WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A REALLY GREAT PA

This is Thursday 22nd's post.

In my own experiance - there is nothing greater than a great PA and there's nothing so bad as a bad PA!

What it really means to be a great PA
21 December 2007 at 06h00

We often use the word "great" carelessly to describe the things that we think are grand, outstanding or superb. There are scores of quotes on what famous people think defines the essence of greatness.

Here are a few examples:"Everyday greatness is a way of living, not a one-time event. It says more about who a person is than what a person has. It speaks more about people's motives than about their talents." - Steven R Covey"

There are countless ways of attaining greatness, but any road to reaching one's maximum potential must be built on a bedrock of respect for the individual, a commitment to excellence, and a rejection of mediocrity." - American basketball player Buck Rodgers

My favourite is by Comte de Mirabeau, a French writer and stalesman who said: "None, but people of strong passion are capable of rising to greatness".

At this year's PA summit in September, the delegates were asked to ponder about greatness and the qualities, attributes or skills that define greatness in relation to self, bosses, organisation, colleagues, peers and social responsibility. While I was reading through the comments, what struck me was how different the views were even though we all work in the same profession.

The comments had one thing in common - they all had a sense of positivity. Some qualities did come up consistently. The responses from the participating PAs can be summarised as follows:

In relation to self - They said, among other things: ability to multi task; respect for accuracy; able to balance work and life; commitment; self-confidence; well-groomed; honesty; the right attitude, integrity, sound morals and values; keen to advance within profession, and willing to succeed.

It's difficult to choose the top three attributes that represent greatness in relation to self. Mine would be passion, confidence and self-knowledge - and I would focus on the imperative for a healthy balance between work and personal life.

In relation to bosses - The participating PAs said: show ability to work under pressure; appreciation of importance of feedback; committed to pre-empting needs and exceeding expectations; staying flexible; being a good listener; working on maintaining a good relationship; respecting the boss for his/her special values; caring for the bigger picture etc.

In my view, greatness is demonstrated when a PA and her boss work together seamlessly as a team, they respect and trust each other, and they communicate effectively. You immediately get the sense that they are on the same page.

In relation to organisation - In this case they said: having and showing ambassadorial skills, business acumen, business astuteness, planning and organisational skills, dedication, passion, optimism but also prudence, perseverance, enthusiasm and loyalty. A PA that is knowledgeable about her organisation, who exudes confidence without being arrogant, and who communicates well with all stakeholders embodies greatness in my opinion.

In relation to colleagues - The PAs' suggestions included being accountable; able to build a support system; showing a can-do attitude; setting example of performing to full potential; being someone others can count on; being co-operative; showing empathy; being kind and helping others etc.I look up to colleagues who lead by example, have a can-do attitude and they communicate well with superiors and subordinates alike.

In relation to peers and secretarial community - acknowledge success; network and be actively involved in matters dealing with the profession; show attention to detail, show companionship; be encouraging; lead by example and become a role model; offer moral support, share knowledge and expertise.Peers should share the passion for their profession and foster companionship and a sense of unity. In the greater secretarial community, there should be a sense of belonging, pride and mutual respect and understanding for its members to benefit from the association.

In relation to social responsibility - PAs believe that the attribute of greatness here means: being aware; caring; involved; empathetic, encouraging ethical business practices; following through on commitments; exercising innovating thinking and solutions, supporting mentorship programmes; and valuing teamwork.The goal to strive towards is to achieve greatness in all the areas described above. It's all about striking the balance between a great career and a great personal life.

Copies of the A-Z of Smart Working for PAs and office managers are available by calling 011-616-7401 or e-mail queenie@dictum.co.za