Admin Chronicles

Does Downtime Lead to Increased Productivity

Some days as an administrative assistant are horribly busy. You walk through the door and hit the ground running. The hours seem like a flurry of nonstop activity. At the end of the day, you feel exhausted but also proud of your accomplishments and productivity.

Other days are full of downtime. The minutes seem to drag into hours that don't seem to pass, no matter how much you want them to.

This downtime is an important part of your job. You need regular breaks in order to increase your productivity. Downtime gives you time to recharge emotionally, and it gives your body a little bit of a rest, physically.

Here’s how you can use downtime to further increase your productivity:

• Learn a new skill: Take time to research some new software application or learn about a new business trend.
• Network: Connect with other administrative professionals or send an email to that person you met at a professional conference last month.
• Plan: Use your time to work ahead on various tasks. That way, tomorrow can be steady, but not overwhelmingly busy.
• Brainstorm: Think about ways to make your job more efficient, to save the company money, or just to make your life easier.

Negotiating Your Salary Like A Pro (Part 2 of 2)

I recently wrote about salary negotiation commandments and mentioned that I believed the most important part of negotiations is knowing your own worth. I want to explore that aspect a little more today.

When I mention knowing your worth, I’m not talking about understanding your value as a human being. I’m not talking about a nebulous sense of self-confidence or the positive affirmations that you say to yourself in the mirror.

No, I’m talking about something much more concrete and much more valuable for the long run. I’m talking about the value of your work.

When you are negotiating your salary, you need to be able to discuss what you bring to the company in concrete terms. Here are some examples of the worth I believe in:

• Your efficient organization methods save other employees significant amounts of time.
• Your eye for detail helps you identify potential cost savings, both for you and for your boss.
• Your understanding of the latest office technologies means that documents, presentations, and projects are always professional and reflect well on the company.

These real-world tangibles are what your employer needs to hear about, and they are the types of worth that will earn you a salary increase or help land you your dream job.

Just be sure you can demonstrate that worth with specific examples from your past performance.

Negotiating Your Salary Like A Pro (Part 1 of 2)

Salary negotiations can be some of the roughest waters to navigate, whether you’re taking on a new job or working toward a raise in your current position.

I recently came across an article by “career doctor” Lee Miller. In the article, Miller offers ten commandments for negotiating your salary. They are:

1. Be prepared.
2. Recognize that employment negotiations are unique.
3. Understand your needs and those of your prospective employer.
4. Understand the dynamics of the particular negotiations.
5. Never lie, but use the truth to your advantage.
6. Understand the role fairness plays in the process.
7. Use uncertainty to your advantage.
8. Be creative.
9. Focus on your goals, not on winning.
10. Know when to quit bargaining.

This is excellent advice, to be sure. I’d add an 11^th commandment to this list:

11. Know your own worth.

It is self-confidence that helps you during salary negotiations more than anything else. Knowing that you are a valuable asset to a company or knowing that you could be a valuable part of a potential employer’s company gives you a head start in negotiations.

Identify the value that you add to a company, and be prepared to talk about that value in concrete terms. That discussion on value discussion can aid your salary negotiations.

An On-The-Job Intangible That Makes All The Difference: Integrity

There is one quality in your job that can’t be seen or measured, but it makes the difference between your ultimate success in your career and being stuck in a nowhere position for the rest of your days

It's integrity.

Integrity is the one quality that can’t be faked. It’s what makes you reliable. When combined with your skill set, integrity is what makes you invaluable to a company.

So, how do you maintain integrity and how do you measure this intangible asset? Several ways ensure your integrity is always without question:

• Keep accurate records. Don’t fudge number on expenses and keep every receipt.
• Be accountable. Show financial figures to your boss or another employee on a regular basis. Ask them to double-check the accuracy of the figures.
• Keep your word. Don’t lie or break promises. Follow through if you said you would. If a mishap occurs, take responsibility and avoid excuses or white lies.
• Don’t take advantage of people. Avoid becoming friends with someone because of possible advantages the person can grant. Never expect favors. Be cautious about calling in favors from friends, too.
• Pull your own weight. Give a full day’s work every day. Don’t expect someone else to pick up the slack for you.

Smoothing It Over: How You Can Resolve Conflicts Like A Pro

Office conflicts can be difficult for an administrative assistant to handle.

As an admin or executive assistant, you’re right there in the middle of the action, day in and day out. You’re bound to either get caught in a conflict of your own or get caught in the crossfire between two other people.

When that happens, you have to be prepared to try to resolve the conflict.

The first thing you need to do in order to resolve a conflict is to identify the root of the problem. If it’s a personality conflict, you’re going to handle the situation differently than if the problem is conflicting goals. Once you’ve identified the problem, then you can begin to work on resolving the conflict.

When you confront a person or people, try to speak calmly and rationally. Focus on facts and avoid personal attacks or blame. Use an open posture and body language, and watch your facial expressions. Be assertive, but don’t be aggressive.

You also need to listen well. If you’re going to resolve the conflict, you need to understand the other person's perspective. You also need to be interested and open-minded in those views so that you can be ready to address concerns.

Finally, communicate clearly what you want. Be willing to have some flexibility, but make sure you’re clear about what you need and why you're becoming involved.