Coffee Break Confidential. Real-Life Tales from Assistants. Christina Maslova
of what you have proposed;
• learn to listen and hear comments of your colleagues.
To be proactive means – that you should run for the job, and not vice versa. To wait when somebody will come and propose you something will not work. In this case, your reputation in the company will be zero.
Be open to new tasks, even if they are not in zone of your responsibility. Keep your eyes open and look around. There is always a lot of what should be done. You need just come and take it. This will increase your visibility in the company, will show your interest to develop yourself, help you to communicate more with your colleagues. And, all this – your way to career growth.
For example, you found out that there is a lack of communication between assistant’s block and one of the departments. Take the lead role, propose to your colleagues, that you will take this job and on, let’s say, monthly basis, will prepare the short communication letter with update. Agree on format, with your colleagues think about the content and move ahead. It’s simpler than it seems to be.
You need just one thing – start doing this.
VI. If Partners Can Help in Your Daily Routine?
Here, I would like stop by on the following. Assistants work not just with colleagues, but with companies-partners, who provide us different services. It can be travel support, events organization, suppliers (for example, furniture, food, etc.). And the reliable supplier – it’s a big help in our daily routine. I think it’s great when you find company and people there understand your needs, they do more, and try to find the best solution for you.
Of course, a lot depends on your skills as communicator. And this is also one of the skills which can be developed. Be sure that your partners stay with you during your whole career – doesn’t matter where you work. If you know that there are people whom you can rely on – it’s also your way to be more efficient.
And not to waste your time looking for the new supplier. Assistants have very limited free time. It should be spend with value.
When I come to new company, I always try to find out which suppliers company already work with and set up good relations with them in shortest period. Every supplier – from stationary to travel. If I need more, for example, private jets – I propose, evaluate the cost and we decide if we should sign the contract. It is myth that assistants should do everything by themselves. Nothing at all. It’s simply impossible. You should control others to do it for you.
I remember I had to arrange the corporate teambuilding in Portugal. Our local agency proposed interesting, but very expensive option. Usually, what you do – you send the request to travel agent and they book everything from tickets to food. But it costs too much. During our meeting with general director, my boss actually, we looked on costs, on budget and I told – let me organize myself. The question – are you sure that you can handle it – was not stupid, because they did not know that I have already done it once, you will read about this teambuilding further on in the book. So, why not?
But, should I say that of course I haven’t’ done everything by myself. The tickets were bought through our usual travel agent, whom we work with on a business trips. The hotel was booked directly in Portugal. The guide and transfers were found by asking my colleague in Portugal. Of course, they advised the local, much cheaper travel agent, who arranged everything from guide and excursions to food and presents. And we have made the economy of 2—3 thousands Euro I think.
So, if partners can help you? Of course. Should you use all the resources to make your life easier? Certainly yes. Should you talk to your colleagues and partners abroad and ask for help? Definitely.
VII. Confessional —
My Most Embarrassing Mistake
Assistants are very attentive people, and mistake it’s something more exceptional, than the rule. But sometimes, it happens.
I asked my colleagues to share stories about the mistakes they made in their work and tell them how they got out of difficult situations. Some of them are funny, and this proves once again that sometimes a sense of humour is essential in our work.
Funny thing – there are just few examples, because most of my colleagues couldn’t remember anything serious, and this is one more prove that assistants can do the mistakes, but improve the situation quickly and nobody knows about it ☺
“I forgot to order a taxi. To my luck, the hotel was not far from the office. When in the morning the chief came on foot and said that a car had not arrived behind him, there was no limit to my horror. I just started working in the company, and there it is. Despite this, the chief laughed, said that the walk helped him in the fight against obesity and no longer recalled the incident. I remember about it so far. But, for several years now, I have never forgotten about ordering a taxi. They say that they learn from mistakes” – Helen L.
“I confused the dates when booking tickets. It is good that I discovered this by myself a few days before departure. Thanks to a good relationship with the manager of the agency where we book tickets, I changed them without penalties” – Sandra T.
“My chef does not eat flour (pasta, bread, etc.). When ordering lunch to the office, I always ask to exclude croutons from the salad. We even had to once change the restaurant, when in the one we use, the toasts were nevertheless put several times. Chef is very angry. And then, whether I was running in, or at the same time answering the call, in general, having already placed the food on the table in the office, I looked at the salad, and on top lay a pile of toasts. Well, I did not check it… it was too late to rush with a plate to the kitchen through the whole office; in the corridor I heard the voice of the chief. In general, I had to shove the croutons from the salad into my jacket pocket. Then I shook crumbs for a long time” – Ashley S.
“My boss asked to order flowers to one of our partners, and the addresses were mixed up. So, the flowers were delivered to another partner (luckily, she was woman too!). Surprise! I don’t remember what kind of explanation my boss gave to the lady, who has got flowers by mistake. But, of course, we had to order another ones. We laughed and the point was taken for future to double check everything” – Ingrid F.
And what is your the most embarrassing mistake? ☺
VIII. You Will Never Know What You Have To Do Today
Sometimes, the requests from your boss can be strange, and sometimes funny. So, if colleagues tell you that you need sense of humor – trust us, because we know why.
So, what else we can do. My list is:
• To communicate with his\her “ex”;
• To receive the permission from landlord to paint the wall in apartment into pink;
• To walk with dog in the middle of working day in the city center;
• Bake cake and stand quietly on the sideline until boss tries to prove that did it himself;
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
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