There’s one question that changes everything for assistants who want to be truly strategic.
Most assistants know the how, what, where, when, and who.
You’re brilliant at execution. You know how to get things done, what needs doing, where it’s happening, when it’s due, and who’s involved.
But there’s one question that changes everything.
The one that turns a good assistant into a truly strategic one.
Why.
Why are we doing this?
Why now?
Why this way?
Why this person?
Why this priority over another?
It’s such a small word, but it’s the bridge between doing and understanding.
When you start asking why, you stop operating at the surface and start seeing the bigger picture. You begin to align your work with strategy, anticipate what’s coming, and make better decisions for your executive and your organisation.
It’s not about questioning for the sake of it. It’s about curiosity, context, and confidence.
So next time you’re handed something to do, take a breath before you start. Ask yourself, or your executive – why.
Because the assistant who understands the why doesn’t just support leadership, they become it.
