Intro -- Contents -- About the author -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- 01 Relationship management -- Understand yourself before you try to understand others -- What the boss-assistant relationship means to your health and well-being -- Image, perception and first impressions -- Managing your state of mind -- The handshake -- Professional image -- The beginning of a business relationship -- What is expected of each other: setting down the parameters -- Working styles -- Constant communication -- Assumptions -- Be proactive, anticipate needs, be prepared and exceed expectations -- Be accountable: take pride in a high standard of work -- Empathy -- Honesty and integrity -- Trust -- Office politics -- How to manage your boss -- 02 Communication skills -- Body language -- Visual, auditory and kinaesthetic -- Matching and mirroring (reflecting) -- Eye contact -- Use of space -- The 'influential' right side -- Hands -- Posture -- How to influence the 'chemistry' between you and your boss -- E-mail communication -- Listening skills -- Questioning skills -- Gossip -- Telephone etiquette -- Understanding and communicating with different cultures -- 03 Confidence, self-belief and goal setting -- What is confidence? -- The feeling of confidence -- Act as if you are confident -- Think positive thoughts -- Focus on your strengths and boost your confidence -- Self-esteem, self-awareness and self-belief -- Conscious and subconscious minds -- Internal 'negative gremlins' and internal 'positive coach' -- Fear -- Tools to change/eliminate negative gremlin voices -- The law of attraction -- The power of experiential learning -- Continual learning -- Methods of learning -- Appraisals and feedback -- Tips on how to receive constructive criticism -- Personal development plan (PDP) -- Goal setting -- Steps to help you achieve your goals.

04 Dealing with difficult people and managing conflict -- A problem-solving technique -- Assertiveness -- Ground rules for discussions -- Strategies to help you deal with conflict and difficult characteristics of bosses -- Change the way you react by using affirmations -- E-mail rage -- Real-life case studies on how to deal with difficult bosses/conflict -- Different types of management style -- 05 Time, organizing and stress management -- Time/task management -- Prioritizing the workload -- 'Time thieves' -- Organizational skills -- Top tips for managing deadlines -- Top 10 ways to save time dealing with e-mail -- Stress management -- Time management and lowering stress levels -- Advice on stress from around the world -- 06 Organizing meetings and events -- Before the meeting: prepare and plan! -- During the meeting/event -- After the meeting: evaluate -- 07 Presentations -- Exercises to reduce tension -- Principles for preparing your presentation -- During the presentation -- Ending the presentation -- 08 Ergonomics: your health and safety -- The work station -- A tidy desk leads to a tidy mind -- Principles of posture -- Ergonomic health breaks -- 09 Networking -- What is networking? -- The benefits of networking -- Where to network -- The secrets of good networking -- Remembering people's names -- Some general points -- What to talk about while networking -- 10 A chapter to share with your boss -- Communication -- What bosses should know to work effectively with their assistants -- The law of expectations: communicate your expectations clearly -- How to motivate your assistant -- Focus on the development of your assistant -- 11 Confident minute-taking -- Definition -- Personal benefits of taking the minutes -- Preparation -- During the meeting -- Minutes of XXXX meeting -- After the meeting -- 12 Harnessing the power of social media.

The first step to using social media is to sign up -- Social media time management -- Twitter -- Facebook -- LinkedIn -- Other useful tools -- Apps -- What you can use social media for -- 13 The future of the assistant -- The future of the personal assistant/executive assistant/secretary -- Appendix 1 Personal strengths assessment form -- Scoring grid -- Appendix 2 Personal development plan (PDP) -- Section 1: Strengths and areas for development -- Section 2: Opportunities and threats -- Section 3: Reflecting back -- Section 4: Your action plan -- Section 5: Values and any other thoughts -- Section 6: Goal setting -- Appendix 3 Preferred communication style -- Preferred style -- Appendix 4 Pro forma for goal setting -- Guidelines for setting goals -- Tips on setting goals -- Skill competencies -- Appendix 5 Problem-solving master -- Appendix 6 Positive adjectives/action verbs -- INDEX.

This new edition of The Definitive Personal Assistant and Secretarial Handbook is the ultimate guide for all management assistants, PAs, secretaries and executive assistants. Placing special emphasis on career development, it provides help and advice on the skills necessary to progress in your career. Along with a chapter to share with your boss for a more fruitful working relationship, it includes help with time management, networking, relationship management, communication and confidence. Now with a new chapter which provides important advice on social networking as an alternative communication tool, it also contains even more practical help with minute taking. With free downloadable online resources to aid the day-to-day running of your office, this comprehensive and accessible guide will help you keep your finger on the pulse and maintain your professional image.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2021. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.