
AISHA: I’m just curious to learn more.
00:23:07.436 –> 00:23:18.096
AISHA: Quickly, people are willing to meet with other people about and discuss the things that they’re truly passionate about or about a recent presentation or recent conversation.
00:23:19.376 –> 00:23:26.916
AISHA: I have found that the doors have been widely opened for those sorts of engagements and interactions.
00:23:28.116 –> 00:23:37.516
AISHA: I can probably name on one hand the number of times wherein I’ve reached out to someone and they’ve either not responded or declined an invitation.
00:23:37.796 –> 00:23:41.836
AISHA: So by and large, there’s a willingness for people to want to connect.
00:23:42.156 –> 00:23:46.336
AISHA: And I’m talking something like a 25 minute virtual coffee chat.
00:23:46.756 –> 00:23:53.476
AISHA: I allow them to tell me what time and day works for them because I’m asking to have an audience with them.
00:23:54.176 –> 00:24:05.756
AISHA: And that sort of curiosity, that way of finding something that resonates with me and then reaching back out to that person has opened a lot of doors.
00:24:05.776 –> 00:24:09.136
AISHA: And so when I meet with people, I encourage them to do the same.
00:24:09.556 –> 00:24:14.776
AISHA: Another trick would be to think about your areas of interest and passion.
00:24:15.076 –> 00:24:35.016
AISHA: They may or may not be related to the work that you do, but if you’re out on LinkedIn or you’re on some other learning platform and there’s someone that’s presenting or talking about an area that really resonates with you or you feel like there’s some synergy, step out.
00:24:35.256 –> 00:24:46.796
AISHA: The uncomfortable thing to do is to reach out to a stranger, but sometimes the uncomfortable thing is what leads to this expansion of relationships and an expansion of your network.
00:24:48.696 –> 00:24:49.096
JEREMY: Yeah.
00:24:49.116 –> 00:24:59.876
JEREMY: So essentially, don’t be afraid to ask and in your career, you have found that most people are open to connecting, so that’s great.
00:25:00.996 –> 00:25:01.976
AISHA: Yeah, absolutely.
00:25:06.196 –> 00:25:09.836
JEREMY: What about building that connection in community with your colleagues?
00:25:10.476 –> 00:25:23.776
JEREMY: But what about overall culture of belonging and the value of that, and then even the business impacts that can come from a culture of belonging?
00:25:25.276 –> 00:25:26.876
AISHA: Yeah, I think that’s so important.
00:25:26.896 –> 00:25:32.356
AISHA: And there’s been a lot of discussion around this, but this is, it’s not new, right?
00:25:32.376 –> 00:25:36.096
AISHA: So this is something that I believe we’ve known for a very long time.
00:25:36.116 –> 00:25:39.756
AISHA: We’ve just started articulating it more and differently.
00:25:40.396 –> 00:26:18.076
AISHA: There is extreme value in sort of showing up the way that you want to be seen and learning how to engage with people in the spirit of curiosity and genuineness, like really leaning in to learn more about individuals, figure out based on what you’ve learned or experienced in these interactions, is there something that you can do to influence an environment so that another individual feels more welcomed, feels more valued, feels more appreciated?
00:26:18.136 –> 00:26:28.676
AISHA: Because you know that if they do feel and sense all of those things, they’re going to be excited about the work that they do, they’re going to find value in the work that they do.
00:26:29.116 –> 00:26:34.136
AISHA: It’s going to reinforce their why in terms of why do I show up and do this job every day?
00:26:34.436 –> 00:26:37.396
AISHA: Why am I a participant on this team?
00:26:37.676 –> 00:26:44.196
AISHA: Why do I want to engage with these individuals in this ERG space or on this stretch project?
00:26:44.436 –> 00:26:46.676
AISHA: And so you find a way to do all of that.
00:26:46.796 –> 00:26:50.656
AISHA: For me, I’ve used myself and my experiences as a use case.
00:26:52.316 –> 00:26:54.296
AISHA: I know what it feels like to be excluded.
00:26:55.556 –> 00:26:57.336
AISHA: I know what it feels like to be included.
00:26:58.136 –> 00:27:00.256
AISHA: I know what it feels like to be valued.
00:27:00.716 –> 00:27:02.776
AISHA: I know what it feels like to be overlooked.
00:27:03.636 –> 00:27:05.876
AISHA: I know when I’m able to do my best.
00:27:06.356 –> 00:27:10.436
AISHA: And I know sometimes that I feel like I really don’t want to give all that I have.
00:27:11.416 –> 00:27:20.316
AISHA: And the common denominator in those experiences is the culture that’s been created in that environment and the way that it’s supported and shaped.
00:27:20.696 –> 00:27:57.036
AISHA: So any way that I can positively influence a workspace and a work relationship or an environment, I will absolutely do that because if I use my own personal experiences as sort of a reference or something to harken back to, I’m going to do what I would have wanted done for me to these other individuals and watch those, watch the effect of that intentionality, create this space where people want to be a part of that space.
00:28:00.376 –> 00:28:00.856
JEREMY: Love it.
00:28:00.916 –> 00:28:01.316
JEREMY: Love it.
00:28:01.336 –> 00:28:01.816
JEREMY: Well said.
00:28:01.836 –> 00:28:03.776
JEREMY: That’s awesome.
00:28:03.956 –> 00:28:13.996
JEREMY: What would you put on a billboard on the busiest highway in the world where all the assistants commuted on that highway to go to work?
00:28:14.736 –> 00:28:20.376
JEREMY: So this is a billboard directly targeted to executive assistants of the world.
00:28:20.396 –> 00:28:21.596
JEREMY: What would you put on that billboard?
00:28:23.056 –> 00:28:26.996
AISHA: Well, that’s a really, really, really fascinating question.
00:28:27.016 –> 00:28:37.076
AISHA: I would probably say be brave, be fearless, and be kind.
00:28:42.136 –> 00:28:42.576
JEREMY: Perfect.
00:28:42.876 –> 00:28:44.316
JEREMY: Let’s order that billboard now.
00:28:44.376 –> 00:28:45.036
JEREMY: That’s great.
00:28:46.196 –> 00:28:53.516
JEREMY: You know, there’s people that spend thousands of dollars, the marketing agencies, to come up with a good billboard, and you did it in like two seconds.
00:28:55.336 –> 00:28:56.496
AISHA: I felt like I was pressured.
00:28:56.516 –> 00:28:57.376
AISHA: I was on the spot.
00:28:59.936 –> 00:29:00.336
JEREMY: Awesome.
00:29:00.356 –> 00:29:02.636
JEREMY: Well, Aisha, thank you so much for being on the show.
00:29:02.696 –> 00:29:06.236
JEREMY: Is there a good place for people to reach out if they want to connect and say hi?
00:29:08.676 –> 00:29:09.116
AISHA: Absolutely.
00:29:09.116 –> 00:29:10.516
AISHA: Anyone can find me on LinkedIn.
00:29:11.356 –> 00:29:15.876
AISHA: My LinkedIn profile, you can just look me up by name, Aisha Everett-Khalif.
00:29:16.336 –> 00:29:17.836
AISHA: That is the best way to reach me.
00:29:17.836 –> 00:29:19.436
AISHA: It’s the fastest way to reach me.
00:29:20.416 –> 00:29:22.456
AISHA: Email would be amazing as well.
00:29:22.736 –> 00:29:37.216
AISHA: My personal email is wonder, W-O-N-D-E-R, Aces, A-C-E-E-S, as in Sam, the number 20 at gmail.com, wonderaces20 at gmail.com.
00:29:38.676 –> 00:29:39.516
JEREMY: Perfect.
00:29:39.576 –> 00:29:42.456
JEREMY: I will put both of those in the show notes as well.
00:29:43.276 –> 00:29:51.636
JEREMY: leaderassistant.com/280, leaderassistant.com/280.
00:29:51.636 –> 00:29:53.396
JEREMY: Aisha, thank you so much again.
00:29:53.876 –> 00:29:56.096
JEREMY: Best of luck to you and your career and your family.
00:29:57.536 –> 00:30:00.256
JEREMY: Hopefully, we get a chance to connect in person someday.
00:30:01.276 –> 00:30:02.156
AISHA: Same to you, Jeremy.
00:30:02.176 –> 00:30:03.676
AISHA: Thank you for the invitation and the time.
00:30:14.865 –> 00:30:17.345
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