Editorial Features
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LATEST EDITORIAL FEATURE What would Barack Obama do? By James Sweetman - Business and Personal Coach - James Sweetman Associates PAST EDITORIAL FEATURES A Personal Best By Louise Hodgson What would Barack Obama do? Like me, I'm sure you watched Barack Obama's inauguration as US President on January 20th. For me he is a source of inspiration. I feel better about myself when I listen to him, a sign of a true leader. Recently, when faced with challenging decisions, or at times when I'm feeling nervous, I find myself asking 'what would Barack Obama do if he was in my shoes?' Such a question is a great way of accessing our inner wisdom. Having followed Obama's journey to the presidency there are many business and personal lessons we can learn from him. Be your own Brand When many people think of Barack Obama, the first two words that come to mind are 'hope' and 'change.' Brands don't just apply to businesses or politicians. Like reputations we all have one. What is your brand? What do you stand for? What is the experience you want people to have when they interact with you? Either you define your brand or your brand defines you! Positive Thinking: Yes We Can 'Yes we can' was Obama's rallying call. It is such an empowering statement. 'Yes' -positive, 'we' - inclusive, 'can'- ability. What would your business or indeed life be like if the 'yes we can' attitude took precedent over the 'No I can't.' An enriched life and an empowered Business is based on saying 'yes' more times than you say 'no.' Simple but true. Inspiring others by being yourself IBarack Obama relates to people on a human level. He does not talk down to or preach at his audience. You get the impression that he speaks to the porter in the same way as he speaks to Prime Ministers. When he speaks, you feel like he is talking to you. You can relate to him. He is a natural at creating rapport with people and one of the reasons he is so effective at this, is that he is in rapport with himself. He is not trying to be someone he is not. Charisma is another way of describing this and my definition of charisma is public self acceptance. Have a vision and communicate it clearly and repeatedly Obama has a vision for the future and is able to communicate that vision effectively. He cannot achieve everything by himself, but by inspiring others to get involved, to volunteer their energy and enthusiasm, momentum is generated. What is your vision for your life or for your business? A simple way to start is to answer the question 'what do you want?' Being and Doing your Best "Barack Obama has been accused of being an elitist. He is intelligent, well-educated and travelled and he is also able to connect with the man on the street. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, but so often we spend far too much time focusing on our weaknesses, ignoring our strengths. Similarly, we can be less than we think we are capable of, for fear of making other people uncomfortable. During the presidential campaign the media hounded Obama for a comment on the news that Sarah Palin's teenage daughter was pregnant. Obama could have scored political points, but his response was simple and dignified -'my mother had me when she was 18.' This highlighted the nobility of taking the magnanimous path over the petty one. You may not always win in choosing to be the 'bigger' person, but you will certainly never lose. Dignity can be a rare quality, but its scarcity only raises its value and helps to solidify your eputation. Here are two more business lessons we can learn from Obama Embrace Technology Obama wasn't the first president to capitalise on technology. JFK was the first to harness the power of television. Utilising the internet and the concept of social networking, Obama connected with millions. Technology develops ever more rapidly and there is no end point. As a business owner or manager you can no longer leave technological matters to the IT guy. At minimum you need to have sufficient knowledge to ask the question 'what can technology do for me and my business?' Recruit people who are better than you The presidency is too big a role for one man; like all managers, Obama's success is tied to the people he recruits. Successful managers keep their inner circle populated by people whose skills and intelligence can serve and benefit them, people who professionally complement their own skill set. We are only ever as good as our weakest link on their worst day! Barack Obama represents a new type of leader, one who embraces change, attacks old problems with bold new solutions, and recognises that leadership is as much about listening and collaborating with people as it is about making tough decisions. The overwhelmingly positive response to Obama's leadership style is also a reflection of our desire to have leaders who are inclusive, socially aware, transparent and honest. In a time of economic crisis we can continue doing what we've always done and hope for the best. Or we can draw from the leadership lessons of Barack Obama and increase our chances of winning against the odds. James Sweetman is a Business and Personal Coach, specialising in assisting individuals and firms to be more effective at what they do. He works both on a one-2-one basis with individual clients as well as delivering tailored training workshops on a range of topics including Customer Service and Sales Skills. For more information visit www.jamessweetman.com or contact James directly at 087 2492774 A Personal Best With a finger in every pie, the personal assistant has one of the most challenging roles in any business The role of the PA is a wide-ranging and demanding one, involving a huge amount of organisation, a very high level of technical know-how and an array of both interpersonal and administrative skills. In most cases, PAs must assume responsibilities delegated to them by the most important people in a company. Therefore, the position often entails dealing with very high profile clients on a one-to-one basis, while at the same time handling the run of the business in a manner that omplies with their employer's objectives. At the same time, the PA is, primarily, a personal assistant and a degree of involvement outside working hours is often expected. The PA's evening may require attending a corporate dinner, and, if the CEO is away on business at the weekend, they must be constantly alert to help with anything their boss may need from the office. A challenging role The PA role is a challenging one requiring many skills and outstanding professionalism, all of which must be backed by qualifications. "Nowadays, most PAs would have third-level qualifications and if they don't, they often study at night for their professional development," says Erika Davis, PA to Business&Finance publisher Ian Hyland. "The days of a personal assistant being employed to answer the phone and type up letters are gone." "A personal assistant's role is to oversee the management of their direct boss and to ensure that their boss's time is utilised to the maximum effectiveness," explains Aisling Broderick, managing director of Osborne Recruitment. "This will incorporate everything from diary management, screening calls, coordinating travel arrangements, putting together PowerPoint presentations and all administrative duties for that particular person." As such, the role of the PA has changed in line with the advancement of technology over the years. Where once PAs had to navigate a filing cabinet with stealth, they must now maintain an intricate knowledge of the company's computer system. Where once shorthand was an indispensable tool, high speed typing and a thorough comprehension of Microsoft programmes such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint are absolute must-haves on any PA's CV. This technical expertise must constantly be updated. As the main aim of the PA is to use their time efficiently, they need to be on the lookout for the latest software that will help them to do so. Keeping up with with every need Quite often, the CEO of a large corporation won't know the names and roles of all who work for him or her - what with being busy enough taking care of the big picture. PAs, on the other hand, have to keep up-to-date with staff. When there is company news to relate, they need to know who to alert first, and when a work gathering is being organised, they cannot afford to leave anyone out. In much the same way, PAs must keep track of all those with whom their boss meets. They will know what calls to screen, and indeed, have to diplomatically conduct such screenings. In this way, the role encompasses a large element of public relations. Dealing with important clients requires a considerable amount of charm and discretion, especially when there are sensitive matters that can potentially go askew. On a more basic level, it is the PA who will have contact details at the touch of a button for everyone associated with their boss, both personally and professionally. There are legal implications for asking someone to work more than 48 hours a week, as detailed by the European Working Time Directive. It has become increasingly obvious that a large amount of workers in Ireland do not stick to these hours; the Eurest Lunchtime Report 2006 has shown that the average lunch break in the Republic lasts just 38 minutes. A recent survey conducted by irishjobs.ie reported that 43% of Irish employees take only one week or less of their holidays. The PA is doubtlessly one to be affected by this national trend. "The main issue that a PA faces today is juggling to achieve a work-life balance," says Aisling Broderick. "Many find it impossible to leave their jobs at 5pm, as their boss may still be working and need them at 10pm." Any hour beyond the 48 hours should be paid for. But it can be hard for PAs to count the extra time, because they are often working in spurts around someone else's clock. On top of that, PAs may have signed away their right to a usual working schedule, as there is usually a clause in their contract that gets around the matter. As with any employee, however, if a PA feels that his or her position is being taken advantage of, they have every right to solve this issue through the legal route (and indeed, in some cases they are actively encouraged to do so). Assisting the assistant The organisation of meetings, conferences and, in certain instances, holidays, involves the need for a wealth of information. The PA has to be aware of an array of promotional offerings: the most efficient and cost effective methods of travel, from limousines to double-decker buses; the best hotels and restaurants to impress clients and/or accommodate employees; the most suitable leisure activities to promote healthy work relations and teambuilding; and the most accommodating conference centres and meeting venues in the country. Therefore, websites like pa-assist.ie are a vital lifeline for the PA. After all, sometimes even those assisting need help. "pa-assist.ie is an online resource and information website for PAs, secretaries and management assistants," explains Sandra Cummins, the website's director. "It aims to bring a wide variety of products, services and help facilities to the one desktop to assist office professionals in their daily activities." Here, the PA will find a one-stop-shop of resources. From grammar guidelines essential for professional emails) to hotel recommendations, there is plenty here to make a PA's job easier. As Cummins explains: "The main features of the website are the help services, which include: 'Ask the Travel Pilot' - where you can submit a complex travel itinerary and we will respond with best solution; 'Ask the Grammar Expert' - for advice and assistance with irregular and difficult forms of words or for confirmation that the structure of your sentence is grammatically correct; 'Ask Moneypenny' - for any specific advice you may require or to assist you with finding a specific product or service; The 'pa-assist Venue Finder' - a free meeting and venue finding service in association with Ovation Group; and the 'pa-assist Hotel Booker' - a hotel reservation service in association with TravelRes." Pa-assist.ie was first established in Britain in May 2000 (pa-assist.com) and then came to Ireland in October 2002. It employs just three people in Ireland and six in the UK, yet remains the number one resource for office professionals. As well as all of that information, a quick glance at the website shows that the team covers a wide range of topics of interest to the PA, such as guidelines to using FedEx, recommended events organisers, CV writing skills and many more. This wide range of topics gives an idea of what the PA has to cover on a day-to-day basis. But while the role of the PA is often challenging and ever changing, there are few who would swap it for anything else. |