New bosses

[msmarieh]

I can't imagine where you ever got that idea gee. Obviously people have limitations, but many times they are of their own making, such as their snippy personality or know it all attitude.

Once again, just because things are done a certain way in your company gee, doesn't mean that they are representative of the world at large. it takes all kinds in the business world.

My last executive preferred to have me handle his email and would dictate responses if it were something I couldn't handle directly. That was his preferred work style and it was up to me to accommodate it. Had I refused to do so, I would have been out the door soon thereafter.

[gee4]

My last executive preferred to have me handle his email and would dictate responses...

That's what I call a secretarial role and in my company that doesn't exist...no dictation, no shorthand, no handwritten messages from anyone...managers and directors respond to their own email.

Strange how we all discuss technology on here, the latest version of this or the latest gadget, yet there's very little evidence that companies and senior management have adopted any of them since many of you talk about your bosses not being IT savvy.

I'll bet you'll find a lot more are on FB and Twitter than you think!   How do they read emails at home, book holidays or tickets to a show, cinema, music or sporting event?  Do they have Kindles or eReaders?  Do they use iphones, and download apps?

If anyone isn't IT savvy these days it's because they live on another planet!

[JessW]

Gee.  You forgot Linked In (or whatever that nonsense is (I am on it but don't contribute!)

[gee4]

Oh yeah good point!   My boss gets those all the time!!

[msmarieh]

That role was actually mroe of a personal assistant type of role, but the title was Executive Assistant. And yet it all falls under the same umbrella of administrative professional.

He was the CEO emeritus of a Fortune 500 position and on the board of multiple other companies. I am 100% certain he is not on FB/Twitter/Linkedin. He did read his emails at home periodically (but would still have me type the responses 95% of the time). He didn't book his own holiday or tickets to a show. I did that - both for him professionally and personally (fully supported by the company). I literally took care of everything for him from appointments for his car to setting up a safari in Africa for him and his grandchildren to arranging for his board meetings, doing filings for his charitable foundations, and typing the books he wrote and speeches he gave. 

[Brighton Rock]

I had a boss years ago who wouldn't even turn on her computer!  This was not because she couldn't use it, but it was her style - her EA (me) and PAs did everything.  Weird, but she was jolly effective in her job and built up a tiny business into a £multi-million global operation.  She was great fun to work with, too.

She left that company and is now heading up some huge Government department.  And still not turning on her computer. 

[Atlanta Z3]

Ah the crux of the matter
Gee in my company it is not the attorney's job to format documents or spreadsheets.  It is also not their job to set up meetings, order lunches  or even answer their phones if it comes down to it. They do answer most of their own emails. I think perhaps you work for a different level manager and are more of a project administrator?  When I worked for project managers this kind of asssitance would not work, there was just too much work to do.  However the SVP's and C level managers, the kind I work for anyway are another story.  

Gee it doesn't sound like you are an admin, what exactly is your title?  The duties you are poohing poohing are administrative duties and are considered normal duties of secretaries, executive assistants or administrative assistants. Please don't be so negative when people descirbe what they do for their bosses.  I happen to like being a true right hand assistant, it's rewarding for me.  Sure there are some duties I would rather pass on (taking board minutes which I don't have to do in this position) but then there are the complicated merger documents that take my word skills to another level, the soft skills that senior admins master, and not the least understanding the corporate world and the level their boss plays in that world. I don't expect my boss to be IT savvy and whether he is on face book makes little difference to me. I come out the hero because I know these skills and my job is to make him look good and his work life easier.  I think we all have a clear understanding of what is not acceptable at your company.

[gee4]

Don't your bosses receive confidential and personal emails relating to work that only they see and only they respond to?

eg.  if HR emailed my boss about one of his team's pay rise, I would never read that email or open it so how else would he read it and reply to it if HR were awaiting an action or a response???

[gee4]

Gee in my company it is not the attorney's job to format documents or spreadsheets.  It is also not their job to set up meetings, order lunches  or even answer their phones if it comes down to it. They do answer most of their own emails. I think perhaps you work for a different level manager and are more of a project administrator?  Gee it doesn't sound like you are an admin, what exactly is your title?  The duties you are poohing poohing are administrative duties and are considered normal duties of secretaries, executive assistants or administrative assistants.

I'm a PA as are all the girls who carry out this role in my company.  I too arrange meetings and hospitality but I don't -

- answer my boss's phone (we are not in the same building)
- use internal applications for bids or contracts
- use internal applications for scheduling
- use financial applications for costings

None of the girls have access to these tools nor are required to, we have project controllers/administrators who do that.  I certainly wouldn't work for anyone who couldn't/wouldn't turn on a pc...that's just unheard of.

Also if someone wants to speak to my boss they dial his extension or his call his mobile.  He is quite capable of entering meetings or events in his own diary as I am...which he does quite often.

So if one of your bosses needed a document emailed whilst away on buiness or overseas, would you send it via email and would they pick it up if travelling alone without a PA?  How do they manage on these occasions when you are not there in person to help them?

[Brighton Rock]

I have no wish to stir the pot here.

I understood Atlanta's first post in this thread as a request for suggestions.  The thread seems to have turned into something else that is not particularly helpful.  It's a little disappointing to read the tone and direction of some remarks here.  Perhaps people are a little tired, it being the end of the week.

And that, as Forrest Gump would say, is all I have to say about that.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Best wishes,

Brighton Rock

[gee4]

It's quite simple, BR, suggestions for keeping her boss up to date?  Get him tech savvy!!

Surely 2 people reading and repling to emails and having access to Outlook Calendars works better than one trying to do it all.

If certain individuals won't or can't read their emails and dip in and out of Outlook calendars, what other solutions can we as PAs come up with to help them?

[Jackie G]

Whoa, ladies.  This is becoming a little too confrontational.

So this is a yellow card warning.  One more posting that takes this across the line and I will lock this thread.

Play nicely please.

[Atlanta Z3]

My final post on this thread
Confidential or sensitive matters - salary would not be discussed in an email with any boss in my company.  It is known admins are outlook delegates.  In my case I do not have inbox access, but can write emails for them, calendar and contact access.  I know 95% of the matters my bosses are working on in any given day, what would be the point of having an assistant who is banned from working on those confidential matters.  I work in legal everything we work on for the company is confidential.  

Brighton - please accept my apologies for the tone of this thread - it has definitely gotten away from the original topic.

Moderator - please lock this thread.

[gee4]

Not all PAs read emails, I didn't in my last job.  That's the decision of the individual not the PA.

No idea what the problem is, all honest answers.

[peaches2160]

Atlanta,  sounds like you are off to a great start.  I now support two, since November, due to cut backs.  I have the head of the organization who I have known for years(my bosses boss).  It has been a challenge, but I have welcomed it.  Just have to take it day by day.  In our organization, IT skills are a must since everything is now web based.  Our GMT team is pretty computer savvy.  Keep us posted on your progress.