Navigating Decision Fatigue for Force Multipliers
Late last year, Adam wrote a great article about how Executive Assistants and Chiefs of Staff can help their Executive’s overcome decision fatigue. It’s an important topic and one I know that leaders and their Force Multipliers feel all too much. Decision fatigue is real. In the article, Adam outlined some strategic and tactical ways […]
Why Asking for Help Actually Helps the Company
Force Multipliers are the badasses of the business world. Okay, yeah, I might be biased, but I have seen first hand what Force Multipliers can do. Force Multipliers are problem-solvers and fixers. They are some of the most resourceful and connected individuals in your organization. If you have a challenge, bring it to your nearest […]
How 2020 Brought Clarity to My Work & Life
I recently asked my network what one word they would use to remember 2020, and the responses were all over the place (much like the year itself)! Here is a sample of the responses: amazing, battle, exhausting, forward, perseverance, growth, revelation, overcoming, learned, fantastic, whew, challenging, evolution, interesting, renewal, change, resilience, contentment, bonding, reflection, long, […]
From Force Multiplier to Founder: Virtual Assistant Company Edition
I often get asked what the next career move is for Force Multipliers (Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, and Personal Assistants). While I believe that being a Force Multiplier is a dynamic career in its own right, it may no longer be the right fit for the individual at some point, as with any position. […]
Keep Your Day Job & Create Multiple Streams of Income
I’m pretty risk-averse and yet at the same time I’ve always been the entrepreneurial sort. When I was about three years old, my brother and I collected rocks and pulled them around the neighborhood in our red wagon, yelling, “Rocks for sale!” We never did get that venture off the ground… As I grew older, […]
How Executive Assistants & Chiefs of Staff Can Effectively Work Together to Lead Up
A common question I get is, “What is the difference between an Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff?” Over the course of my thirteen years in the professional workforce, I’ve spent about five of those years as an Executive Assistant and about six years as Chief of Staff. I’ve seen the commonalities and overlap in […]
From Force Multiplier to Founder: Coaching & Training Company Edition
I often get asked what the next career move is for Force Multipliers (Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staffs, and Personal Assistants). While I believe that being a Force Multiplier is a dynamic career in its own right, it may no longer be the right fit for the individual at some point, as with any position. […]
Why Self-Awareness at Work Is Your Key to Success
I don’t know about you, but I, for one, have taken this year to do a deep dive into my behavior, personality, psyche, and soul. I replaced margarita and taco nights and Saturday morning brunches with moon calendars and Thursday afternoon coaching sessions. After all, self-awareness is the key to success in life and in […]
Then & Now: 10-Year Transformation of a Founder & Force Multiplier
Last week, Hallie celebrated her 10-year anniversary of working by my side at Adam Hergenrother Companies. We have both grown a lot over the years in our leadership and have learned a tremendous amount about how to build and scale companies (hint: it’s about hiring the right people and then organizing them in the most […]
New Job? No Problem! 4 Tips for Aligning with Your Executives
We recently hired a new Administrative Assistant, Brooke Murray, to join the Office of the CEO at Adam Hergenrother Companies. We run hard and we run fast and that means that our new team members need to dive in and get up to speed as quickly as possible. Brooke has been with us now for […]
Why Business & Life Coaching Isn’t Just for the Top of the Org Chart
There’s a common myth when it comes to leadership in the business world and it’s this – coaching is just for business owners and executives at the top of the org chart. Sure, business owners and executives should absolutely get coaching to level up their leadership. It’s essential for their personal and professional growth. But […]
Executive Presence for Executive Assistants & Force Multipliers
Ah, executive presence. The often elusive leadership coaching catchphrase. What is it and why do you need it? Executive presence is quite a broad term and yet one of the key skills leaders must master at all levels of an organization. Executive presence is not just for CEOs or “Executives.” It is not something you […]
Leaders Are Readers: Our Favorite Leadership Books
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Harry S. Truman Leaders are readers because in order to increase our output, we must increase our input. Reading is such a great way to learn from the leaders who have gone before us, to dive into a subject and implement key concepts into your […]
From Force Multiplier to Founder: An Interview with Catherine Berardi
I often get asked what the next career move is for Force Multipliers (Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staffs, and Personal Assistants). While I believe that being a Force Multiplier is a dynamic career in its own right, it may no longer be the right fit for the individual at some point as with any position. […]
What Force Multipliers Should Look for When Partnering with a Leader
Last week, Adam shared what leaders should look for when hiring a Force Multiplier. That information is solid whether you’re looking to hire your first assistant or if you are considering making a change to your current staff. For Force Multipliers, it’s just as important for you to find your match by interviewing prospective leaders […]
How to Increase the Visibility of the Executive Assistant
The Wall Street Journal recently published a controversial article, entitled “The Vanishing Executive Assistant” by Rachel Feintzeig, which has been a conversation starter in the Executive Assistant community, to say the least. Why? Because much of the data used to illustrate the point was about secretarial and administrative assistant positions, not that of an Executive […]
Who’s the Boss? Part 3 – Be the CEO of Your Executive Assistant Career
This is the final installment of a three-part series that explores the complex role of a Force Multiplier (Chief of Staff or Executive Assistant) and how they are called upon to lead and assist various stakeholders across an organization. If you like this topic, read Part 1 – How Force Multipliers & Executive Assistants Juggle […]
How to Make a Personal & Professional Growth Plan
I love when a new year rolls around, mostly because it’s the turning of the page, a fresh start. Blank calendars, blank notebooks – they scream of possibility and opportunity. This December (2019 for those of you reading this in the future) carries additional weight because it is the dawning of a new decade! So […]
Start With How
In the Chief of Staff role, particularly because it is often ambiguous and fluid, it’s so easy to focus on the what. I’m guilty of it. I like things to be categorized, labeled, and neatly organized into well-defined boxes. I’m always asking myself, “What to I need to get done today?” “What is my role?”, […]
Top 10 Takeaways from The Chief of Staff Summit
Last week, I attended the inaugural Chief of Staff Summit at the National Geographic Society in Washington DC, hosted by Prime Chief of Staff. The Summit was inspiring, educational, and incredibly validating. I immediately felt like I had found my people. Thank you Catherine Berardi (Founder of Prime Chief of Staff) and your entire team […]
What it Means for an Executive Assistant to Think Like a CEO
Several weeks ago I had one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking moments of my life… speaking on stage in Austin in front of 10,000 people on a panel lead by two of the great leaders, Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. I’m a Chief of Staff, former Executive Assistant, and I have purposefully chosen a […]
One Habit to Implement Now to Make You an Invaluable Assistant
Do you want to be an invaluable resource to your Executive? Do you want to form a strategic partnership with your CEO? Do you want to seriously impress your boss? Then work on developing this one habit that will make you an invaluable asset to your CEO: KNOW WHAT YOUR EXECUTIVE KNOWS. Simple, right? But […]
Are You Working with the Right Leader?
I get a lot of questions from Executive Assistants all over the world about how to form a better relationship and strategic partnership with their Executive. It really starts with a fundamental question: Are you working with the right leader? If you are feeling unfulfilled at work, are struggling to get excited about supporting and […]
Recommended Reading for Force Multipliers
Did you know that 42% of college graduates never read another book after college? And 80% of US families did not buy or read a book last year? Do not let yourself become one of those statistics! Anyone who knows me, knows that books are my thing. I am a bibliophile: I don’t just love […]