AI will take the clerical tasks, but that’s not the death of the administrative profession — it’s the rebirth of it. Assistants have long been operating at a strategic level: translating ideas into action, safeguarding client relationships, and enabling leadership. The fastest-growing skills for assistants are project management, data analysis, financial literacy, and change management — not clerical, but business-critical. The risk isn’t AI, it’s outdated perception. Recognise assistants as strategic partners, and you’ll unlock one of the most cost-effective assets in the business.
Executive Assistant
The Smartest Voice in the Room Isn’t Always Yours
If your assistant always agrees with you, you don’t have a partner.
You have a mirror.
And a mirror can’t warn you when you’re about to walk off a cliff.
Here’s the thing:
• The best assistants sense-check decisions and ask why.
• They push back on processes that waste time.
• They flag risks you don’t want to see.
That isn’t insubordination.
That’s what partnership looks like.
Many executives still confuse silence with loyalty. It isn’t.
Silence is fear. And fear kills performance.
If you’ve hired well, you already have someone who sees what you don’t. When they speak up, they’re not undermining you. They’re protecting you. That’s their job.
I tell every assistant I train: your role is not to be afraid of your executive, but to be afraid for them.
So the next time your assistant challenges you, pause before shutting them down. Ask yourself: What am I missing?
Because here’s the paradox: the voice you silence might be the very one that saves you.
The smartest voice in the room isn’t always the loudest.
Sometimes, it’s the one you’re not ready to hear.
The Overlooked Risk: Why You Need a Succession Plan for Your Executive’s Assistant
Most organisations plan meticulously for C-suite succession but overlook a critical risk: assistant turnover. A senior EA carries the executive’s operating system — context, relationships, and rhythms that keep leadership running smoothly. When they leave without a plan, years of finely tuned knowledge disappear, productivity stalls, and business continuity suffers. Assistant succession planning isn’t optional; it’s essential.
Why “Task-Based” Assistant Roles Are Disappearing — And What’s Replacing Them
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.
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.