Overview
Course duration: 2 days.
This highly interactive and inspirational training course will introduce you to new skills to develop your confidence and ability to work proactively. It will provide an ideal opportunity to share experiences and interact with other PAs, and will enhance your professional development and improve performance by building on your communication, assertiveness and time management skills.
This course forms the second part of a three tier development path – please also refer to The Essential Office Professional - Skills for Administrators, Secretaries and Support Staff and Professional Development for PAs and Senior Secretaries to ensure that this course is the most suitable for you.
Is it right for me?
This two-day course is designed for PAs, executive secretaries and office professionals who want to be more proactive and skilled, in order to manage multiple responsibilities more effectively. More experienced/senior PAs may wish to consider ‘Professional Development for PAs and Senior Secretaries’.
What will I learn?
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- Identify the qualities of a successful PA to become more effective and gain greater professional recognition for your valuable contribution.
- Use your initiative and take on increased responsibility more confidently.
- Explore ways to broaden the scope of your role, and achieve greater job fulfilment.
- Enhance team performance and manage your own and your manager’s time more effectively.
- Enhance the support you provide by anticipating needs and identifying areas for improvement.
- Take control through improved planning and organise work on a basis of priorities.
- Communicate assertively with managers and business contacts to obtain co-operation and results.
- Deal effectively and positively with difficulties and conflicts.
Pre-course Activity
To maximise the impact that your new skills will have on your organisation, we recommend that you discuss and agree your priority learning objectives with your manager before attending the course.
What will it cover?
What Makes a Successful PA?
- Defining your role and what is required of a highly proficient PA
- Identifying the skills and qualities for success
- Completion of a SWOT analysis
- Developing your role and determining the way forward
Understanding Your Manager's Role
- Contributing to your manager’s success
- Defining your own and your manager’s/team’s objectives
- Building a successful working relationship with your manager and team members
Practical Time and Self-management
- The four steps to effective time management – setting realistic deadlines
- Managing your own and your manager’s time – organisation and planning techniques that get you in control
- Meeting the needs and demands of more than one person
- Identifying and avoiding ‘time stealers’ and correcting unproductive work habits
Communicating Effectively through Assertiveness
- Effective listening and questioning skills
- Building rapport in face-to-face communication
- Identifying passive, aggressive and assertive behaviour
- Saying no without feeling guilty
Handling Difficult Behaviours, People & Situations
- Interacting effectively at all levels – dealing with difficult people
- Identifying and dealing with the underlying causes of difficult behaviour
- Adopting an appropriate approach in a variety of situations
- Taking greater control and responsibility
Personal Development
- Accepting new responsibilities and challenges with confidence
- An action plan to implement and monitor your development
Further courses to consider
Professional Development for PAs and Senior Secretaries
Effective Time Management for Office Professionals
Trainer Profile
Jean Sutcliffe
If you’re having to constantly juggle priorities, change meetings and travel arrangements, and squeeze more things into a working day and possibly also manage the needs of more than one boss, then trust me this is the course for you!
I’ve worked as a Team Secretary all the way through to a Board Secretary and having lived through the pain feel that I can offer you invaluable tips and advice that will help relieve the pressure of your working day.
The Faculty
Along with Alison Cowper, Charlotte Cameron and Teresa Benzinski, Jean Sutcliffe is part of the dedicated faculty team who will deliver this course.
View our trainers' profiles.
Recent delegates have said:
“Excellent, would recommend to all! Facilitator was fantastic, she had a wide knowledge of all situations / real life scenarios and applied them to the course brilliantly!”
Testimonial
Sharon Pembroke, Health & Safety Administrator
Haden Building Management Ltd
The course was very informative and helped me to organise my workload better. Our tutor was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and didn't mind putting herself out to make sure you understood.