Assistants are crucial to the success of their organization and their executive. In fact, they are one of the most valuable members of the team.
In Episode 2 of the Leader Assistant Podcast, I spend a few minutes thanking assistants – the ones who do so much work behind the scenes that no one sees.
Assistants, be encouraged and please share with your assistant friends!
LEADERSHIP QUOTE
“My definition of a leader… is a man who can persuade people to do what they don’t want to do, or do what they’re too lazy to do, and like it.”
– Harry S. Truman
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You can email me at podcast@leaderassistant.com.
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00.680 –> 00:00:03.400
JEREMY: Welcome to The Leader Assistant Podcast.
00:00:04.240 –> 00:00:06.080
JEREMY: You’re listening to Episode 2.
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<v SPEAKER_2>The Leader Assistant Podcast exists to encourage and challenge assistants to become irreplaceable, game-changing leader assistants.
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<v SPEAKER_2>The leadership quote today is from Harry Truman.
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<v SPEAKER_2>My definition of a leader is a man who can persuade people to do what they don’t want to do or to do what they’re too lazy to do and to like it.
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<v SPEAKER_3>And here’s your host, my dad.
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JEREMY: Thanks, Weston.
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JEREMY: I appreciate the intro.
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JEREMY: Hey everyone, it’s Jeremy Burrows.
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JEREMY: It’s episode two of The Leader Assistant Podcast.
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JEREMY: I wanted to take a minute to thank all of the assistants out there.
00:00:51.998 –> 00:00:57.918
JEREMY: For years, I foolishly thought that the ones with the most important titles were the leaders.
00:00:59.098 –> 00:01:05.178
JEREMY: It turns out everyone has influence and is a leader to those around them, even if they don’t acknowledge it.
00:01:06.258 –> 00:01:07.818
JEREMY: Do you see yourself as a leader?
00:01:08.438 –> 00:01:20.418
JEREMY: I wrote a couple of open letters, one to executives, asking them to respect assistants, and then I wrote another one to thank the executives that do respect assistants.
00:01:20.978 –> 00:01:25.418
JEREMY: You can check those out on my blog at goburrows.com forward slash blog.
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JEREMY: Today I wanted to share the letter that I wrote to assistants.
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JEREMY: So buckle up and take this to heart all my fellow assistants out there.
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JEREMY: If you’re an executive assistant, if you’re a personal assistant, physicians or dental assistant, pastors assistant, office assistant, virtual assistant, administrative assistant, coaches assistant, or maybe you’re a combination of all of the above, this letter is for you.
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JEREMY: I want to take a few minutes to encourage you.
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JEREMY: You are crucial to the success of your organization and your direct supervisor.
00:01:58.618 –> 00:02:01.958
JEREMY: In fact, you’re one of the most valuable members of the team.
00:02:03.258 –> 00:02:05.778
JEREMY: So here it is, a thank you note to assistants.
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JEREMY: My fellow assistants, thank you for replying to that e-mail.
00:02:11.258 –> 00:02:17.578
JEREMY: Thank you for picking up lunch, creating that slide deck and booking that flight all at the last minute.
00:02:18.698 –> 00:02:27.038
JEREMY: Thank you for being hospitable to billionaires and other VIPs while waiting for your always late CEO to show up.
00:02:28.018 –> 00:02:31.838
JEREMY: Thank you for fixing a typo that would have made your boss look unprofessional.
00:02:32.658 –> 00:02:35.638
JEREMY: Thank you for taking out the trash and ordering more toilet paper.
00:02:36.358 –> 00:02:39.878
JEREMY: Thank you for cleaning that coffee spill off the conference room carpet.
00:02:40.818 –> 00:02:44.478
JEREMY: Thank you for helping that new hire figure out the office printer.
00:02:45.438 –> 00:02:51.618
JEREMY: Thank you for having the courage to say no for your executive and to your executive.
00:02:52.858 –> 00:02:56.078
JEREMY: Thank you for drafting that proposal while your manager was out sick.
00:02:57.078 –> 00:03:07.638
JEREMY: Thank you for scheduling meetings, rescheduling meetings, taking notes in meetings, canceling pointless meetings, and getting the best snacks for meetings.
00:03:08.478 –> 00:03:13.618
JEREMY: Thank you for proactively managing your boss’s calendar so they can spend time on what matters.
00:03:14.458 –> 00:03:21.898
JEREMY: Thank you for making an executive decision on your boss’s behalf when they asked you for help, and when they didn’t ask you for help.
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JEREMY: Without you, things fall apart.
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JEREMY: Without you, there’s chaos.
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JEREMY: Without you, your boss’s growth is stunted, and your company’s growth is stunted.
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JEREMY: You are a go-getter, mind reader, task-doer, project manager, peacekeeper, travel booker, get-things-done, rock star assistant.
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JEREMY: Any executive, manager, vendor, pastor, janitor, or other team member with a brain is grateful for the things you do.
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JEREMY: You are a leader.
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JEREMY: Go lead.
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JEREMY: Your fellow assistant, Jeremy Burrows.
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JEREMY: So that’s my letter to assistants thanking you all.
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JEREMY: I hope you are encouraged by it.
00:04:10.438 –> 00:04:14.018
JEREMY: Some of the assistants I’ve heard from say they’ve never been thanked.
00:04:14.358 –> 00:04:16.118
JEREMY: So it’s very sad and unfortunate.
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JEREMY: Those of you who are listening and are not being appreciated, just hang in there and know that you are appreciated.
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JEREMY: Yeah, so hope that was encouraging.
00:04:25.838 –> 00:04:27.738
JEREMY: A couple things I wanted to say at the end.
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JEREMY: So I once was asked by a top level assistant this question, and it changed the way I think about my job as an assistant.
00:04:34.938 –> 00:04:39.018
JEREMY: He said, do you believe your job is a stepping stone or a career?
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JEREMY: He went on to say, if you do see being an assistant as a stepping stone to something better, you will not be very good at your job because you will use your boss to get what you want instead of focusing on serving them.
00:04:51.698 –> 00:04:57.418
JEREMY: So this is a very interesting question, very interesting thing to consider as assistants.
00:04:58.338 –> 00:05:05.038
JEREMY: And I’ve seen this a lot where an assistant will treat will treat their job as a stepping stone.
00:05:05.358 –> 00:05:07.378
JEREMY: And so they’re all they’re thinking about what’s next.
00:05:07.398 –> 00:05:07.978
JEREMY: What’s next?
00:05:07.998 –> 00:05:08.578
JEREMY: What’s next?
00:05:09.318 –> 00:05:13.638
JEREMY: And so they’re using their boss to get them to the next place.
00:05:13.738 –> 00:05:15.518
JEREMY: And that’s just not a good attitude.
00:05:16.038 –> 00:05:23.818
JEREMY: I will say that if you do want to do something other than being an assistant, if you do see it as a stepping stone, that’s okay.
00:05:25.038 –> 00:05:39.578
JEREMY: But I don’t think the word or the phrase stepping stone is helpful as you practically work to serve your boss and lead your boss day in and day out.
00:05:39.798 –> 00:05:45.278
JEREMY: I think if you’re always thinking about what you’re going to do next, you’re not going to be present and as helpful.
00:05:45.778 –> 00:05:46.158
JEREMY: All right.
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JEREMY: So thanks again for listening.
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JEREMY: Stay tuned for the next episode.
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JEREMY: And just remember, you are a leader.
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JEREMY: Go lead.
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<v SPEAKER_2>Check out this episode’s show notes at leaderassistant.com forward slash two.
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<v SPEAKER_2>Thank you for being a leader.
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<v SPEAKER_2>goburrows.com.
