EAn Introduction

This month we have some great new tools and guides to share with members, as well as some important updates on upcoming events, conferences, training and the Gala Charity Balls we wrote to members about recently.

Our 2016 conference series contained two presentations based around outputs of research that came from the previous series of conferences, as well as our own research, plus additional original constructs that now form the basis of much of our training program foundations and our Partnership Model courses. Indeed, some of those tools have been expanded upon for a couple of corporations to date to help identify misalignments between EAs and executives and to help shape the basis for organisational training needs. These original conference materials and handouts are now being made available to all our full members as part of our member resources offerings. Please read the full article below for more details as well as for information on where full members can find these resources on the EAN website.

Looking ahead, we have also mentioned recently that we have focussed on a slightly different approach with your 2017 conference series in terms of trying to ensure we have as many of the same keynote speakers as possible presenting at each event. In our article below we can now detail exactly who has committed to more than one event. We also have a series of videos created by many of these speakers which you really should check out, plus a short piece of information. We are absolutely convinced that this series of conferences has the greatest ever line up of speakers for any EA / PA conference series in Australia so please check them out and see why you should make sure you are attending at a city near you this year.

This month also sees the first of our EAN Expos for the year being held at Luna Park on the 15th & 16th March. This year we have moved the exhibition into a much bigger venue to accommodate its growth, but also to accommodate the growth of the conference which is now in the main Crystal Palace ballroom where the conference used to be. This promises to be an incredible exhibition with suppliers focussed just on the needs of EAs, PAs and their companies, so it is not to be missed. Read below for more information.

As you would no doubt be aware, it’s a busy time of year at present with educational events coming up in the next couple of months, including our public Diploma programs and many of our short courses. On the off-chance that you haven’t seen any info on these, we have our regular update below. Education is the single most important thing you can do to enhance your career prospects, but it also helps to bolster confidence and self-belief whilst delivering a sense of achievement. So, as the leading authority on EA and PA education in Australia and beyond, it’s something we really would encourage you to consider. As mentioned, many of our models and research based outputs are now being incorporated into our new diploma programs, so we believe that these, in particular, can add immeasurable value to your career prospects.

In terms of Networking events, we’ve had several of late to report on, and March is shaping up to be exceptionally busy with a number of events around the country. 

Finally, we wrote to members several weeks ago about our plans to establish committees in different cities to establish and run an annual charity ball. We have had an incredible response to that email which makes us feel confident that we will be able to run at least three such balls this year. And if we get more interest, possibly additional events. Full details of where we are up to are included below plus a recap for anyone who may still be interested in getting involved. Particularly if you are in Perth or Canberra.

We trust you will enjoy this edition of the The Assistant, but please, as we have said many times before, this is your Network so always feel like you are welcome to send us any feedback or ideas of ways we can improve member offerings. We love hearing from our members.

Jonathan McIlroy
Editor and Director, Education & Learning
Executive Assistant Network

Our keynote speaker line-up for our 2017 series of conferences is quite literally sensational. Plus, we’ve been putting every bit as much effort and attention into securing equally as impressive executive speakers and EA and PA speakers. So please, check out our speakers below, watch their videos and then check the dates for your local city and start making plans now to attend. And for most of our events, you can still get the ridiculously cheap advance notice rate prices.

Featuring in Sydney (March 2017), Canberra (July 2017), Brisbane (September 2017), Melbourne (November 2017) and Perth (February 2018)

Nils Vesk has been applying, teaching and researching innovative thinking around the world for over 18 years. Nils helps people to rethink how they can operate in a time poor, high pressure environment. In this inspired presentation you will learn to change how you think at the executive level in order to ...

Why you should attend the EAN Sydney Expo on the 15th & 16th March 2017 in the Big top at Luna Park

If you’ve never attended one of our exhibitions, you may be questioning what the reasons to do so would be. Well, every year in Sydney, literally hundreds of EAs and PAs flock to Luna Park to make their way around the exhibition and meet the many exhibitors in attendance.

We’ve heard many EAs claim that they don’t see the point in visiting exhibitions, after all, if they are interested in speaking to any potential supplier, that supplier will always come in and see them at their office.

What a spectacular response we received from the wonderful EAN Members to volunteer on the EAN Charity Ball Committees in their respective states. We have had some incredible applications, some of which contained resume’s plus emails detailing applicants full event experience and charitable work achievements.

I am totally in awe of what these potential committees could look like and excited about the prospects that lie ahead! We also had many confirm that it is definitely time for an annual ball, time for the EAs and PAs to have an opportunity to ‘glam it up’ and have their respective partners and even company executives involved, all raising funds for a fantastic cause.

So far we have nearly 30 volunteers in Sydney, around 20 in Melbourne and nearly 10 in Brisbane, plus a small handful in Perth and Adelaide (not to mention one from the UK). As I am still sorting through all the emails, if it is something you are excited about joining in on, then please do send me further information about you.

2017 - Year of the Self-Care

2017 is the Year of the Self and that means taking care of number 1.

So when plotting New Year’s Resolutions make sure they include things like learning something new, staying connected, setting goals and more ME time!

When setting professional objectives, do not forget to take the time to focus on your personal objectives too. Balance is the key and personal development feeds into your professional outcomes as well. For example, you will not be achieving your true professional potential if your physical, emotional and social wellbeing are out of whack. Why not do the Headington Institute’s Self Care and Lifestyle Balance Inventory Quiz to measure how well you are looking after yourself.

Is the way to increase productivity standing right in front of you?

There has been plenty of discussion about how standing desks may or may not help improve your health, fitness and posture, but a recent study by the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health has found a potential link between standing and increased productivity.

While Executive Assistants these days may spend as much time working on devices out in the field as they do at an office desk, the time spent sitting in front of the computer is still considerable. If this time could be made more productive with a simple change like a new type of desk, it's something that should be considered.

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Industry Recognition

To date over 100 students have completed Executive Assistant Academy Diplomas, with 120 currently in the process of completing theirs, 60 of whom are due to complete in the next few months. (Details of those already completed can be seen on our Alumni Board Page.)

At the time of writing, our registrations for 2017 are ahead of any previous year, and with our new Distance Learning options now available, our expectation is ...

It has been a very busy month at Elite Assistants. We are being inundated with great companies from all over Australia who understand how important it is to have a specialised approach to finding the perfect EA and PA for them. If you are looking for a new career challenge, or are just curious as to what might be out there, we urge you to get in touch by email or phone to let us help you. Alternatively you can expect to meet myself at some of Executive Assistant Network's many networking events.

Below are just a few of the current roles we have that might be a perfect fit for you.

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With Avery Index Maker™ Dividers, your portfolio makes an impact on your audience from the first page. Inside their presentation folders, they’ll find clean, white divider pages organising the contents inside. The paperwork looks neat and buttoned-up—an image that’ll represent you well. They’ll notice the professionally printed divider tabs.But only you’ll know you made these custom tabs yourself using free templates on Avery Design & Print Online. And as they turn the divider page, they’ll be impressed with how durable and sturdy it is. With reinforced tabs and holes, your dividers will resist tearing and stand up to frequent use ...

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By Leola Small, Cliftons Marketing and Inside Sales Manager

If like me, you are trying to drink less as part of your 2017 New Year's Resolution - then you may find yourself in a pickle sooner or later. Most networking events and functions serve alcohol and some even have an open bar - if your budgets have been kind!

With a growing population of health conscious socialites and the number of "diets" on the rise, surely that indicates alcohol consumption would decrease. But depending on what country you live in (for me Australia), it seems a good ol' bevvy is suitable for most occasions.

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No matter what you are doing, which industry you are in or which company you work for, we all share something in common—a desire to be successful. Crowne Plaza Melbourne wants to make success as easy as possible for you. We understand that there is a lot at stake when planning a meeting or event consistency is key and when you deliver; your company can do great things.

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“Balance is not something you find, it's something you create” ? Jana Kingsford,

Maintaining a healthy balance in life is not only essential for well-being & happiness, but can be an enormous boost to your productivity, career or business success too. A well-balanced person has a far greater ability to focus their attention & energy on attaining their goals, taking productive actions & moving forward in a meaningful way.

The big question is…What does “life balance” really mean? What does a balanced life look like? Are you putting yourself last on a regular basis? But most importantly, how do we go about achieving it in the midst of our busy schedules?

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Launching 01 April 2017, in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula wine region, Jackalope Hotel’s hotly anticipated, daring debut property is set to redefine regional luxury in Australia.

Through the mediums of art, design, dining, and storytelling— the hotel promises to create transformative experiences, offering a “delicate interplay between the ideal and the surreal.”

Transformative is fast shaping as 2017’s “it” phrase in luxury travel. Arnie Weissmann, Editor in Chief of Travel Weekly explains, “we’ve seen experiential travel, we’ve seen authentic travel, we’ve seen curated travel – and where I think it’s going is towards transformational travel.”

So what exactly is transformative travel? Weissmann adds, “what that transformation is will be different for every traveller. (To some it is) about the access you can get or the spiritual connection a place offers. Not to be confused with VIP passes, ‘access’ in this case is the priceless feeling of being truly part of something – of aligning with your surroundings on a psychological and emotional level.”

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Now there’s the preparation, organising and booking of suppliers for the day. There’re so many options to choose from and that’s just with the flowers. To make sure you get the best floral advice we’ve put together some of the “not so obvious questions” you should ask your potential event florist.

Not so obvious? We at Thrive Flowers & Events have been in the Melbourne wedding & event flower industry for over 15 years and during this time have seen and heard practically everything when it comes to weddings, flowers and events. The list below is the top questions we have been asked over the years and how we can combat them for you.

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