Building An Executive Partnership - Cedrick LaFleur

Introduction
As the dream increases, the need for a team increases.  Before you can add an effective team member, you must be an effective leader. 

• You need a great assistant along side you on a great team.  (We are talking about your right hand person). 
  • That could be Exec Assist, Chief of Staff, Chief of Operations

 

• A good Executive Assistant is like a good air traffic controller for your life, not just your business, but your whole life. 
  • They manage all obligations between work, family and social obligations. 

 

• Characteristics of a phenomenal Exec Assist are difficult to distinguish without first distinguishing characteristics of a phenomenal boss. 

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Show Objectives
Our objective is to help the entrepreneur leader to understand that a great assistant can make all the different in any situation.  One is too small a number to achieve greatness.  The Executive Assistant can be the person that has the influence that’s needed. 


Key Issues 
Leaders that don’t understand the value of a good assistant.  The people that overlook a good assistant could be overlooking the person that can help them the most.  


What You Need to Know
For a successful partnership, here are the requirements for the leader:  Effective leaders for an effective assistant:

1. Set the right atmosphere 
   1. Right Personnel + Right Principles = Right Atmosphere
2. Be Secure
   1. If someone can handle something 80% as good as you, empower them and be done with it. 
3. A good executive / phenomenal boss initiates connection. 
4. A phenomenal boss/leader must be generous. 
5. Be teachable
6. Clarify what is important to you. 
   1. Clarity from Leader = Success from Assistant

What You Need to Do
4 Things Leaders Should Do For Executive Assistant: 

1. Live a life of integrity both personally and professionally 
   • Be consistent
   • RESULT = Undivided loyalty. 
2. Give affirmation & encouragement 
   • Catch them doing things right. 
   • RESULT = They will place your agenda first & promote a then-some attitude. 
     • They anticipate your need & act on it before the need is expressed.
3. Mentor & Teach by example. 
   • RESULT = It increases the assistant personal and professional growth.
   • It’s an awesome feeling when others tell that person’s growth has been phenomenal because of you. 
4. Communicate openly & honestly
   • If you can’t be open/honest with your right hand,  you need to change. 
   • If you have trust issues then you have the wrong person. 
   • RESULT = A tremendous amount of trust with no hidden agendas from either side. 

 

• Empower through asking questions. 
  • You don’t need to know everything. 
  • You should be the primary source of communication. 
  • Determine to let someone else represent you. 
  • Determine to not leave a meeting without handing things off. 
  • Determine to remain in your strength zone. 
  • Determine to delegate others. 

8 Characteristics to look for in a partner/Executive Assistant 

1. They must have a servant's heart. 
2. They master the calendar
3. They anticipate needs
4. They prioritize a personal and professional time. 
5. They are willing to share a different perspective. 

2 Questions to Ask Your Executive Assistant 

1. What am I missing?
2. What is it like being on the other side of me?

 

1. They create & master systems
2. They are answer driven.
3. They can be trusted with confidential information. 

Shows

• Previous: EPISODE D6.012 Character: The Elements of Emotional Intelligence
• Next: D6.000 

Written by: Cedrick LaFleur, LaFleur Leadership Institute
          www.lafleurleadershipinstitute.com
          cedrick.lafleur2@gmail.com
          832-722-0522
             
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