Executives are paid to make big calls.
Assistants are paid to make sure those calls actually work in the real world.
That’s why scenario planning is one of the most underrated skills in our profession.
Most assistants understand how to execute logistics. But in reality, we’re also the ones keeping the business stable when disruption hits.
Imagine this scenario.
Your executive is due to open a leadership summit in Paris. The keynote speech is saved on their laptop. At 7am, the Eurostar is cancelled due to a strike. At 8am, the laptop dies. At 9am, the client moves the speech forward by two hours.
By 10am, you’ve rebooked flights via Brussels, arranged a courier to deliver a backup laptop from London, and emailed the slides to the client.
The summit runs on time. Nobody outside the inner circle even knows there was a crisis
This is the kind of thing assistants do every day behind the scenes. We don’t wait for instructions. We switch to Plan B, or Plan C before most people realise there’s a problem.
And here’s why it matters:
• AI can schedule, but it can’t improvise.
• Executives are drowning in complexity. They need someone who can run “what if” models on time, risk, and resources.
• Businesses are fragile. Continuity depends on people who can flex under pressure.
That’s you!
So how do you move from dealing with problems as they arise to scenario planning?
Because there is a very real return on your ability to do that.
Here’s a 3-step planning framework
1. Identify non-negotiables.
Know the Top 3 things that absolutely cannot fail for your executive this month – whether it’s a crucial board update, a regulatory commitment, or a meeting with a high-profile client.
2. Map robust alternatives.
Create real, documented backup plans – alternative contacts, venues, transport routes, tech platforms, and even go-to briefs. Keep them updated and accessible.
3. Test the switch.
Ask yourself, if Plan A went sideways right this instant, could I be executing Plan B in under five minutes? If not, tweak it until the answer is yes.
This totally shifts your role.
It’s the difference between being a calendar manager and being a business partner.
A task-based assistant executes. A strategic partner anticipates.
And don’t forget to shout about it!
The making it work ‘behind the scenes’ piece is clearly not serving the profession any more. We need to become a clear and visible business asset.
