Minute taking can seem scary at first but once you know what you need to record, you will get better at it over time. My next minute-taking webinar will be on May 31 at 1 p.m. EST and I will go over the basics of minute taking as well as the actual process so you will feel more confident in this role. This webinar is well suited for those who have never taken minutes but want to learn, beginners or those at an intermediate level. If you are interested in joining me, please click here to register.
Business Management Daily also offers an advanced minute taking course with Christy Crump and I would encourage those who are interested in that webinar to sign up for it here.
May 15, 2013
March 30, 2013
How do you stay organized?
I replied to this question on a Linked In forum so thought it was worth repeating here. If I was an employer, I would want to ask this question of any admin who was applying at my organization.
Since it is almost second nature to most admins to be organized it is sometimes difficult to answer, but it is just for this reason that it needs to be asked. An admin has to be a strong organizer so they don't want to hire someone who isn't.
When answering this question think about what you do when you first come in in the morning. After I turn my computer on and it is loading, I check my voicemail messages and write anything down that I need to follow up on, action or pass along. I then go through my emails and prioritize what is urgent for the day. Our job is to keep our boss organized, so at the end of the day I get everything ready for him for the next day by providing meeting materials, travel tickets, reservation information etc. I do this by having a good bring-forward system and then I explain my system of ensuring I have everything when I need it.
I make checklists so nothing is missed and I have a to-do list for daily work but also for projects to keep things on track. To keep my boss organized, I also need to be organized by keeping my desk clutter free and having a place for everything and within easy reach. I also pile my work to the left of my computer in order of priority. It often gets reprioritized as more urgent matters come up but it is a good system. I have what I call a Wait bin where I put things that I am waiting for an answer. I go through this each morning to see if there is any follow up I need to do. I also do this with my emails and have a TO-DO folder where I put anything I need to follow up on and go through that each day.
You should always try to give real examples in an interview. Think about a big project you've successfully completed and then walk them through how you accomplished it. They will then have confidence that you are able to to the job.
A big mistake some employers make is to assume that anyone can do our job. It is a smart employer who asks this question.
Since it is almost second nature to most admins to be organized it is sometimes difficult to answer, but it is just for this reason that it needs to be asked. An admin has to be a strong organizer so they don't want to hire someone who isn't.
When answering this question think about what you do when you first come in in the morning. After I turn my computer on and it is loading, I check my voicemail messages and write anything down that I need to follow up on, action or pass along. I then go through my emails and prioritize what is urgent for the day. Our job is to keep our boss organized, so at the end of the day I get everything ready for him for the next day by providing meeting materials, travel tickets, reservation information etc. I do this by having a good bring-forward system and then I explain my system of ensuring I have everything when I need it.
I make checklists so nothing is missed and I have a to-do list for daily work but also for projects to keep things on track. To keep my boss organized, I also need to be organized by keeping my desk clutter free and having a place for everything and within easy reach. I also pile my work to the left of my computer in order of priority. It often gets reprioritized as more urgent matters come up but it is a good system. I have what I call a Wait bin where I put things that I am waiting for an answer. I go through this each morning to see if there is any follow up I need to do. I also do this with my emails and have a TO-DO folder where I put anything I need to follow up on and go through that each day.
You should always try to give real examples in an interview. Think about a big project you've successfully completed and then walk them through how you accomplished it. They will then have confidence that you are able to to the job.
A big mistake some employers make is to assume that anyone can do our job. It is a smart employer who asks this question.
December 14, 2012
Happiness is an Empty Inbox
I have mentioned it a few times that when my desk is cluttered then I feel cluttered. I like to put everything in its place so I will find it easily. Is it any wonder if my Outlook is messy and cluttered that I feel the same way?
I was at a recent IAAP Chapter meeting and we were discussing best practices for organizing our Inboxes and there were a lot of good ideas. The bottom line is to keep it simple. I've been meaning to tackle my Inbox so decided I would try that theory and is it ever nice. My Inbox is empty and it feels wonderful! Similar to when I have a nice and tidy desk.
The first step is take control of your emails and don't let them take control of you
One of the things I have found helpful is to turn my email notification off. I don't miss anything as I check my Inbox regularly and the good thing is if I am in the middle of something, I don't get distracted by that little message in the corner that tells me I have new mail. My only exception is for emails from my boss. I opened a new folder for him under my Inbox and set a Rule for all his emails to go there and set a special ring so I know it's him and can then check the folder. It works well.
The next step is to do something with the email right away
The key is to get it out of your Inbox as soon as possible even if it means just dragging it to a To-Do folder to deal with later. I know, I know, that seems scarey but I've tried it and it works. I named the folder _TO DO so it files right under my Inbox and therefore is very noticeable. Sometimes the email is such that you can just answer it with a simple yes or no and that takes care of that email. You need to determine what is best to do with it but you need to do something.
Finally, have four or five key folders that work for you
Other than my TO DO folder and the special folder for my boss, I opened folders specific to my job such as BOARD OF DIRECTORS and another one for SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM. Anything that is for action goes in my _TO DO folder and once I have handled it I can either delete it or put it in one of the other folders that it relates to for easy reference.
I also have a folder for READING, where I put anything that is for information that I can read later and one for PERSONAL, where I drag all emails that are not work related. Now my Outlook is very organized and easy to use.
Making use of Rules can also be a time saver. Under my Sent folder I have sub folders for emails that I send my boss, the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team. When I send anything to these groups it automatically moves it into the appropriate folder. I find that this helps me to find the emails quickly and narrows my search down. Instead of searching through all my Sent items, I can quickly do a search in a specific folder and that eliminates finding other things with similar subjects. By setting the Rule I now don't even have to drag it to a folder as it just goes there automatically.
When we were talking at the table what interested me was that people were using their email folders for filing and that was never its intent. I save any important emails on my Server just like any other correspondence, because that is what it is. We use email more and more as our first choice of business correspondence so it should be filed the same way. I am not saying you shouldn't store some emails as it is helpful to have them there when you need to go back and check what someone said but they shouldn't be kept indefinitely. I usually clean out my folders every six months to free up space. If I haven't used it in six months and I've saved anything that is important, then I can be fairly certain I can delete it.
I was at a recent IAAP Chapter meeting and we were discussing best practices for organizing our Inboxes and there were a lot of good ideas. The bottom line is to keep it simple. I've been meaning to tackle my Inbox so decided I would try that theory and is it ever nice. My Inbox is empty and it feels wonderful! Similar to when I have a nice and tidy desk.
The first step is take control of your emails and don't let them take control of you
One of the things I have found helpful is to turn my email notification off. I don't miss anything as I check my Inbox regularly and the good thing is if I am in the middle of something, I don't get distracted by that little message in the corner that tells me I have new mail. My only exception is for emails from my boss. I opened a new folder for him under my Inbox and set a Rule for all his emails to go there and set a special ring so I know it's him and can then check the folder. It works well.
The next step is to do something with the email right away
The key is to get it out of your Inbox as soon as possible even if it means just dragging it to a To-Do folder to deal with later. I know, I know, that seems scarey but I've tried it and it works. I named the folder _TO DO so it files right under my Inbox and therefore is very noticeable. Sometimes the email is such that you can just answer it with a simple yes or no and that takes care of that email. You need to determine what is best to do with it but you need to do something.
Finally, have four or five key folders that work for you
Other than my TO DO folder and the special folder for my boss, I opened folders specific to my job such as BOARD OF DIRECTORS and another one for SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM. Anything that is for action goes in my _TO DO folder and once I have handled it I can either delete it or put it in one of the other folders that it relates to for easy reference.
I also have a folder for READING, where I put anything that is for information that I can read later and one for PERSONAL, where I drag all emails that are not work related. Now my Outlook is very organized and easy to use.
Making use of Rules can also be a time saver. Under my Sent folder I have sub folders for emails that I send my boss, the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team. When I send anything to these groups it automatically moves it into the appropriate folder. I find that this helps me to find the emails quickly and narrows my search down. Instead of searching through all my Sent items, I can quickly do a search in a specific folder and that eliminates finding other things with similar subjects. By setting the Rule I now don't even have to drag it to a folder as it just goes there automatically.
When we were talking at the table what interested me was that people were using their email folders for filing and that was never its intent. I save any important emails on my Server just like any other correspondence, because that is what it is. We use email more and more as our first choice of business correspondence so it should be filed the same way. I am not saying you shouldn't store some emails as it is helpful to have them there when you need to go back and check what someone said but they shouldn't be kept indefinitely. I usually clean out my folders every six months to free up space. If I haven't used it in six months and I've saved anything that is important, then I can be fairly certain I can delete it.
August 4, 2012
Caution: Enter at your own risk!
I once worked with someone who had body language that you could read like a book. Stern looks, sad demeanor, very angry looking at times, interrupting while you were talking, especially when they were not in agreement, by harrumphing, sighing and rolling the eyes. It was disconcerting, but this person didn't appear to be aware they were doing it.
I think the first step is to acknowledge you are doing it and recognize that it as a problem. Once you realize that it is happening, you can watch for it and correct your behaviour. You have to look at yourself as a total package with hard skills (such as what you need to do to get the job done) and soft skills (such as how you are perceived by others, how you treat people, how you behave around people). You can be the best there is as an organizer, event planner or trainer, but if you don't come across as friendly or approachable, you will not be successful.
I was at a course recently for new supervisors and they recommended smiling on the phone. It is hard to smile without it changing your outlook and reaching others, even over the phone. Just the whole thought of smiling for the sake of smiling, would put a smile on my face. I am smiling just picturing it.
Another thing that has helped me is by seeing myself in a video, or in a photo. Especially when I am not aware of it. Sometimes I have had the sternest look on my face that would even scare me. No wonder people are intimidated. I think when we are very focussed on our work any interruption can be seen as intrusive.
Depending on where you work, it may matter even more how you present yourself. For example, if you are the first person people meet, then you have to train yourself to stop, smile and focus on the person you are greeting. Never have half an eye on them and the other reading a document, typing an email or tidying your desk. Turn around to greet them if your back is to them. Yes, it is an interruption, but showing bad body language will not help. If it is a constant interruption problem, then you need to deal with that issue and approach the person separately. Communication is better said out loud. People read different signals so don't leave it to chance.
Sometimes the position of your desk and computer can solve the problem. If it is an easy thing to do, have your desk moved, or move your computer, so your back is not to people when they come into your office space. It may be hard at first, especially if you are busy, but take the time to face the person and show them respect as a human being by acknowledging them and if you are busy just say, "I'm sorry, but I am extremely busy right now, can I get back to you later?" Or suggest they send you an email and when you have a moment you will get back to them.
My boss is a very focussed person and he doesn't like it if I interrupt him, although many times I am waiting for an answer and can't move forward on a project unless I hear from him, but I have learnt when I see him focussed to back out of his office and either write it down to ask when he comes up for air or schedule a time with him when we can talk face to face. You should ask yourself before interrupting, "Is it really that important that I get an answer right this minute or is it just me wanting the answer right now?" You will be surprised how many things can really wait. Since you are the scheduler for your boss's calendar then setting yourself weekly meetings will be a real help to cut down on the interruptions. Of course, my boss interrupts me constantly throughout the day, but then again he is my boss and I am there to assist him. I have also been an assistant for many years and have learnt that interruptions are just a matter of course in this profession. They are going to happen so you need to learn to expect them and plan for them in your day.
If you have an office door, close it when you are in extreme focus mode. Or try a bit of humour if you are in an office cubicle and put a sign up such as, "Deadline to meet, enter at your own risk" and have a funny cartoon picture of some frazzled person with stacks of paper. You are getting the message across, but doing it in a humorous way. Don't overuse it though or it will lose its effectiveness and if you greet the public, this would not be a good first impression to give.
I will not say I have mastered being the calm, professional and poised work colleague all the time, but I've certainly come a long way by recognizing that there is always room to improve. After all, we are all a work in progress.
I think the first step is to acknowledge you are doing it and recognize that it as a problem. Once you realize that it is happening, you can watch for it and correct your behaviour. You have to look at yourself as a total package with hard skills (such as what you need to do to get the job done) and soft skills (such as how you are perceived by others, how you treat people, how you behave around people). You can be the best there is as an organizer, event planner or trainer, but if you don't come across as friendly or approachable, you will not be successful.
I was at a course recently for new supervisors and they recommended smiling on the phone. It is hard to smile without it changing your outlook and reaching others, even over the phone. Just the whole thought of smiling for the sake of smiling, would put a smile on my face. I am smiling just picturing it.
Another thing that has helped me is by seeing myself in a video, or in a photo. Especially when I am not aware of it. Sometimes I have had the sternest look on my face that would even scare me. No wonder people are intimidated. I think when we are very focussed on our work any interruption can be seen as intrusive.
Depending on where you work, it may matter even more how you present yourself. For example, if you are the first person people meet, then you have to train yourself to stop, smile and focus on the person you are greeting. Never have half an eye on them and the other reading a document, typing an email or tidying your desk. Turn around to greet them if your back is to them. Yes, it is an interruption, but showing bad body language will not help. If it is a constant interruption problem, then you need to deal with that issue and approach the person separately. Communication is better said out loud. People read different signals so don't leave it to chance.
Sometimes the position of your desk and computer can solve the problem. If it is an easy thing to do, have your desk moved, or move your computer, so your back is not to people when they come into your office space. It may be hard at first, especially if you are busy, but take the time to face the person and show them respect as a human being by acknowledging them and if you are busy just say, "I'm sorry, but I am extremely busy right now, can I get back to you later?" Or suggest they send you an email and when you have a moment you will get back to them.
My boss is a very focussed person and he doesn't like it if I interrupt him, although many times I am waiting for an answer and can't move forward on a project unless I hear from him, but I have learnt when I see him focussed to back out of his office and either write it down to ask when he comes up for air or schedule a time with him when we can talk face to face. You should ask yourself before interrupting, "Is it really that important that I get an answer right this minute or is it just me wanting the answer right now?" You will be surprised how many things can really wait. Since you are the scheduler for your boss's calendar then setting yourself weekly meetings will be a real help to cut down on the interruptions. Of course, my boss interrupts me constantly throughout the day, but then again he is my boss and I am there to assist him. I have also been an assistant for many years and have learnt that interruptions are just a matter of course in this profession. They are going to happen so you need to learn to expect them and plan for them in your day.
If you have an office door, close it when you are in extreme focus mode. Or try a bit of humour if you are in an office cubicle and put a sign up such as, "Deadline to meet, enter at your own risk" and have a funny cartoon picture of some frazzled person with stacks of paper. You are getting the message across, but doing it in a humorous way. Don't overuse it though or it will lose its effectiveness and if you greet the public, this would not be a good first impression to give.
I will not say I have mastered being the calm, professional and poised work colleague all the time, but I've certainly come a long way by recognizing that there is always room to improve. After all, we are all a work in progress.
July 14, 2012
The job of looking for a job
I have been involved in conducting a few interviews for admin jobs and here are two of the main things I have noticed about those who are unsuccessful: resumes are out of date and not relevant to the job applied for and the person was not prepared for the interview. When you go for an interview you have to keep in mind that they really do want to hire someone, but you have to make it worth their while to hire you. Look at being unemployed as a full-time job and what you are trying to do is sell yourself.
Here is what I recommend.
1) Do try the temp agencies. It is better to be working. When on a temp job, work as if you are on probation all the time. You never know who is observing you.
2) When you go on an interview and are not successful, ask for feedback. What could you have done better? What was it that they didn't think qualified you for the job? Many times I have interviewed people and wished they would ask because I wanted to tell them what they could do differently so they would be successful.
3) Find someone to mentor you. A friend, former colleague, former boss - someone who can look over your resume for you, practice the interview with you and give you pointers.
4) It matters what you wear, your hairstyle, how you present yourself, body odour, bad breath, too much perfume etc. etc. They will make their impression of you in the first few seconds. Make it count. This is another area your mentor can help you.
5) Do research about each company you are applying for. It is easier nowadays with the Internet, so take the time to find out about them.
6) If you can search them, be sure they will search for your name on the Internet as well. What does your online presence say about you? What are you saying in chat rooms, on FaceBook, Twitter etc.
7) Be prepared with a few questions when you go to the interview but also look for things to ask in the interview. Consider it a two-way conversation. Don't go in just to answer questions. You want to find out whether you want to work there as well. It's all in the attitude. Their questions can oftentimes be turned around into a question that you can ask. Especially if you don't know the answer i.e. What are your career objectives? Your question could be "What opportunities does your company have for growth?" You may find they will start to try and win you over.
8) Be aware of your body language. Are you relaxed, too relaxed, tight lipped, arms folded and legs crossed, say 'um' too much, hem and haw etc. A mentor can help with this as well.
9) Be positive, pleasant, friendly, smile and shake hands and make eye contact when you first come into the room.
10) Be pleasant to the receptionist as well. They will likely ask his or her impression of you. Don't text or be on a cell phone while in the waiting room. You might inadvertently say something that will be overheard and work against you.
11) Choose some good references and make sure you contact them ahead of time to ask permission to use their name and to let them know they may be contacted.
12) Send a thank you card very soon after the interview. It may not help you be successful for this job, although I do find it makes you stand out, but there may be another job that they will immediately think of you for.
All the best to everyone who is looking. Someone is looking for you as well, you just need to help them find you.
Patricia
Here is what I recommend.
1) Do try the temp agencies. It is better to be working. When on a temp job, work as if you are on probation all the time. You never know who is observing you.
2) When you go on an interview and are not successful, ask for feedback. What could you have done better? What was it that they didn't think qualified you for the job? Many times I have interviewed people and wished they would ask because I wanted to tell them what they could do differently so they would be successful.
3) Find someone to mentor you. A friend, former colleague, former boss - someone who can look over your resume for you, practice the interview with you and give you pointers.
4) It matters what you wear, your hairstyle, how you present yourself, body odour, bad breath, too much perfume etc. etc. They will make their impression of you in the first few seconds. Make it count. This is another area your mentor can help you.
5) Do research about each company you are applying for. It is easier nowadays with the Internet, so take the time to find out about them.
6) If you can search them, be sure they will search for your name on the Internet as well. What does your online presence say about you? What are you saying in chat rooms, on FaceBook, Twitter etc.
7) Be prepared with a few questions when you go to the interview but also look for things to ask in the interview. Consider it a two-way conversation. Don't go in just to answer questions. You want to find out whether you want to work there as well. It's all in the attitude. Their questions can oftentimes be turned around into a question that you can ask. Especially if you don't know the answer i.e. What are your career objectives? Your question could be "What opportunities does your company have for growth?" You may find they will start to try and win you over.
8) Be aware of your body language. Are you relaxed, too relaxed, tight lipped, arms folded and legs crossed, say 'um' too much, hem and haw etc. A mentor can help with this as well.
9) Be positive, pleasant, friendly, smile and shake hands and make eye contact when you first come into the room.
10) Be pleasant to the receptionist as well. They will likely ask his or her impression of you. Don't text or be on a cell phone while in the waiting room. You might inadvertently say something that will be overheard and work against you.
11) Choose some good references and make sure you contact them ahead of time to ask permission to use their name and to let them know they may be contacted.
12) Send a thank you card very soon after the interview. It may not help you be successful for this job, although I do find it makes you stand out, but there may be another job that they will immediately think of you for.
All the best to everyone who is looking. Someone is looking for you as well, you just need to help them find you.
Patricia
July 8, 2012
At Your Service
The admin role is a service-oriented position. Basically we are there to serve management - whether that be one executive or multiple managers and staff members. Managing our time can become more challenging when serving more than one person. Not that the volume is greater, because as someone who serves the CEO of our organization, I know that is not the case, but because it is coming from multiple sources it can seem overwhelming. This is where we have to be creative in managing our time and workloads and an admin team can be invaluable in helping you accomplish that.
In this time of government cutbacks each of us is responsible to show that our job adds value to the organization. I find when we are part of a functioning admin team, then we can show that even more. We are each responsible for managing our workloads and sometimes the work just becomes too much for one person and we throw our hands up and say we just can't do it! And that is probably accurate, we can't on our own, but if you are part of a team of admins it is highly unlikely that each of you are at the same point at the same time. While you are overly busy, another person may be trying to find work to do. But you need a way of communicating that to each other so you are able to share the workload and help each other out. This is where the admin team can help, with regular meetings to strategize about upcoming projects and how the work can be divvied up, to share concerns with your team mates and get support, whether it be encouragement, physical help or tips on how to do a job more efficiently.
The beauty of the admin position is that each of us probably do very similar things that can easily be passed from one to the other. If we are part of an admin team then as work comes in we can accept it, whether we think we just can't take on one more thing or not, and then we farm the work out to our team members. It still requires good management of our time, but the goal is to make the process look seamless and all the manager should know is that the job was done and on time. They don't really need to know how it was accomplished. This adds value to not only your position, but the admins as a whole.
I find that typically when management are thinking of cutting back, the admin pool and middle management generally are where they look to make the cuts. If we are seen as not performing by always saying no we can't do it (whether it is justified or not), then it becomes an easier choice for them to decide who needs to go. My motto is to say yes when they hand you the work and then manage the workload by passing it on if you can't do it yourself. Isn't that the point of a team - to help each other out and to make it look like a single effort?
If you do not have an admin team in your office, why not be the first to suggest it and make the case that it will be beneficial to all? In our office we have even created an email distribution list for the admin team to make it easier to communicate with each other - and communication is the key, as well as a good team spirit amongst all the team members. Even those who might not be a team player at first, when they see the benefits to themselves, come on board pretty quickly.
If you are a single admin in an office then managing your workload is still something you need to do well. When multiple people ask you to do a job, you need to prioritize what needs to be done first and sometimes that requires you to ask the person who is giving you the job, especially when two competing managers have asked you to do something and need it at the same time. It is OK to hold up your hands and explain both jobs that need to be done and ask which needs to be done first.
I think with the attitude that you are there to serve, you can never go wrong and you will be seen as a valuable asset to your organization.
In this time of government cutbacks each of us is responsible to show that our job adds value to the organization. I find when we are part of a functioning admin team, then we can show that even more. We are each responsible for managing our workloads and sometimes the work just becomes too much for one person and we throw our hands up and say we just can't do it! And that is probably accurate, we can't on our own, but if you are part of a team of admins it is highly unlikely that each of you are at the same point at the same time. While you are overly busy, another person may be trying to find work to do. But you need a way of communicating that to each other so you are able to share the workload and help each other out. This is where the admin team can help, with regular meetings to strategize about upcoming projects and how the work can be divvied up, to share concerns with your team mates and get support, whether it be encouragement, physical help or tips on how to do a job more efficiently.
The beauty of the admin position is that each of us probably do very similar things that can easily be passed from one to the other. If we are part of an admin team then as work comes in we can accept it, whether we think we just can't take on one more thing or not, and then we farm the work out to our team members. It still requires good management of our time, but the goal is to make the process look seamless and all the manager should know is that the job was done and on time. They don't really need to know how it was accomplished. This adds value to not only your position, but the admins as a whole.
I find that typically when management are thinking of cutting back, the admin pool and middle management generally are where they look to make the cuts. If we are seen as not performing by always saying no we can't do it (whether it is justified or not), then it becomes an easier choice for them to decide who needs to go. My motto is to say yes when they hand you the work and then manage the workload by passing it on if you can't do it yourself. Isn't that the point of a team - to help each other out and to make it look like a single effort?
If you do not have an admin team in your office, why not be the first to suggest it and make the case that it will be beneficial to all? In our office we have even created an email distribution list for the admin team to make it easier to communicate with each other - and communication is the key, as well as a good team spirit amongst all the team members. Even those who might not be a team player at first, when they see the benefits to themselves, come on board pretty quickly.
If you are a single admin in an office then managing your workload is still something you need to do well. When multiple people ask you to do a job, you need to prioritize what needs to be done first and sometimes that requires you to ask the person who is giving you the job, especially when two competing managers have asked you to do something and need it at the same time. It is OK to hold up your hands and explain both jobs that need to be done and ask which needs to be done first.
I think with the attitude that you are there to serve, you can never go wrong and you will be seen as a valuable asset to your organization.
June 12, 2012
Retirement
I haven't been posting in awhile as I have been considering retiring the blog. I will continue to write a few articles now and then, but have been spending more time on finalizing another book, giving webinars on minute taking and I would like to expand into other speaking opportunities where I feel my expertise can be used.
I will leave my blog up and running as there are over 400 articles that I want available to anyone who needs them, so please search the blog and I am sure you will find something or email me at patriciaannrobb@gmail.com with any questions you might have and I will try and answer them.
I will leave my blog up and running as there are over 400 articles that I want available to anyone who needs them, so please search the blog and I am sure you will find something or email me at patriciaannrobb@gmail.com with any questions you might have and I will try and answer them.
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