Thrown to the Wolves & the Importance of Administrative Assistants
December 16th, 2006 was a cloudy and unusually warm, balmy day even for the Florida Panhandle at that time of year. I was starting a new job on that day and although, I didn't know it then, it would be the start of a career in public sector management that I really did not see coming. As with most on the first day of a new job, the nervousness and anxiety associated with the unknown was more than prevalent as I made my way to my new office. That day would be the start of my first legitimate management experience and I definitely felt like I was being thrown to the wolves.
I was 36 years old at the time and when I walked into the meeting room where my manager was going to introduce me to my staff, it was apparent that I was probably at least ten years younger than the next youngest person in the room. This was somewhat unsettling and I’m quite sure that whatever came out of my mouth as I was introducing myself was not delivered with very much confidence. However, I was soon to discover that I had an ally that would provide a much needed mentor ship. This relationship would prove to be vital in developing the leadership skills necessary to grow into the position that I now hold, managing four divisions comprised of over one hundred employees. This mentor was not my manager at the time, but rather my administrative assistant!
As luck would have it, my first administrative assistant had worked in the public sector for almost thirty years and was quite adept at navigating the bureaucratic malaise associated with governmental management. She had a vast knowledge of governmental processes and had data processing skills that far exceeded my abilities. She was my front line defense that kept me out of trouble which allowed me to focus on my strong suits which are problem solving, program development and efficient delivery of our departmental services. In the six years that we worked together, our department became a well oiled machine that grew in its overall responsibilities without the requirement of additional staff or financial resource.
The methods and practices that we developed to manage our department became the C-suite’s model for the management of other departments in the organization. No way I could have done that without an awesome administrative assistant!
My first administrative assistant retired about seven years ago and quite frankly, I have missed her everyday. We butted heads and gnashed teeth but in the end we always had each other’s back and successfully accomplished our goals. I have learned through experience that behind every good manager, there is a better administrative assistant. Administrative assistants are not coffee retrievers or secretaries, instead they are integral to the overall performance of the administrative team.
The best advice that I can give any new manager is to listen and learn from your administrative assistant and do not take them for granted. A good one is an asset that is beyond compare. Thanks Pam, you are missed and I hope you are enjoying your retirement. You deserve it!
