My son reminded me at dinner that the word spell once meant to speak with intention—to shape the world with words. That’s exactly what assistants do when they speak up. You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room, but never doubt the power of your perspective. Your words carry weight. Use them.
Lucy Brazier OBE
Lucy Brazier, OBE is one of the world’s leading authorities on the administrative profession. Author of ‘The Modern-Day Assistant: Build Your Influence and Boost Your Potential’, she is the CEO of Marcham Publishing, a global force synonymous with world-class conferences and training, including Executive Support LIVE and Modern-Day Assistant, and home of Executive Support Magazine, the gold standard of training in print for administrative professionals. Lucy is passionate about ensuring the Assistant role is truly recognised as a career and not just a job and is dedicated to supporting the development of both senior and aspiring administrative professionals. She has keynoted at almost every major conference for Assistants in the world and has a unique overview of the role and where it is heading. Lucy is also part of our Speaker Bureau. If you are interested in Lucy training your Assistants or speaking at your event, either virtually or in person, please visit executivesupportmagazine.com/speaker-bureau.
“Oh, You Want a Pay Rise?” — No, She Wanted to Grow.
When an assistant came prepared to her annual review—with impact stats, a development plan, and aligned training—her manager’s first response was, “Oh… you want a pay rise?” She didn’t. She wanted to evolve. The confusion between pay, promotion, and development is holding back careers—and businesses. Here’s why training isn’t a perk anymore. It’s survival.
The Smartest Ask: How One EA Always Gets Her Training Budget
One of the sharpest EAs I know walks into her exec’s office every year with five training requests—knowing full well she only wants two. Why? Because she understands budget, psychology, and how to shape a conversation. This isn’t manipulation—it’s assistant mastery. Here’s how she sets the scene, manages expectations, and walks out with exactly what she needs. A lesson in asking smart, not small.
The Silence Ends Here: New UK Law Bans NDAs That Hide Workplace Abuse
In a powerful step forward, the UK government has voted to ban the use of NDAs to silence victims of workplace harassment and discrimination. For those—especially women in assistant roles—who’ve been bullied, pushed out, and then gagged, this change is deeply personal. It marks the end of enforced silence and the beginning of accountability. No more protecting reputations at the cost of truth.
If You Think Someone’s “Too Important to Ask,” the System Is Broken
After 15 years of working outside traditional structures, I’ve seen how office hierarchies can quietly silence people. When someone says, “I couldn’t talk to them—they’re too important,” it’s not just culture, it’s conditioning. Assistants, and others in perceived ‘support’ roles, often absorb this the most. But real leadership isn’t about reverence. It’s about accessibility, trust, and shared purpose. Because fear-based systems don’t build great teams. They build silence.
Assistants Aren’t Disposable: Why Support, Not Blame, Drives Performance
Too many assistants are being set up to fail—not due to lack of talent, but lack of structure, onboarding, and support. When organisations treat administrative professionals as interchangeable and expendable, they miss out on the strategic impact these roles can offer. Retention is cheaper than replacement, and investing in assistants is an investment in business performance. It’s time to stop blaming individuals and start fixing the system.
Executive Assistants Aren’t Just Supporting Projects—They’re Leading Them
68% of administrative professionals are already driving cross-functional initiatives—but their contributions are often mislabeled as “helping out.” It’s time to call it what it is: project management. With communication skills, operational precision, and strategic oversight, Executive Assistants are quietly delivering business-critical outcomes. If companies want more efficient, agile project delivery, they should start by recognising the project managers already in the building.
The Assistant as Conductor: Quiet Leadership in Motion
Executive Assistants aren’t just coordinating—they’re conducting. Like the conductor of an orchestra, they don’t need to play every instrument to shape the entire performance. With a systems-thinking mindset and deep emotional awareness, they manage pace, transitions, and team dynamics. Their leadership may be unspoken, but it’s essential. This is modern leadership—strategic, steady, and often unseen.
The Formula for an Exceptional Executive Assistant: Beyond the Job Description
What truly sets world-class Executive Assistants apart? It’s not just their skills—it’s their strategic mindset, emotional intelligence, and adaptability to technology. In this article, we introduce a modern formula that defines the full impact of the role:
EA = (S + T + P + EQ + AI) × V.
More than a clever equation, it’s a framework for understanding how today’s assistants aren’t just supporting the business—they’re multiplying its value.
EA to EA: Should You Warn Someone About a Toxic Exec?
When one assistant leaves a harmful workplace, and another is about to enter it—what’s the right thing to do? In a profession built on discretion, does a duty of care to each other override silence? This piece explores the unwritten “EA code” and why integrity, not just loyalty, should guide how we support one another behind the scenes.