Does anyone have a PA?
Discussion
Firstly this is PH everyone is a Powerfully Built Director etc etc
I'm thinking about seeing if a diary management PA would keep me more focused. Reminding me via a telephone call what I have planned for the day / week plus help with some basic remote tasks.
Does anyone have a PA? Does it save you time?
I'm thinking about seeing if a diary management PA would keep me more focused. Reminding me via a telephone call what I have planned for the day / week plus help with some basic remote tasks.
Does anyone have a PA? Does it save you time?
Ah one day... I can picture the scene....
Sitting at mahogony desk, in a wood panaled office, an oil painting of myself behind me.
Glass of single malt freshly poured from a crystal decanter kept in a nice drinks globe.
Push button on intercom. Bzzzz
"Annah, get me X. Did you pick up my dry cleaning?"
Annah puts down nail file, takes out gum.
"Yes sir, and you're already wearing it sir."
"Your fired, advertise your job and leave."
Sit back and take a drag on my cuban.
"I'm so lonely"
Tear rolls down cheak, onto tie, fade to black...................
Sitting at mahogony desk, in a wood panaled office, an oil painting of myself behind me.
Glass of single malt freshly poured from a crystal decanter kept in a nice drinks globe.
Push button on intercom. Bzzzz
"Annah, get me X. Did you pick up my dry cleaning?"
Annah puts down nail file, takes out gum.
"Yes sir, and you're already wearing it sir."
"Your fired, advertise your job and leave."
Sit back and take a drag on my cuban.
"I'm so lonely"
Tear rolls down cheak, onto tie, fade to black...................
I have a PA, I inherited her with the position.
She's very good, but as someone who doesn't struggle to manage my own time it's really of limited use. Probably costs me more time trying to find things for her to do than just managing it myself!
She's ended up with a whole load of other responsibilities though that are valuable, really has become a bit of a department admin.
She's very good, but as someone who doesn't struggle to manage my own time it's really of limited use. Probably costs me more time trying to find things for her to do than just managing it myself!
She's ended up with a whole load of other responsibilities though that are valuable, really has become a bit of a department admin.
rsbmw said:
I have a PA, I inherited her with the position.
She's very good, but as someone who doesn't struggle to manage my own time it's really of limited use. Probably costs me more time trying to find things for her to do than just managing it myself!
She's ended up with a whole load of other responsibilities though that are valuable, really has become a bit of a department admin.
Its very much the same where I am (medium size aerospace manufacturer) - The CEO/slash/directors have one PA, who does everything from meetings to organising the sandwiches - They keep getting "Absorbed" into the company into better roles after a year or so as they get to know the inner workings and people. She's very good, but as someone who doesn't struggle to manage my own time it's really of limited use. Probably costs me more time trying to find things for her to do than just managing it myself!
She's ended up with a whole load of other responsibilities though that are valuable, really has become a bit of a department admin.
User name said:
Its very much the same where I am (medium size aerospace manufacturer) - The CEO/slash/directors have one PA, who does everything from meetings to organising the sandwiches - They keep getting "Absorbed" into the company into better roles after a year or so as they get to know the inner workings and people.
It's silly really, our C levels have a couple of PAs who support the lot of them, whereas I, who report into C level, ended up with one to myself somehow.I can see how a good PA would be incredibly valuable when your diary is constantly maxed out with meetings and travel, I'm not in that position.
rsbmw said:
User name said:
Its very much the same where I am (medium size aerospace manufacturer) - The CEO/slash/directors have one PA, who does everything from meetings to organising the sandwiches - They keep getting "Absorbed" into the company into better roles after a year or so as they get to know the inner workings and people.
It's silly really, our C levels have a couple of PAs who support the lot of them, whereas I, who report into C level, ended up with one to myself somehow.I can see how a good PA would be incredibly valuable when your diary is constantly maxed out with meetings and travel, I'm not in that position.
So from another perspective. My OH is a PA and has been for about 12 years now. The last two jobs she's had one for an international director so was very busy and she had to sort his flights, meetings, connections, checking in, etc out. Also diary management & keeping an eye out in the real world of the business seems to be the most beneficial.
It depends very much on the PA but if you are quite an involved person and have a lot of people coming and wanting your time then get a PA. Even if you don't think you need one, try one by getting a temp for 3 months because you will instantly see you weren't good at time keeping and management of your diary because that PA will follow your lead for example her current director likes about 30 mins every 2 hours of free time to actually get some emails answered and have some time to think so the PA makes sure this is possible and all your meeting requests get put in via them. Again because they are involved with your direct reports and even some times their staff as a PA you get to see where things aren't working and if you have a good trusting relationship between the two of you it's good when your PA comes to you with ideas or things they've seen that could do with the director stepping in and helping.
So i'd say if you think you need one now then get one on a temporary basis, there's a lot of them out there and try them for 3 months. If you think they've made a difference to your work life and organisation then get a perm, if not you've tried it, you've seen what they can do and if you think you need one in the future then get one.
It depends very much on the PA but if you are quite an involved person and have a lot of people coming and wanting your time then get a PA. Even if you don't think you need one, try one by getting a temp for 3 months because you will instantly see you weren't good at time keeping and management of your diary because that PA will follow your lead for example her current director likes about 30 mins every 2 hours of free time to actually get some emails answered and have some time to think so the PA makes sure this is possible and all your meeting requests get put in via them. Again because they are involved with your direct reports and even some times their staff as a PA you get to see where things aren't working and if you have a good trusting relationship between the two of you it's good when your PA comes to you with ideas or things they've seen that could do with the director stepping in and helping.
So i'd say if you think you need one now then get one on a temporary basis, there's a lot of them out there and try them for 3 months. If you think they've made a difference to your work life and organisation then get a perm, if not you've tried it, you've seen what they can do and if you think you need one in the future then get one.
daemon said:
keirik said:
Other than that if you can't manage your own diary then I suggest business may not be the right thing for you ??
+1A huge number of people find that managing their business is challenging and having help is a necessity. In addition to small business owners are you also saying the MD/CEOs of large companies should not be in business because they have secretaries/PAs?!
I've had senior gigs with an EA, and without. I would say the benefit is directly in proportion to the amount of business travel you do. Echoing the comments above, if you are in a single location most days and your business is reasonably adept at Outlook and meeting management, then a dedicated EA is a luxury, though a shared one can be useful.
If you are doing any amount of complex travel though an assistant is worth every penny and all the duty free you can carry back for them. Having a single person to speak to who already knows the background and can respond to fix a problem while you are still in motion will save you enormous amounts of time and frustration.
If you are doing any amount of complex travel though an assistant is worth every penny and all the duty free you can carry back for them. Having a single person to speak to who already knows the background and can respond to fix a problem while you are still in motion will save you enormous amounts of time and frustration.
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