Administrative Professionals Week: How To Celebrate Your Supporting Cast
Posted by Warren Hammond
This week (April 24-30), businesses around the world celebrate Administrative Professionals Week. Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. Today, it is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays.
In recognition of this important celebration and the critical role supporting staff play around the office – and around the world – check out this post by Warren Hammond (Managing Director, Monster Benelux):
Napoleon famously said that ‘an army marches on its stomach” to explain the importance of the supply line in battle. I guess one element of his genius was that he could see the importance of those things which tended to be underestimated or unseen by others. Perhaps if he had been running a business today, he would appreciate the important role that effective administrative professionals play in supporting a successful organization.
It is often that unseen hand that ensures key meetings happen and are set up for a successful outcome. It is often that unseen influence which ensures that that the priorities which have been set at the start of the year remain in the agenda quarter after quarter and not to be replaced by the urgent but the unimportant.
It is often that unseen influence which brings a sensitive matter to the right person at the right time in the right way to ensure that it is heard properly and followed up on. It is often the unseen elbow which gently nudges you when deadlines are approaching to keep a project’s momentum alive.
They are the important links between departments, organizations, and people – the oil silencing the squeaky wheels or the early morning snowplows making sure that we can all go to work. But so often they are much more than that. The effective and successful secretary seems to possess a special ability to understand and feel the spirit or rhythm of their team.
They know what is needed when – whether it’s a sharp word to ensure focus, a moment to stop and listen or a great story to lighten the mood. Their position in the heart of everything gives them a unique insight into their work colleagues which can be used to good advantage.
The role of administrative professionals covers many different job functions but one thing that they do tend to share is the swan-like ability to get things done without making it look like hard work. That’s why a day to celebrate and recognize each and every of one is such a good idea.
I’m sure Napoleon would approve. Or as he might have said:” C’est la secrétaire qui fait l’organisation.”
For more on how to support the workers supporting your organizations’ success, check out the MonsterBoard Blog, WerkenVandaag (Work Today), a corporate discussion platform for sharing knowledge about the global labor market and international recruiting trends with the ‘world outside.’
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About the Author
Warren Hammond was appointed Managing Director of Monster Benelux in January 2010 after working for Monster for 4 years – most recently as Sales Director for Monster Benelux, Central & Eastern Europe. Warren’s work experience has been dominated by working in sales environments and especially in integrating them into the heart of organisations. As a channel consultant at Ogilvy he worked with companies such as Glaxo SmithKline, American Express and Barclays on positioning the sales teams at the heart of all Customer Engagement. His belief in sales as a key touchpoint in effective customer communication and not simply the end result was reflected in his role as a consultant and a lecturer on CRM. Before coming to live and work in the Netherlands as Commercial Director for Omnicom’s CPM he worked in India setting up Sales Centres for Sainsbury’s and Orange before taking a year in Asia to indulge his passion for Scuba Diving by becoming a PADI Instructor.
Mon, Apr 25, 2011
Global Issues