A friend of mine who has worked for many years, Ayşegül Bekar, has always said, “Whichever direction you look, you go there!” Undoubtedly, in this period of uncertainty, the importance of setting goals and managing change is increasing.
The knowledge, experience and background that I have gained from the work I have done in the sector throughout many years, the trainings I have given, and my assistant friends I have spoken to in the national and international arena have taught me this: leading assistants who are visionaries, know where to look and take action to achieve their goals can manage change in a better way. In order to embrace the potential within you and to determine your goals and plans, it is enough to ask yourself and answer the following questions.
- Where am I right now?
- What direction am I looking at, what is my goal?
- What do I need to steer myself in the direction I want to go?
- What are the obstacles I may encounter on this path? And my fears? The things I think that I am responsible for …
- How can I overcome these obstacles?
- What is my long and short term action plan to reach my goal?
Answering these questions is like looking in the mirror. We may not like what we see. However, fixing the overall picture can be made possible by overcoming our obstacles and fears with courage. As Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Adapting to the “new normal” can be possible by managing change. A leader executive assistant has to carry three characteristics in her/his toolbox to manage change.
1. Be visible – Most of you have probably watched the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”. Apart from the magnificent performance of the skilled actors, the reason why the movie drew so much praise may be because Andrea, who was called “Emily” by her boss from the very first day she was hired, overcame the tasks assigned with great agility and struggle in order to show her boss that she was actually “Andrea”. Your achievements are valuable for the goals of the executive and corporation at which you work tirelessly. Feel free to show them and crown them.
2. Speak – The profile of an executive assistant who does what she/he was told, does not declare her/his ideas unless she/he is asked has become old-fashioned. We can share our opinions, suggestions, ideas and overlooked important details with the executive who focuses on the big picture in the workflow. You can be sure that failure will not be due to what we talk about but to the thousands of creative views that we overlook and do not voice and.
3. Don’t give up – Never give up. A cloud of dust raised and we have a hard time seeing the target. It is hard to stay motivated, so much so that everything that could be a source of motivation disappeared between this dust and smoke. Here is a black hole.
Almost nothing results as planned. Even if the conditions are normal, we may encounter large and small obstacles on the road to our goal. Just because we don’t see the target, it doesn’t mean there is no target there. It is possible to progress by understanding the obstacles, finding solutions, and redefining the goals flexibly. Sometimes you will not be able to reach the desired destination, or the results will not be successful for you. Continuing on the road without giving up means moving forward.
Menekşe Ahbab
