Improving your networking skills

Networking is a vital part of being an Executive Assistant, and is a skill that's always worth improving. It's useful both within your role and in your personal life as well. Here are two tips to remember to help you enhance your networking skills.

1. Become an active listener

Have you ever noticed how good it feels to talk with someone who is clearly listening to you? Giving someone your full attention is a powerful tool. Actively hearing what they're saying, rather than becoming distracted by thoughts about how you're going to respond shows respect and interest. Becoming a good listener will help you forge strong connections with people, helping you build your network.

2. Follow up

This doesn't just mean adding someone on LinkedIn. Instead, take the time to reach out and send them a quick message - something simple is all that's needed. Let them know you enjoyed meeting them and pair it with a brief comment on something you talked about. Putting the effort in to follow up is much more likely to build lasting connections.

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Mindfulness in the workplace

Mindfulness is being aware and awake to the moment you are in. It's easy to get swept up in thoughts, distracted by technology or stressed out considering everything you need to plan and do. Taking the time to breathe and settle yourself into the present moment is important for your mental health.

In fact, mindfulness seems to positively impact stability, control and efficiency, according to a study titled 'Contemplating Mindfulness at Work (An Integrative Review)'. Their research looked over 4,000 studies completed on mindfulness, and the multiple positive effects it has appear undeniable.

Some ways you can bring mindfulness into your work include:

• Taking short breaks. Actively moving away from your work and walking to get coffee or water helps bring your focus back to the present moment. Creating space both physically and mentally gives your brain a chance to refresh itself, and become more mindful.

• Breathe. Bring your attention to how you're drawing air into your body, and then releasing it. Try and follow three breaths from start to end, noticing your lungs expanding and when inhalation turns to exhalation. Only taking a few moments, this focus draws you into the moment and helps settle your brain by briefly clearing it of thoughts.

• Try notice the small things. From the feeling of sitting, to the press of your fingers against the keyboard, paying attention to the small details that generally go unnoticed help you become more mindful and aware.

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Tips for effective communication

As an EA you'll communicate with a wide variety of people. Knowing how to do so effectively will help you manage the variety of interactions and make them more efficient and valuable. Here are some tips to help you improve your communication skills.

1. Consider body language

Nonverbal communication is a big part of a conversation. Portraying the right image is important. Think about how you're standing when you're talking to someone. Having your arms crossed, or being half-turned away from someone makes you look closed off and uninterested.

Work on making eye-contact with the people you're talking to, without staring them down. Open up your stance, and try stand with your shoulders back.

2. Clarity

Effective communication means passing on a message to someone so that they understand what you're trying to say with minimal effort. Avoid speaking in riddles, or being longwinded. Instead, clearly and directly express your message. This doesn't mean resorting to being blunt or rude. It's just not clouding the point your trying to make with excess words.

A good way to get better at this is figuring out what you're trying to pass on to your listener before saying it. With time this will become more natural.

3. Emotional intelligence

Understanding different personalities allows you to effectively communicate with a variety of people. It also allows you to better manage your own reactions to difficult situations. Working on your emotional intelligence will support you in many ways within your role as EA.

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How to build resilience

In a role that's known for constantly throwing new challenges your way, resilience is essential. Bouncing back from tough situations and adapting to overcome them is a highly useful skill for both your personal and professional life. Additionally, it's not something you have or you don't - it's possible to develop your resilience.

1. Take decisive action

Instead of just wishing a difficult scenario would disappear, take action. The act of doing helps build your resilience and teaches you more than simply detaching does.

2. Retain perspective

It's easy to blow problems out of proportion. Make sure you take a step back and look at it in the broad perspective of things. This will help you manage your reaction and the situation better.

3. Take care of yourself

Your mental and physical health impact how well you react and adapt to adversity. If you're worn down, it's unlikely that you'll have the reserves to maintain a resilient outlook on your work and life.

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Encouraging workplace collaboration

When everyone in an office works together it helps build a more cohesive and positive organisation. Even if you don't have a team to manage, it's still possible for you to help foster a more collaborative environment.

Lead by example. Offer to help people with projects where your skills will come in handy, and make yourself approachable for when someone needs assistance.

Build friendships within different departments. As an EA, you'll likely have ties across the organisation. Use this to introduce people at lunch, and get them talking. Closer ties will mean that people are more likely to work together, especially if they know how someone could add to a project.

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Building your influencing skills

Your ability to influence people impacts many areas of an EAs role, such as how well you can manage up with your Executive. Used the right way it is a powerful tool, and can help you become a better and more efficient EA.

1. Create and maintain trust

If your coworkers trust you, they are much more likely to change their behaviours to help you or listen to your opinion. Be honest and upfront with people. Win their trust, and avoid breaking it.

2. Be assertive

There's a difference between assertiveness and aggression. With the former, you're standing up for people's rights, including your own. You're not afraid to speak out if you believe you need to - however, you do this in a respectful manner that takes in the rights of the person you're talking to.

Assertiveness behaviour shows self-confidence and an understanding of yours and others worth, and generally improves the quality of your interactions with people. This respectful and balanced way of communicating with people helps build trust and influence.

3. Be open

Being influential doesn't mean you get your way every time. In fact, showing you're open to feedback or changing your opinion is much more likely to develop your influence. If you're willing to listen to someone you'll generally find they'll do the same for you.