AI is transforming the assistant profession faster than many realise, automating repetitive tasks like scheduling, travel booking, and inbox management. The future belongs to those who adapt — aligning with strategic goals, leveraging AI as a partner, and focusing on uniquely human skills like judgment and foresight. The choice isn’t between “strategic” and “task-based” anymore — it’s between staying relevant or being left behind.
Category: Strategic Business Partner
When Passion Meets a Pay Ceiling: Why High-Performing Assistants Are Being Held Back
Top-performing assistants often hit a salary ceiling with no clear path for progression — forced to choose between staying in the role they love or seeking raises elsewhere. This isn’t a failure of talent, but a failure of outdated career models that don’t recognize the evolving impact of the assistant role.
The Executive Assistant: Manager, Leader, and So Much More
Executive Assistants don’t fit into traditional boxes. They manage complex workflows and priorities while leading through influence, foresight, and relational intelligence. Their unique role bridges management and leadership — without relying on authority, but through credibility and presence.
“Words Are Powerful, Mum.”
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.
“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.
Still Not Sure What an Assistant Can Do? Read This.
A C-suite exec once told me, “I just don’t know what an assistant could do for me.” If that sounds familiar, it’s time for a wake-up call. A world-class Executive Assistant isn’t just support—they’re a strategic asset. From protecting your time to spotting risks, building bridges, and saving you 25% of your week, here are 20 ways a high-level EA transforms leadership. Because if you don’t have an assistant, you are the assistant.
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.