The first day of the conference is dedicated to assertiveness. This multi award-winning course will build your self-esteem and sense of self-worth so you begin to see yourself as not just the assistant to an important person but as an extension of their management style and vision.
Today’s PA needs to be more of an executive associate. We will help you acquire the confidence to become the assistant your manager needs. As a result, you’ll feel much more comfortable in your role, making decisions, dealing with clients, and asking colleagues to carry out those tasks that advance the objectives of the organisation. You will begin to share your manager’s ‘bigger picture’ outlook, rather than the more limited horizons of the traditional secretarial-based PA.
We also make sure you appreciate your own true worth – not just to your manager and yourself, but to the whole organisation. We’ll arm you with the confidence and assertiveness necessary to be not just good at your job - but brilliant at it.
Major elements covered on this day include:
• Defining your role
• Managing your manager
• Being more assertive
• Dealing with difficult people
• Saying ‘No’ without feeling guilty
• Managing your time
• Handling stress
• Bonus Session: Hybrid Working
This day is only available to conference attendees and cannot be booked on its own.
Opening Remarks
By the Conference chair Paul Pennant.
Speed Networking
This quick icebreaker will give you an opportunity to meet other PAs and EAs in the room helping you feel more comfortable and at ease for the rest of the day.
Thinking Strategically for the Future
Our working lives are always changing, but what drives those changes, and what is coming towards us in the coming years? To help us plan for the future we need to get above the everyday urgencies and consider the bigger picture. In this interactive session, Phil will share the essential tools which enable you to think strategically, while connecting the bigger picture to a level where you can do something about them.
For Personal and Executive Assistants, the ability to see how the wider strategic picture can influence what is seen as urgent or important can help make the difference to the professionalism they bring to their role.
The ability to relate what is immediately in front of you to the organisation’s values and mission also provides the opportunity to develop your thinking about the importance of the Assistant role.
This session will enable you to align your work with the language and terminology of strategy and improve effectiveness by considering how your organisation can adapt and grow.
Tea & Networking
Empowering Assistant Excellence
Personal and Executive Assistants in modern organisations engage with their roles and responsibilities aiming to produce good work with speed and accuracy. But in some companies Assistants can struggle to understand the objectives of the business and what is expected of employees. This creates a gap between executives and Assistants, and as a result, neither the organisation nor the Assistant are able to maximise their potential. Failing to offer top level training in the most vital skills - ICT (information, communication and technology) - affects the productivity of Assistants as well as their employers.
Dr Neslyn Watson-Druée will address this and other challenges Assistants face every day in the workplace. Based on her long-term experience as a leader and executive coach, she will provide valuable insights on how these problems can be overcome and will offer practical tips on how Assistants themselves can make their roles better remunerated, more valued and more enjoyable.
In our Expert PAnel, speakers and guests reveal what they look for when recruiting a new assistant, and discuss the qualities and characteristics that go make a great PA/EA. Is it a specific skillset, technical ability, or experience? Or do they look beyond the CV, and consider the whole team dynamic? With such a cross section of industries and organisations represented, there will certainly be a range of views on offer!
PAnellists:
Phil Ingle, Leadership & Strategy Consultant
Dr Neslyn Watson-Druée CBE, Executive Coach & Business Psychologist
Alicia May Morton, Money, Mindset & Confidence Coach
Sarah Howson, Founder & Director at Strategic PA Recruitment
Marianne Whitlock, Director at Strategic PA Recruitment
Lunch
Resilience: Awareness & Building
So how resilient are you? ``Resilience`` a word that’s thrown around in many corporate settings as a focus for the wellness of colleagues and the capacity that each individual holds in response to any given moment or situation. Your resilience is your SUPER POWER & it's time to learn all about what makes the ``tough`` stuff & how you can flex your mental muscle. Awareness is the first step in building your mental strength. As a PA or support member of staff you'll be subjected to high pressured environments, tight deadlines and sudden changes day to day. So grab your notebooks & pens and get ready for a 45 minute deep dive into the world of this all important topic. You ready to tap into that big old juicy brain of yours? Let's go!
Group Discussion: Hybrid Working or Not Working
Tea & Networking
PAul’s All-Time Favourite Microsoft Tips
Get ready for some surprising tricks! PAul will demonstrate how numerous tasks across MS Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel can be accomplished in seconds without even touching your mouse - when you know the right keyboard shortcuts. We promise this session will save you time, and show you how to produce amazing, professional documents, spreadsheets and presentations. With these breath-taking shortcuts, it needn’t take you hours!
Our PAnel of Assistants and managers discuss their experiences of working together and share the secrets of building a successful rapport. They will also answer questions on overcoming challenges, dealing with difficult situations, and what to do when this vital relationship hits a bump in the road!
Review & Close