Dear Clients and Colleagues,
These are unprecedented times in our world, our country, and our businesses. If you are sometimes confused and agitated, you are not alone.
I have a little German Spitz dog that runs around in circles before he finds the perfect place to stop and “rest.” I often feel that many of us are now running around in circles, not knowing where exactly to “rest,” act, or prioritize. In these times, change is the only constant.
Because our EASearch professional focus is on senior-level executive and personal support, the most important focus for us has always been to define the components of the support structure needed for each unique work situation. In times marked by economic uncertainty, organizational change, and constant pressure on leadership to accomplish what may seem impossible, this highly particularized focus is even more critical. We know that the right support can be the stabilizing force for leadership. In the present climate, even more important is the question: How do we ensure that the executive support structure we are building – or that is already in place – is truly working effectively and is able to adjust to the changes ahead, whatever they may be?
After more than four decades consulting and partnering with executives, boards, family offices, and leadership teams, EASearch knows that the right executive support is not a luxury — it is a critical component of productivity and stability.
What We're Seeing Right Now
The old structure of communication from clearly defined roles and a hierarchical structure may be gone.
Improvisation and flexibility are the new critical habits needed to support today’s leaders. The days of a clearly defined strategic plan may be over – the pace of change may well make the plan dated before it is even complete. Executives carrying excessive operational loads may have too little time to deliberate and prepare for the next wave of impact and uncertainty. Ultimately, the lack of clarity of role definitions and the ambiguity in work environments can lead to burnout among senior assistants.
What Can Be Done
There is no clear job description any longer. For anyone. The sooner all of us assume a real leadership role in this new structure, the better. Clients who put time, expertise, and thought into hiring will be in much better shape than their rapid-fire counterparts. Determining a candidate’s abilities to self-direct, prioritize, and pivot when needed takes serious interviewing and assessment. In our experience – and in this brave new world of business – there is nothing more effective than a close team to recalibrate, collaborate, and contribute to the right hiring decisions.
A Question Worth Asking
Is your time being spent utilizing your highest and best talent? To find the answer, an executive must look honestly at how they are spending time: Is it where they offer the most value? Is their definition of support stuck in a paradigm that no longer exists? Are the search parameters designed for today's reality? How executives spend their time is directly related to the support needed – support that can be provided by the right Executive Assistant. In these times, with the added value of AI, a strong senior-level EA can have the talents of a Chief of Staff, including the ability to support and strategically manage time and events with rapid-fire pivoting and flexibility.
How We're Supporting Clients
For many years, we have known that to make the right EA/Leader “match,” it takes careful assessment of needs, role design, partnership strengthening, and a careful matching of soft and hard skills. Values alignment, talents and skills, and priorities related to work are critical components that must be considered in the hiring process.
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This is a new world. AI has the potential to transform our work and enhance our time for the highest productivity and creativity. Just as computers leveraged the secretary/executive relationship and birthed the Executive Assistant role, this moment may well be remembered as the moment that the Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff roles morphed and merged into a powerful partnership of an enhanced and new level of support.
