Every assistant has unique gifts — calm under pressure, empathy, intuition, foresight — yet too often they’re dismissed as “soft skills.” But these are not soft; they’re powerful, essential, and increasingly irreplaceable in the age of AI. When you use your gifts boldly, you don’t just grow stronger — you give others permission to do the same.
Category: AI & Automation
Restructuring Administration for Maximum ROI: Shaping the 2026 Global Skills Matrix
The administrative profession is at a turning point. With hybrid work, AI, and digital-first operations reshaping the landscape, assistants must evolve into strategic partners. That’s why the updated Global Skills Matrix is being built—to provide clarity, credibility, and career pathways that reflect today’s realities.
Why Scaling Organisations Need Assistants to Reinforce Discipline
Scaling from £10M to £100M isn’t about complexity—it’s about discipline. Clarity, rhythm, standards, and simplicity are what drive growth. Assistants already deliver this discipline daily, making them indispensable partners in scaling organisations.
Cross-Functional Influence: The Assistant’s Superpower in the AI Era
Cross-functional influence is something assistants have already been doing for years. So I was excited to see this powerful insight from the new 2026 Global Learning & Skills Trends Report “As AI weaves through every line of business, organisations must break down silos and encourage learning that spans traditional functional borders.” In other words, departments […]
The Future of the Administrative Profession: A Call to Action
A new white paper highlights three urgent realities for the administrative profession: broken structures, the transformative power of AI, and persistent misunderstanding of the role. But it also sets out practical, community-driven steps to build the future we want—clarity, growth, and a united voice.
The State of the Administrative Profession: Claiming Strategic Partnership in an AI-Driven World
AI adoption is accelerating, career advancement comes from responsibility not title, and professional development drives influence and pay. Assistants who step into these opportunities are moving from “support” into strategic partnership, shaping outcomes that drive organisations forward.
Stop Waiting for Permission: Leadership Is a Choice, Not a Title
At two recent roundtables on stepping into leadership without a title, the potential in the room was extraordinary — bold ideas, sharp insights, the kind of thinking that could transform organisations. But fear and hesitancy kept much of it unspoken. The truth is simple: no one else can empower you. Leadership isn’t a title, it’s a choice. And the choice is yours to make today.
Defining the Future of the Administrative Profession: Updating the Global Skills Matrix
From Dallas to across the globe, leaders are asking the same questions: how do we structure administrative roles for maximum impact, move beyond outdated job descriptions, and prove ROI? With hybrid working, AI, and digital-first operations reshaping the landscape, administration has never been more critical. That’s why I’ve partnered with the World Administrators Alliance to relaunch the Global Skills Matrix in 2026 — to bring clarity, credibility, and career pathways to the profession.
Assistants Are Not Accessories: Why Outdated Mindsets Are Dangerous in 2025
When a CEO transition prompted someone to suggest an EA should “go with the pharaoh,” it revealed the persistence of a dangerous mindset: that assistants are disposable. In reality, assistants are infrastructure — holding institutional memory, guarding relationships, and ensuring continuity no handover can replicate. With AI accelerating change, organisations that still view assistants as replaceable risk burning out leaders, losing knowledge, and undermining business performance. It’s time to end the stereotype and start recognising assistants as critical strategic assets.