Mid-Year Evaluation Time

Time for the Mid-Year Evaluation.   I dread this time of year.  My stomach clenches, migraines lurk on the edge of my consciousness, every little stupid annoyance becomes a drama of epic proportion. Why?  Because I’m being judge by people who really have no clue about what I do.

Gone are the halcyon days when the average secretary was thought to just answered phones, typed memos and got cups of coffee (yes, I know this is a glittering generality).   The reality is the Administrative Professional is a project manager, an office manager, often times a human resource manager, an accountant, and a candlestick maker.

We do all this while making our boss look good.  The surface of our pond, lake, inland sea is smooth as glass, while the rip currents underneath are treacherous.  The people around us have no clue about what it takes to make things go smoothly.

So, I sit here filling out my portion of my Mid-Year evaluation, celebrating the triumphs and delicately explaining my defeats.  Because when push comes to shove, the triumphs aren’t what get in your personnel jacket.

Contrary to Popular Opinion …

Contrary to popular opinion I am not a miracle worker, a maid or a butler, a childcare provider, a janitor, a dictionary or encyclopedia, an ATM, or whatever else the pointy-hair boss can think of.  I often produce what is perceived as miracles, however it is simply know how to do my job well. 

I can not properly set-up meetings, this includes conference rooms, call-in numbers, and invite attendees, without ALL the information.  Just FYI, ESP does not come naturally in the role of Administrative Assistant.

Unless it is specifically spelled out in my job description/ contract, I am not required to pick up your dry-cleaning, walk your dogs, or oversee the contractors building your mega-mansion.  This falls in the realm of a personal assistant, and that is a whole different kettle of fish.

Your children are adorable. But if they have to come into the office after school and I have deadlines, please keep them in your office.  My desk is not for childcare or their entertainment.

I hope that this small tutorial can prove to be instructional in the use of an Administrative Assistant.

The Buck Does NOT Stop Here

As an Administrative Professional, I nor my colleagues appreciate it when we are blamed for the lack of planning on the part of the people that we work so hard for.   This doesn’t happen often but when it does, it is a slap in the face, an offense, a sign that the person who has perpetrated said offense does not understand that the Administrative Professional is more than a lackey. 

Let me illustrate my point with a couple of examples:

1.  A Manager who is supposed to be in charge of their own budget, aware of invoices, accruals, etc.  Suddenly realizes that they didn’t accrue several invoices for a significant amount of money that will reflect badly on their budget.  Do they a) own up to their error and make the necessary corrections? b) act like they don’t know what happened and fix things on the sly? or c) concoct and elaborate lie to blame the administrative professional?  If you guessed ‘c’ you probably are thinking that this might be a gross exaggeration. But alas, no.  It happened to a colleague of mine.

2.  In their eagerness, a newby to a department with an Administrative Professional, decides that they can do all the ‘work’ that they are not inclined to do.  A seasoned Administrative Professional will a) do the work given them with a smile; b) do the work given them and have a talk with their manager; c) give them the look and ignore them; or d) kindly educate them in the department policies and procedures.  Honestly, I would have to say it would depend on how I was approached.  ‘d’ would always be implemented with a smidge of whichever other option was appropriate to the situation.  I have enough to do without someone thinking they can add to my load.

Look, an Adminstrative Professional is an integral part of the team, not a lackey to pass blame on or push work on.  We are the grease that keeps the wheels going.  We work hard to make your jobs seem easier. 

All that being said, if you need to find fault, lay blame, or just be cranky at, I suggest you look in the mirror and let the buck stop where it is suppose to.

Calendaring

Calendar: A list or schedule of planned events or activities giving dates and details.

 

An Administrative Professional: Person who creates and maintains said calendar in a timely and efficient manner.

 

Executives:  The Spanner in the Works!