Love Letter To: Executive Assistant From: Your Leader
A sweet series of love letters written by Nova’s Founder, Maggie Olson.
Letter 3
In the fast-paced world of executive leadership, the relationship between an Executive Assistant and a Chief of Staff and their shared leader is complex but vital. It's a partnership built on trust, communication, and shared goals. This letter acknowledges that partnership. It’s the third and final in a series of ‘Love Letters’ featured on Nova’s blog.
Dear EA,
Well, I really shook some things up, didn’t I? When I added the Chief of Staff to the team. I’m so excited for this new role, but I sure could’ve handled things better:
I haven’t been available
I didn’t set either role up for success
I failed to position both roles clearly to the team
And I didn’t help you, my EA, understand the impact of the CoS’s role on your role
I’m sorry. Here’s what I know: The partnership between us three is crucial. Maybe even more important is the relationship between the two of you. We all know I’m back-to-back, traveling constantly, and pulled in 1 million different directions every day. The ability for the two of you to collaborate, put your heads together, and represent this organization on my behalf is key. But ultimately, I’m responsible for setting your partnership off on the right foot.
From this point forward, I will:
Make myself available every morning for a 10-minute standup
Help our leadership team understand your roles by clearly positioning them and communicating them consistently.
Ensure you both hear your role’s value from me on a regular basis
Bring both of you into the fold as much as possible
Ensure you and I still have 1:1 time.
I’m so excited about where we’re going. And I’ve got the A-team right here with me.
Love,
Your Leader
A successful partnership between an Executive Assistant and a Chief of Staff is the cornerstone of a strong leadership team. Follow me on LinkedIn for daily posts about all things Chief of Staff.
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