Essential Management Skills for Executive Secretaries and Personal Assistants

ABF Executive
Secretaries &
Essential Management Skills For
Personal Assistants Executive Secretaries And
Conference
18 January 2007
Personal Assistants

Asia Business Forum: Essential Skills for Executive Secretaries and Personal Assistants
A specially designed workshop for Asia Business Forum

OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM

1. Have a comprehensive understanding on essential management skills that will help you increase your
effectiveness and productivity

2. Knowing key management techniques that will help you perform your role with better confidence

3. Utilise the principles of project management to successfully manage your workload

4. Assess the importance of your organisation’s culture and strategy to your role

5. Identify where you need further coaching

Note:
1. Details of some topics may not be covered in detail
2. Some topics may not be covered altogether
3. Many of the concepts presented here are controversial.
Participants may choose to ignore topics which they think do not
fit them

Copyright © CNI Holdings Berhad 2007 Page 2 of 63

Essential Skills for Executives and Personal Assistants: Program
Time Program Contents and Notes

9.00 am Introduction Promote Yourself to Get Promoted

9.15 am Chapter 1: Managing your Job Expectations, Types of Roles, Activities vs. Results, Project Mgmt, Essential Skills List

10.30 am Break

10.50 am Chapter 2: Managing your Time Priorities, Time & Stress Management

11.30 am Chapter 3: Managing your Boss My Boss’ Job, Unspoken Problems of Bosses, My Boss, the Client, bad Bosses

12.30 pm Lunch

1.45 pm Chapter 4: Managing your Relationship Basics, People Skills, Communication, Influence
Relationships

3.00 pm Chapter 5: Managing your Habits, Self Development, Feelings
Discipline

3.30 pm Break

3.50 pm Chapter 6: Managing your Attitude Bad Attitude:Good Attitude, Develop the right attitude

4.20 pm Chapter 7: Managing your Career Biggest Career Mistakes, You are going to die, Your job & You, Have a Plan

4.50 pm Q&A

5.00 pm End of Workshop


1. Job

7. Career 2. Time

What to
Manage?
6. Attitude 3. Boss

4.
5. Discipline Relationship


INTRO (Taken from CNI’s Potential Development Program, PDP)

Promote Yourself to Get Promoted
1. What happens if you have a really Good Product but Bad Marketing? How about the other way around?

2. You’re good at your job. You work hard. That’s basic. It is not enough to get promoted fast.

3. Being good in your job is not enough if you want to be really successful. You need something else.

4. You need to learn how to market, sell and promote yourself in order to be promoted.

5. You need to follow certain Rules if you really want to climb the career faster than normal.

6. One major questions that you need to answer:
Do you want a good career?
Do you want a good career fast or slow?

7. Only a Professional can get a good career fast. So…do you want to be a Professional or Amateur?

8. This sesson is for Professionals!


CHAPTER 1: MANAGING YOUR JOB

1.1 Expectations

BOSS

Other Secretaries Expectations Peers

Boss’
Subordinates

**Why are you doing what you are doing?


1.2 Types of an Executive Secretary and a Personal Assistant

“Know your job well, do it well, and be better than anyone else doing it.”

Bottom line:- You must be really good at your basic job.

What is the pay of a Marketing Manager in Malaysia? Job Titles are misleading

Real Level = Type of Work + Type of Boss
Type of Work Type of Boss

Ambassador/COO Chairman

Representative CEO

Office Manager Corp. Division Head
+
Advisor Business Unit Head

Administrator Division Head

Standard Department Head


1.3 Activities vs. Results

Refer to Slides of the District Engineer.

We can either refer to our job in terms of activities or refer to it in terms of results. Whichever reference you choose determines
what your behavior on a daily basis.

Basic Secretarial Functions & Duties What are the RESULTS expected?

1. Standard ▪ Typing
administrative ▪ Keeps notes
functions ▪ Filing
▪ Takes minutes
▪ Picks up and delivers materials as required.
▪ Completes various request forms for office
supplies and equipment
▪ Assists in formatting and preparation of
proposals, reports, tables, and charts

2. Manages routine ▪ Answers telephone, screens callers, relays
correspondence messages, and greets visitors.
▪ Screens calls
▪ Types routine correspondence and reports
using personal computer.
▪ Opens, sorts and screens mail.
▪ Draft letters

3. Organizes and ▪ Assists with maintaining calendar, scheduling
expedites flow of appointments and meeting rooms.
work through ▪ Follow-up
Director’s office ▪ Assists with making routine travel and
accommodation arrangements.


1.4 Project Management

How to apply Project Management skills and tools in your daily work.

By definition, a project is an objective that needs to be accomplished within a specified time-frame.

Any tasks that you need to work on that involves Objectives + Timeline, you can apply Project Management techniques.

Project Management Simplified:

Objective

Timelines

Resources

Obstacles and Challenges

Risks and counter-measures

Monitoring mechanisms

Corrections & Changes


1.5 Skills you need to survive
*based on research findings: “Skills essential for participation in adult life”, Queensland Studies Authority 1994, 1998, 1999

F1 Information Management Definition: The capacity to locate, sift and sort, store and retrieve information in order to
select what is required and present it in a useful way, and evaluate both the information
itself and the sources and methods used to obtain it

F2 Communication and Definition: The capacity to communicate and influence effectively using the range of
Influence spoken, written, graphic and other nonverbal means of expression

F3 Planning and Organising Definition: The capacity to plan and organise one’s own work activities, including making
good use of time and resources, sorting out priorities and monitoring one’s own
performance

F4 Working with others and Definition: The capacity to interact effectively with other people both on a one-to-one basis
in teams and in groups, including understanding and responding to the needs of a customer and
working effectively as a member of a team to achieve a shared goal.

F5 Mathematical Techniques Definition: The capacity to use mathematical ideas, such as number and statistics, and
techniques, such as estimation and approximation, for practical purposes

F6 Problem Solving and Definition: The capacity to apply problem-solving strategies in purposeful ways, both in
Decision Making situations where the problem and the desired solution are clearly evident and in situations
requiring critical thinking and a creative approach to achieve an outcome

F7 Technology Definition: The capacity to apply technology, combining the physical and sensory skills
needed to operate equipment with the understanding of scientific and technological
principles needed to explore and adapt systems

**Refer to Handout 1: Need to Know IT Skills


Personal Action Plan for Chapter 1: Managing Your Job

1. This is the single most important idea I got out of this section that I can personally apply:

2. This is how I will use it:

3. What I will gain from its use:

4. Someone to share these ideas with:


CHAPTER 2: MANAGING YOUR TIME

2.1 Priorities

“There are two things that are most difficult to get people to do: to think and to do things in order
of importance. These two things are the difference between a professional and an amateur.”

The discipline to prioritize and the ability to work toward a stated goal are essential to success.

Priority Management
1. This chapter discusses priority management skills. These are essential skills for effective people.

2. People who use these techniques routinely are the highest achievers in all walks of life, from business to sport to public service.
If you use these skills well, then you will be able to function effectively, even under intense pressure.

3. At the heart of priority management is an important shift in focus:

“Concentrate on results, not on being busy”

4. Many people spend their days in a rush of activity, but achieve very little because they are not concentrating on the right
things.


The Pareto Principle
Priority Management is neatly summed up in the Pareto Principle, or the '80:20 Rule'. This argues that typically 80% of unfocussed
effort generates only 20% of results. The remaining 80% of results are achieved with only 20% of the effort.
20 percent of your priorities will give you 80 percent of your results,
IF
you spend your time, energy, money, and personnel on the top 20 percent of your priorities

Priorities Results

1
The solid lines on the illustration of the 20/80 principle
1
2 represent a person or organization that spends time,
2 energy, money, and personnel on the most important
3 priorities. The result is a four-fold return in productivity.
3
4
4
The dotted lines represent a person or organization that
5 spends time, energy, money and personnel on the
5
lesser priorities. The result is a very small return.
6
6
7
7
8
8

9
9
10
10


Examples of the Pareto Principle

Time 20 percent of our time produces 80 Every leader needs to understand the Pareto Principle in the
percent of the results area of people oversight and leadership. For example, 20
percent of the people in an organization will be responsible for
Counseling 20 percent of the people take up 80 80 percent of the company’s success.
percent of our time

Products 20 percent of the products bring in 80
percent of the profit “Efficiency is the foundation for survival.
Reading 20 percent of the book contains 80 percent
Effectiveness is the foundation for success”
of the content John Maxwell.
Job 20 percent of our work gives us 80 percent
of our satisfaction

Speech 20 percent of the presentation produces 80
percent of the impact

Donations 20 percent of the people will give 80
percent of the money

Leadership 20 percent of the people will make 80
percent of the decisions

Picnic 20 percent of the people will eat 80
percent of the food!


Organize according to priority
The ability to juggle three or four priority projects successfully is a must for every leader.

Prioritize Assignments
High Importance/ Tackle these projects first
High Urgency

High Importance/ Set deadlines for completion and get these projects
Low Urgency worked into your daily routine

Low Importance/ Find quick, efficient ways to get this work done without
High Urgency much personal involvement. If possible, delegate it to a
“can do” assistant

Low Importance/ This is busy or repetitious work such as filing. Stack it up
Low Urgency and do it in one-half hour segments every week; get
somebody else to do it; or don’t do it at all

“Decide what to do and do it;
decide what not to do and don’t do it. “
**What are your life priorities?


2.2 Manage your time to manage your stress

1. Good time management is essential if you are to handle a heavy workload without excessive stress.

2. By using time management skills effectively, you can reduce work stress by being more in control of your time, and by
being more productive.

3. This ensures that you have time to relax outside work.

4. The central shift of attitude within time management is to concentrate on results, not on activity.

5. You need to learn how to:
a. Assess the value of your time, understand how effectively you are using it, and improve your time use habits;

b. Focus on your priorities so that you focus on the most important jobs to do, delegate tasks where possible, and drop
low value jobs;

c. Manage and avoid distractions; and

d. Create more time.

6. Time Management helps you to reduce long-term stress by giving you direction when you have too much work to do.

7. It puts you in control of where you are going, and helps you to increase your productivity.

8. By being efficient in your use of time, you should enjoy your current role more, and should find that you are able to find the
time to relax outside work and enjoy life.


Top Five Time Management Mistakes

1. Start your day without a plan of action.

Time management is not doing the wrong things quicker. That just gets us nowhere faster.

Time management is doing the right things.

Learn how to do a To-Do-List! **Refer to Handout 2: KO To-Do List

To-Do Lists

A. A 'To-Do List' is a list of all the tasks that you need to carry out. It consolidates all
the jobs that you have to do into one place.

B. You can then prioritize these tasks into order of importance. This allows you to tackle
the most important ones first.

C. The solution is often simple: Write down the tasks that face you, and if they are
large, break them down into their component elements. If these still seem large,
break them down again.

D. Do this until you have listed everything that you have To-Do. Once you have done
this, run through these jobs allocating priorities.

E. If too many tasks have a high priority, run through the list again and demote the less
important ones. Once you have done this, rewrite the list in priority order.


2. Get out of balance in your life.

Our lives are made up of Seven Vital Areas: health, family, financial, intellectual, social, professional and spiritual.

If we neglect any one area, we will eventually sabotage our success.

Like a table: if one leg is longer than the rest, it will make the entire table wobbly.

If we don't take time for health, our family life and social life are hurt. If our financial area is out of balance, we will not be able
to focus adequately on our professional goals, and so on.

3. Work with a messy desk or area.
Studies have shown that the person who works with a messy desk spends, on average, one-and-a-half hours per day looking
for things or being distracted by things. That's seven-and-a-half hours per week.

It's not a solid block of an hour and a half, but a minute here and a minute there.

Like a leaky hot water faucet that goes drip, drip, drip, it doesn't seem like a major loss, but at the end of the day, we're
dumping gallons of hot water that we are paying to heat down the drain.

4. Don't get enough sleep.
Studies show that nearly 75 percent of us complain on a regular basis that we are flat-out tired.

Most people get the quantity of sleep, but lack the quality of sleep. Their days are filled with so much stress, that they are out
of control, and they find it difficult to get a full night's sleep.

If you plan your day, then work your plan, you will get more done, feel a higher sense of accomplishment, and experience less
stress so you can enjoy a more restful night's sleep.


5. Don't take a lunch break.
Many work through lunch in the hope that it will give them more time to produce results. Studies have shown it may turn just
the opposite.

After doing what we do for several hours, we start to dull out. Sure, we can work through lunch and be productive, but that is
not the issue. The issue is quot;how much morequot; productive we can be.

A lunch break, even a short 15-minute break, gives us a chance to get our batteries all charged up again to more effectively
handle the afternoon's challenges.

We are then less likely to procrastinate a few of those difficult tasks that, in the long run, will make a positive difference in our
personal productivity.

Fast Time & Stress Management Techniques

1. Analyze the time wasters in your day.

2. Use the on/off button on your TV

3. Plan your day's activities each morning or every evening before bed.

4. Use meal times effectively and enjoyably

5. Use a to-do list/check off items when completed for a sense of accomplishment

6. Decide upon your goals and objectives and periodically update them

7. Set PRIORITIES

8. Control visitors


9. If you need to see someone, go to their office/room/house, you can always leave.

10.Keep a neat working area

11.Write notes on calendars

12.When you see a gift that would be perfect for someone for a birthday or Raya/Christmas, but it right then instead of waiting
until the week before the event, even if you are months ahead of schedule.

13.Put undone work aside in an orderly fashion

14.Take 45-second breaks

15.If you think you will have to wait-take work with you: e.g. letters you need to write/office-work, etc.

16.Work hard/PLAY HARD

17.Communicate openly, frankly and clearly and tactfully. Don't beat around the bush.

18.Make your deadlines known to others so they will respect your schedule

19.Group common activities: it is easier than you think to do more than one thing at a time.

20.Don't complain

21.Don't whine

22.Break big tasks into little ones; a book is written just one paragraph at a time, anything is possible.


My own techniques
1. Force time to relax

2. Small time segments

3. Do things at times that no one else is doing it:
a. Traffic
b. Shopping
c. Holiday
d. ATM

4. Carry paper & pen (or PDA)

5. Allocate extra time for all task planning (this includes traveling)

6. Judge and manage personalities

7. Control phone calls (call out, return call out)

8. In phone calls (or face-to-face) – serious first, social second

9. Learn to say ‘No’

10.Planned Annual Leave

11.Wednesday leave

Time Management = Sacrifice


Personal Action Plan for Chapter 2: Managing Your Time






CHAPTER 3: MANAGING YOUR BOSS

3.1 My Boss’ Job

Types of Bosses and their jobs

Type of Work Type of Boss

Ambassador/COO Chairman

Representative CEO

Office Manager Corp. Division Head
+
Advisor Business Unit Head

Administrator Division Head

Standard Department Head

Main Challenges that your Boss is facing
A. Top Four Leadership Challenges
1. Getting people to work together who have different agendas (60%) - The “Conflict” Challenge
2. Balancing competing demands and priorities (56%) - The “Priorities” Challenge
3. Motivating and inspiring employees in a world of constant change (48%) - The “Motivation” Challenge
4. Accomplishing difficult assignments without the necessary resources (45%) - The “Resources”Challenge


B. Top three challenges affecting Business today (if your Boss is a CEO or Business Unit Head)
1. Recruiting, retaining and training talented employees (49%),
2. Developing and implementing business strategies that result in profitable returns (49%)
3. Reducing operating costs to increase efficiency (41%)

3.2 Unspoken Problems faced by Bosses

Every Boss has problems that he cannot or don’t want to solve. These are your opportunities
1. Too much communications (Email <yahoo, google, outlook, intranet>, IM, mobile, office phone, blackberry, etc….)

2. Uncooperative Heads from other departments/business units

3. Conflict among subordinates

4. Too many meetings to attend

5. Follow up on tasks (especially tasks delegated to others)

6. Lack of resources

7. Incompetent subordinates

8. Unbalanced family life

9. Pressurized career progression

10. Too much information to read, store and retrieve

11. Need for more influence and power


12. Multiple and conflicting accountabilities (some are not even recognized officially)

13. Monitoring the performance of multiple projects/committees

14. Forgetfulness

15. Stress

16. Lack of Time

3.3 My Boss, the Client

1. Do not treat your boss as a boss. Treat your boss as a Customer

2. I used to have four main clients at every client: the HR Manager, CEO, Company, Staff

3. Now in CNI I have also four clients: Boss, Big Boss, Company, Employee

4. What I have learned about properly managing clients and customers:
a. Make them look good and they will make you look good

b. What ever you give to the CEO, give to the HR Manager

c. You better be more prepared than the client

d. The client wants results, not activity

e. No matter how much I hated my client, he is still the one buying rice for my family


f. Clients don’t to hear the word “No”. They prefer “Maybe”. The best is “Yes, can be done.”

g. Clients will pay you for one job but request ten other jobs for free if they can.

h. You have to produce first, then only get paid.

i. If you want a big project, aim for the small project first.

j. If something goes wrong, the client will kill the consultant. He won’t kill anyone else.

k. A client will pay you the rate that they think you deserve, not what you think you deserve.

l. A client won’t pay for your development. They expect you to get better by yourself. If not, they just look for another
consultant.

m. You are not the only consultant they can hire. Are you better than the rest? How do you know?

n. The client is always right. Agree first, try to change later.

o. Clients hire you to solve problems that they cannot solve or do not want to solve.

5. Bosses rank Trust as number 1, more than Attitude or Competency

6. In order for Bosses to know you, they need to 'see' you. You cannot hide!

7. The Bosses define “Dedicated” as “Showing Concern”


3.4 Bad Bosses
Adapted from: Dr. Barbara Moses, author of “What Next? The Complete Guide to Taking Control of Your Working Life”

Bad Boss Type What to Do?
The weak manager Identify the problem. For example, if your manager needs to be
liked by everyone, avoid communications that suggest
She won't stand up for you. She aggressively avoids taking contentious or highly charged emotional issues. Where you can,
risks. She's vague and her commitments have the sticking solve conflicts yourself. If her problem is that she is spineless
power of water. and refuses to take on any leadership role, talk to your boss's
boss.
But the underlying causes of her behaviour can vary. Often, she
simply wants to be liked by everyone, and can't stand conflict. If your boss is too burned out to care or is a reluctant manager,
It's also possible she's too busy to understand when there is a work around her. Take the initiative to set out the parameters
problem, or too burned out to care. Frequently, such managers of the work. Give yourself the feedback you need. Pin your boss
are reluctant to be managers at all, and would much rather be down by e-mail to a suggested meeting time.
getting on with their own work as individuals.
Make her life easy by only talking to her about critical issues. If
They may also be ill-trained, and lacking management skills. your boss is lacking management skills, tell her what you need
from her to do your job. Then cover yourself by sending an e-
mail.
The political manager Support his high need for recognition by making him look good
on strategic projects. Focus your own efforts on quot;high-valuequot;
He has an unerring ability to know what will make him look work. Be prepared to share the limelight, even if it kills you.
good. He will go to bat for you only on issues that serve his Don't trust him to have your own interests at heart. Pitch him
political agenda. He's sneaky and plays favourites. He won't on work you want to do by emphasizing its profile and
think twice about using you as a sacrificial lamb to support his importance to senior management.
own career goals.


The black-and-white manager If his problem is intellectual deficiency, indulge him like a
misguided child. Better yet, ignore him if you can. But if the
He just doesn't get it -- either because he has the IQ of an problem is one of cognitive style, shape your communications to
eraser or he is as concrete as they come. He doesn't understand his needs. If he is fact-oriented, don't waste your time painting
context, nuance, or high-level ideas. compelling arguments based on ideas. Simply state the facts
and provide information unembellished.

The obsessive micro-manager Why is she so untrusting? Is she anxious about failing to please
her boss, or is she simply a control freak? If the problem is her
She trusts you the way you'd trust a five-year-old behind the own insecurity, anticipate issues that will make her anxious by
wheel of the car. No matter how much detail you give her, or reassuring her that you have covered all the bases. Say, for
how many times you do redo a piece of work, it's still not right. example, quot;in completing this I spoke to Jane Doe and took the
You're completely demotivated and have lost your sense of following issues into account . . .quot; Write it down as well, as she
competence. may be too anxious to fully process what you are saying.

The invisible manager If she is pressed for time, do your homework before you meet
with her to make the meeting as efficient as possible. Be
You have no one to go to for direction. She doesn't have a clue strategic on issues where you need support. Give yourself
about the volume or pace of your work. You're killing yourself, direction and feedback by setting milestones and regularly
but no one notices or gives you feedback. evaluating your effectiveness against them. Thank yourself for a
job well done. Establish a mechanism for getting direction,
This manager shares many of the underlying motivations of the whether it be weekly or monthly meetings at an agreed time.
weak manager. She may be invisible because she's too busy, or Hold her to her commitment
is a reluctant or unskilled manager.


The task master If you've talked to him and he still doesn't get it, create your
own standards for evaluating what is realistic and doable. Don't
He doesn't have a life, and doesn't expect you to either. You're be apologetic about wanting time for a personal life. Work-life
drowning in work but he keeps heaping on more. His time-lines balance is your right, not a privilege. If your organization wants
are ridiculous. Sometimes an extremely task-focused manager to quot;be an employer of choicequot; remind your boss of the
is simply shy or preoccupied, or so focused on getting the work incongruity between policy and behaviour.
done that he's not aware of the impact of his behaviour on the
people around him. Is he aware of your work load?

The nasty manager Sometimes an apparently nasty boss is simply so task-focused
that she is oblivious to how her behaviour makes you feel.
She's ruthless. She seems to take pleasure in watching you Underneath a gruff exterior, as the saying goes, may be the
squirm. She has pets and you are not one of them. heart of a pussycat. When you confront her, does she apologize,
or get mad?

If none of these strategies work, you have two choices:
Choice A - If you have good personal reasons for staying in your job -- you love your work, you're learning a lot, you like the
people you're working with -- you can hold your nose and ignore your boss as best you can.
Choice B - Or, you can quit: life is too short too deal with this kind of abuse.


Personal Action Plan for Chapter 3: Managing Your Boss






CHAPTER 4: MANAGING YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

4.1 Basics of Relationships

Why?

1. Good performance & skill won't get you very far. You need others to succeed

2. Five Rules for Successful Relationships:
Be Yourself
Be of Value
Be Consistent
Be Truthful
Do What You Say

3. You cannot get people to listen to you if they don't like you.

4. And if they don’t listen to you, you won’t accomplish anything!

5. Relationships = Expectations.

6. You must know the expectations and manage those expectations.


4.2 People Skills

Understanding People and Human Nature
The first step in increasing your skill in dealing with people (successful human relations) is to properly understand people and their
nature.

Understanding people and human nature simply involves recognizing people for what they are - not what you think they are nor
what you want them to be.

What is Human Nature?

PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN
THEMSELVES, NOT IN YOU!

Putting this same thought another way - the other person is ten thousand times more interested in himself than he is
in you.

Similarly, you are more interested in yourself than you are in any other person in the world!

Later you will see how many successful techniques start from this understanding.

So actually it is a key of life for you to realize that people are primarily interested in themselves and not in you.


A. How To Skillfully Talk To People

When you are talking to people, pick out the most interesting subject in the world to them to talk about.

What is the most interesting subject in the world to them?

THEMSELVES!

When you talk to them about themselves they will be deeply interested and completely fascinated.

Take these four words out of your vocabulary
quot;I, me, my, minequot;

Substitute for those four words, one word, the most powerful word spoken by the human tongue –

quot;youquot;

E.g., quot;this is for YOUquot;, quot;YOU will benefit if YOU do thisquot;, quot;this will please YOUR familyquot;, quot;YOU get both advantagesquot;, etc.

Another good way of using peoples' interest in themselves in conversation is to get them talking about themselves.

You will find that people would rather talk about themselves than about any other subject.


If you can get people into talking about themselves they will like you very much. This is done by asking them questions about
themselves such as:
quot;how is your family, Johnquot;
quot;how is that boy of yours in the army coming alongquot;
quot;where is your married daughter living nowquot;
quot;how long have you been with the companyquot;
quot;is this your home town, Mr……….”
quot;what do you think of………, Mr…………….quot;
quot;is that a picture of your family, Mr…………..”
quot;did you en joy your trip, Mr………….quot;
quot;did your family go with you, Mr…………..quot;

Most of us are not effective on others because we keep busy thinking and talking about ourselves.
So - when talking to others, talk about them. And get them talking about themselves.

B. How To Skillfully Make People Feel Important

The most common characteristic of humans is the desire to be important, the desire to be recognized.

So, if you want to be skillful in human relations, be sure to make people feel important.

Remember that the more important you make people feel, the more they will respond to you.


Everybody wants to be treated as a somebody - quot;save face.quot;
Some tips on how to recognize people and make them feel Important :

1. Listen to them

Refusal to listen to people is the surest way of making them feel unimportant and of rating them a nobody.

Listening to them is the best way of making them feel important.

2. Praise and compliment them.
When they deserve it.

3. Use their names and pictures as often as possible.
Call people by their names and use their pictures and they will love you.

4. Pause before you answer them.
This gives them the impression you have thought over what they said and that it was worth thinking over.

5. Use their words-quot;youquot; and quot;yourquot;.
Not quot;I, me, my, mine.quot;

6. Acknowledge people who are waiting to see you.
If they have to wait, let them know you know they are waiting. This is really treating them as a somebody.


7. Pay attention to everybody in a group.
Nor to just the leader or spokesman.

A group is more than one.

C. How To Skillfully Agree With People

The Art of Being Agreeable has six parts- ..

1. Learn to be agreeable, to agree with people.
Get yourself into an attitude of being agreeable.

Develop an agreeable nature. Be a naturally agreeable person.

2. Tell people when you agree with them.
It is not enough to be agreeable with people. Let people know that you agree with them.

Nod your head quot;yesquot; and look at them when you do it and say to them - quot;I agree with youquot; or quot;right.quot;

3. Do not tell people when you disagree with them unless it is absolutely necessary.
If you can't agree with people, and many times you can't, then just don't disagree with them unless it is absolutely necessary.

You will be amazed at how seldom this will be,


4. Admit it when you are wrong.
Whenever you are wrong, say so out loud - quot;I made a mistakequot;, quot;I was wrongquot;, etc.
It takes successful person to do this and people admire anyone who can do it.
The average person will lie, deny or give excuse.

5. Avoid arguing.
The poorest technique known in human relations is arguing. Even if you are right, don't argue.
Nobody wins arguments or friends by arguing.

6. Handle fighters properly.
Fighters want one thing - a fight.
The better technique to handle them is to refuse to fight with them. They will sputter, be angry and then look silly.

The reasons behind the Art Of Being Agreeable
a. People like those who agree with them.
b. People dislike those who disagree with them.
c. People don't like being disagreed with.


4.3 Communication

Speak well
a. The things you must avoid:
• Mumbling
• Speaking too softly or quietly
• Using jargon
b. There are four key words to remember to get you speaking well:
• Bright
• Clear
• Pleasant
• Simple
c. Speak simply – say directly what it is you want to say, and nothing more.

Write well
a. How you write for others to read is of utmost and crucial importance.
b. You will be judged on:
• What you write
• How your writing looks

Be a good Listener
a. A good listener is someone who makes the speaker know that they are listening.
b. You do this by:
i. Making encouraging sounds
ii. Displaying proper body language
iii. Repeating back some part of the conversation
iv. Getting them to repeat if you didn’t hear properly or understood
v. Asking questions
vi. Taking notes
c. Good listening is a skill that you have to practice and learn.


4.4 Influence

Influence is about getting someone to do something that you want them to do.

Influence is especially important when you do not have or cannot use official authority.

Character And Influence

Love/Fear

Respect Credibility

Trust

1. Respect: Skills Knowledge; Gained by: Doing and Showing
2. Credibility: Integrity; Gained by: Achievement and Results
3. Trust: Consistency; Gained by: Consistency
4. Love/Fear: Personal Experience; Gained by: Personal Action

The higher the score for these four areas, the higher your influence power. What is your score? Do you dare to know?

All these require Time, but are critical even before we begin to start influencing people.


How to Make People believe You (by Roger Dawson) How to Change People (by Dale Carnegie)
1. Never assume they believe you A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes
and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:
2. Tell them only as much as they’ll believe 1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

3. Point out the disadvantages 2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.

4. Use precise numbers 3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other

5. Downplay any benefits to you person.

6. Dress the part of a successful person 4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

7. If you have something to gain, let them know 5. Let the other person save face.

8. Use the power of the printed word 6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every

9. Let them know who else says so improvement. Be quot;energetic in your approval and generous

10.Build and use a portfolio of testimonials in your praise.quot;

7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.

9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you

suggest.


Success Formulas
1. Success Formula for Communication: LINA

2. Success Formula for Influence: PASSE

3. Success Formula for Personality: S+ FH + C


Personal Action Plan for Chapter 4: Managing Your Relationships






CHAPTER 5: MANAGING YOUR DISCIPLINE

5.1 Habits
1. Steps to Success…
a. Your success depends on what you do.
b. What you do depends on who you are.
c. Who you are depends on Habits

2. What we do, say and think is 90% controlled by habits.

3. Control your habits, and you can control your Success.

4. Failure is also because of habits.

“I will form good habits and become their slave”
From “The Greatest Salesman in the World”, Og Mandino

5. The only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habit

6. Think about it - Your actions are ruled mostly by your habits.

7. Only a habit and control another habit.

8. It takes an average of 21 days to form a new habit.

9. The goal habits: It will be part of your subconscious mind.

10.You need to form good habits in 3 areas: Thinking, Speaking, Doing


5.2 Self Development

What is compound interest?
© Copyright 1998-2005, The Motley Fool Limited.
Albert Einstein, once called compound interest quot;the greatest mathematical discovery of all timequot;.

If you had invested $1 in the year 1500 at 5% compound interest, it would be worth
$47,000,000,000 today. Nearly 50 billion dollars. You would edge out Bill Gates
and Warren Buffett to have the world's largest fortune.

Example A
Assume a number of women at the age of 20. Assume that they each contribute £100 per month until they're 60. Let's look at the
numbers:

Fenella Felicity Freda Faith Florence Lesson A: Even small differences in the rate of
5% 8% 12% 15% 20% return have a huge impact on the final pot.
Age 20 0 0 0 0 0
Age 30 £15,499 £18,128 £22,404 £26,302 £34,431 Lesson A:
Age 40 £40,746 £57,266 £91,986 £132,707 £247,619
Age 50 £81,870 £141,761 £308,097 £563,177 £1,567,625
Age 60 £148,856 £324,180 £979,307 £2,304,667 £9,740,753


Example B:
Fay, a young woman who, on her 20th birthday, sensibly decides to invest £100 a month and it appreciates at a rate of 10% a
year - the stock market's historical average. At the age of 30 she marries Ferdinand, stops work to have children and cancels the
direct debit into her account.

Ferdinand, meanwhile, who has wasted away his money and his twenties on pastimes, decides on his 30th birthday to start
contributing the same £100 a month into the same scheme and continues until he is 60. The numbers turn out like this

Fay Ferdinand Lesson B: Fay only contributed for 10 years and yet
£100pm Age 20-30 £100pm Age 30-60 she's got almost twice as much as her husband. So
it's not just the size of the returns that are
Age 20 0 0
important – it's how soon you start saving too!
Age 30 £20,146 0
Age 40 £52,254 £20,146
Lesson B:
Age 50 £135,532 £72,399
Age 60 £351,536 £207,929

The five Laws of Compounding. These are explained in more detail in their UK Investment Guide.
1. Start Early!
The earlier you start investing, the more time you leave for the miracle of compound interest to take effect. Someone who invests
£100 a month from age 20 to 29 and then lets their investments grow is likely to have more money at 60 than someone who
invests £100 a month from age 30 to 59.
Lesson:


2. Small differences in return matter. A lot!
Over long periods of time, the difference between investing at, say, 7% and 8% is enormous.
Lesson:

3. Don't squander your inheritance on sex, drugs and rock'n'roll
Investing isn't everything. Like most things in life it is best to strike a balance. With investing it is the balance between enjoying
yourself now and providing for your future.
Lesson:

4. Over time, regular saving of quite small amounts can build up an astonishing sum of money.
If you save £100 a month for 40 years and your investments compound at 12% a year how much will you have? The answer is an
astonishing £980,000!
Lesson:

5. Time and patience are the friends of compounding and, therefore, of investing.
Saving for 40 years is obviously something you can't do overnight. You have to exercise patience if you want to feel the full benefit
of compounding.
Lesson:

Summary Lesson: Self Development is like investing – it compounds!


“We need from every man who aspires to leadership – for himself and his company – a
determination to undertake a personal program of self-development.
Nobody is going to order a man to develop… whether a man delays behind or moves ahead in his
specialty is a matter of his own personal application.
This is something which takes time, work, and sacrifice. Nobody can do it for you.”
Ralph Cordiner, Former Chairman – G.E.

A. Tapes B. Books C. Functions

Other Learning Points
1. Mentors: I was 'lucky' to have many mentors since very young. Later, I asked for my mentor myself. I didn't wait for company
to assign to me. Ok if you choose your boss as your mentor, otherwise go to one mentor you want!, don't wait! Select a
mentor. Ask them, “Can you help me?” Find a Mentor & shadow him everywhere (go ahead… ask him/her)
2. Get invited to multi disciplinary committees e.g. ERP, CIS, S&M Div meetings, PDP, New Product Launches, TNA, Customer
Intimacy, etc.
3. Read broad based books, magazines e.g. Inc, Malaysian Business, Edge, MMR, CFO, MIS, Fortune, Business Week, Marketeer,
Personal Money etc. Read the Books your Boss is reading (more than your Boss if possible)
4. Study the company’s business plan and your department's strategic plan, business plan and operational plan.
5. Volunteer to serve on a strategic planning committee or task force.


5.3 Feelings

“Anyone can become angry –that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree,
at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not easy.”
Aristotle

There is a great difference between how we feel and how we handle our feelings.

Everyone has times when they feel bad. Our attitudes cannot stop our feelings, but they can keep our feelings from stopping us.
Unfortunately too many allow their feelings to control them.

Every day I see people who are feeling controlled. A recent survey indicates that people with emotional problems are 144 percent
more likely to have automobile accidents than those who are emotionally stable.

An alarming factor revealed by this study is that one out of every five victims of fatal accidents had a quarrel within six hours
before his or her accident.


Personal Action Plan for Chapter 5: Managing Your Discipline






CHAPTER 6: MANAGING YOUR ATTITUDE

6.1 Bad Attitude, Good Attitude
1. It is difficult to list down Good Attitudes. It is easier to list down Bad Attitudes
a. Complaining
b. Openly criticizing
c. Refuse to listen to advice
d. Think you are the best
e. Refuse to improve yourself
f. Always think you are right, everyone else is wrong
g. Thinking that everyone owe you something

“You must have a Diamond mind, before you can become Diamond”
Bob Andrews, Crown Ambassador, Amway

2. In other words, you have to have the attitude of a Diamond before you can become a Diamond.

3. You must the have the attitude of a leader before you become a leader.

4. Be careful of the ‘us’ vs ‘them’ thinking.

5. If you don't like the company, resign!, otherwise you will be miserable.

6. Loyalty to the company is a must, as long as you remain as an employee, eg wedded couple!,

7. Loyalty means inside the company and outside.


6.2 Develop the right attitude
a. No matter what your position, do not think of ‘us’ vs. ‘them’. Understand that you will be ‘them’ someday.

b. Give your best shot – not only today but everyday.

c. Go the extra mile – giving it that extra effort even when you’re tired and irritated and ready to quit.

d. Head up, never complaining, always positive and upbeat, constantly looking for the advantage and the edge.

e. Develop standards – and sticking to them. Being sure of your bottom line and knowing when to make a stand.

6.3 Never complain about how hard you work
a. Look at the all the successful leaders and professionals. How do they project their image?

b. Smooth, easy, relaxed, unhurried, in control and very cool. You never run, never panic, never seem to hurry.

c. You may work really, really, really hard until early hours in the morning, through holidays, weekends and days off.

d. BUT – you must never admit, complain, or let others know. To the outside observer you are gliding, taking it easy, taking it all
in your pace.

e. Obviously to be able to do this you have to be very good at your job.

f. But what do you do if you aren’t good enough at your job? Learn, study, gain experience and knowledge, read ask, ask
questions, revise, and cram until you are very good in your job inside out. Do this first and then you can walk about looking
cool and very relaxed.


Personal Action Plan for Chapter 6: Managing Your Attitude






CHAPTER 7: MANAGING YOUR CAREER

7.0 Biggest Career Mistakes

1. Keeping a career in line with your degree

2. Getting career advice from your parents (or relatives)

3. Changing jobs without long-term strategy in mind

4. Letting your Boss (or company) manage your career

7.1 You are going to die
1. Happy New Year. You are going to die. <**Refer Handout 4: Odds of Dying>

2. Every year is a game

3. The objective of game is to build up your “Experience CV” from Jan 1 to Dec 31. <**refer Handout 5: KO Experience CV>

4. How much difference can you make to yourself, others, company? How much difference did you make last year?

5. Forget about last year, its past, even if you did very good or very bad

6. This is a New Year. So we have to start with a New Beginning.


7.2 Your Job & You

“Know your job well, do it well, and be better than anyone else doing it.”

Bottom line:- You must be really good at your basic job.

Get your work noticed
a. It’s easy to get overlooked in the busy office life. You have to make your mark so that you stand out and your potential will be
noticed.
b. The best way is to step outside the normal working routine. Example:
c. The unexpected report/proposal is a brilliant way to stand out from the crowd, BUT:
i. Only submit a report occasionally
ii. Make really sure that your report will actually work – that it will do good or provide benefits
d. The very best way to get your wok noticed is to be very, very good at your job. Be totally dedicated to doing the job and
ignoring the rest (e.g. politics, gossip, time wasting etc)
e. The professional stays focused. Keep your mind on the task at hand – being very good at your job and don’t get distracted.

Never stand still
a. Doing the job isn’t the end for you – it is merely a means to an end.
b. Your eye should be fixed on the next step and every activity you are involved in at work should merely be a part of your plan to
move up.
c. While others are thinking of their next tea break or how to get through the afternoon without actually having to do any work,
you will be busy planning and executing your next step.


d. Things you should be doing for the next step:
i. Study for the next promotion
ii. Write special reports/proposals
iii. Research ways to improve the work process for everyone
iv. Further you knowledge of company procedures and history
e. Never accept that that doing the job is enough. Don’t stand still.

Develop a specialty for yourself
a. A business will only be average if it tries to sell everything to everyone. It becomes a pasar borong.
b. All leading companies or products specialize in something.
c. Specializing means spotting a useful area that no one else has spotted or is currently doing.
d. Developing a specialty will take you out of your normal job activities.
e. Developing a specialty means you get noticed by people other than your boss – other people’s bosses.

Be 100 per cent committed
a. Being a professional means you are going to have to work a lot harder than any of your colleagues.
b. For you there is no time off, no downtime, no lazing around.
c. Watch what you say and what you do.
d. You are going to have to be observant, dedicated, watchful, keen, ready, prepared, cautious, and alert. Not easy.


7.3 Know that you're being judged at all times
Everything about us is being judged at all times. This is about making that judgment positive and enhances your position

Cultivate a smile
a. Smile no matter what. Smile when you greet your colleagues in the morning. Smile when you shake hands. Smile when it’s
getting tough. Smile when it’s hell. Smile no matter what.
b. What sort of smile? Friendly, genuine.
c. Practice your smile.

Show confidence and energy
a. Aim to look confident, relaxed but also energetic
b. When you walk through the office first thing in the morning there should a spring in your step. Let others crawl into the office.
c. You need to be smoothly in control – not hurried, not lazily, not frightened or beaten. You need to be seen as bright and fresh
and alive and enthusiastic.

Be cool
a. You don’t want someone who panics, you want someone cool, calm and collected.
b. You must become ‘James Bond’.

7.4 Have a Plan
If you don’t know where you are going, you will end up nowhere. Have a plan.
However, Professionals are flexible and able to accommodate their plan to fit the circumstances.
Set Long-term goals
Set short-term goals


7.5 If you can’t say anything nice – Shut Up
People judge you by what you say and how you say it.
Be known as someone who is pleasant and positive

Don’t gossip
a. If someone gossips to you, just listen.
b. Don’t pass anything on. Gossip stops with you.
c. Gossiping is for people who have not got enough work to do. It is also for workers who have mindless jobs.
d. BUT… don’t go around telling everyone to stop gossiping. You will sound very ‘sombong’. Just don’t pass it on.

Don’t complain
a. Complaining is a time wasting device invented by sad people who have not got enough work to do.
b. Complaining is pointless. It is unproductive and achieves nothing.
c. Solution?
Make sure you have a solution for anything you are complaining about. If you do not have a solution, you are not allowed to
complain.

Stand Up for Others
a. When people around you start talking bad about someone you don’t like, you will be excited to join the conversation and say
bad things about him also.
b. However, as a Professional, you won’t say bad things about him. Instead, you stand up for him.
c. Your objective – find something nice to say no matter what


d. Standing up for others, no matter what, gets you a reputation as someone who can always find something nice to say about
everybody.
e. This will gain loyalty from people around you in the long-term.

Ask questions
a. Proud people always make statements e.g. “I don’t like that” “It’s not workable”. Professionals always ask questions.
b. Asking questions show that you have paid attention, care, are interested, are thoughtful, are considerate and intelligent, and
creative.
c. Stupid people don’t ask questions. Bored people don’t ask questions. Lazy people don’t ask questions.
d. There will always be some aspect of another person that you can ask questions:- F.O.R.M.

Use ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’
You must always say ‘thank you’ and ‘please’, no matter how many times someone does something for you or even if it is just a
small task.

Don’ swear

Don’t let it get to you
1. If it all gets to much, remember it’s just a job
2. Take your job seriously and give it all you’ve got, but remember it’s just a job and it can be replaced, you can be replaced, and
the world goes on.
3. This means putting things into context so you can go home and switch off.


Be ready to unlearn – what works, changes
1. Realize that what works, changes.
2. You have to stay abreast of:
a. Latest innovations in your industry
b. New technology
c. New terminology
d. New methodology
e. Changes in sales, market trends, staff turnover figures, targets, and budgets

Know when to let go
1. Some projects just aren’t going to work. Some team members just aren’t going to fit in. Some bosses are never going to be
possible to work with.
2. Know when to quit.
3. Know when to admit it’s your fault and surrender.
4. If you don’t know when to let go, you’ll build up anger, hatred, jealousy, pain.
5. Let it go. Concentrate on the next big exciting thing you can do.
Go home
1. Who do you work for?
2. Always remember what your life priority is.

Let the company know you are on its side
1. Do some concrete things, such as:


a. Buy some shares f. Use the company’s products and services
b. Read the company newsletter g. Actively speak well of the company
c. Support company functions h. Rehearse what you think is good about the company – have a ready
answer of asked
d. Show an interest
i. Know the company’s mission and philosophy
e. Ask questions
j. Know the company’s history

2. What you do not do – ever – is bad-mouth the company under any circumstances
3. You have to love your company and see it as a relationship

Don’t bad mouth your boss
1. If you can’t find anything good to say, don’t say anything.
2. You do not publicly curse them off, even if they deserve it.

Don’t bad-mouth your team
1. It’s a poor work person who blames their tools. Your team is your tool to getting your job done.
2. If you publicly curse your team you are cursing yourself and admitting publicly you are a bad leader.

Maintain good friendships and relationships
1. It is easy to maintain good relationships and friendships at work if you just practice good manners
2. Good manners is being polite, warm, human, compassionate, helpful, welcoming.


3. This becomes tricky when it comes to somebody you don’t like, have clashed with in the past or has been rude or unpleasant to
you. But that’s when its most important to use this skill.

The Ultimate Career Advice

“Find something you like to do so much you would gladly do it for nothing.
Then learn to do it so well that people would be happy to pay you for it.”


Personal Action Plan for Chapter 7: Managing Your Career






Personal Development Plan Action planning
15 minutes
Which top three areas have you identified, from all these modules, that you wish to focus your development on?

Top Three Areas for Development Focus Actions I could take

1.

2.

3.

Who might be able to help you with these actions/whose help do you need?


Essential Management Skills for Executive Secretaries and Personal Assistants

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