1. March 2010 by admin.

It is an exciting thing to see a vision come to pass. Sometimes after years of dreaming, thinking, envisioning - one loses sight of the prize and becomes distracted by life’s daily demands. But every now and then, the vision does not tarry, it comes to pass. This is how I feel about the Executive Right Hand Roundtable Event. As a senior executive assistant, one of my challenges was going to a program only to determine I could have taught it better than the person at the front of the room. I sometimes wondered, if that person had ever fulfilled an administrative role, I couldn’t tell it from listening to them and their cookie cutter solutions.  The role of the senior administrative support person can be a complex role, sometimes one thing today and another tomorrow. That is why the flexibility to move and change with your leader’s direction, mood, and sometimes frustration, is essential. You must have the professional demeanor to, even though your leader has expressed to you that a person is a total loss, treat that person with respect and dignity, not only because it is not your place to reprimand your boss’s subordinates (though I know many a senior executive admin who has forgotten that fact), it is in your best interests and as a representative of your boss theirs, that you remain neutral. In today’s turbulent economic times, some former senior administrative professionals are finding it difficult to acquire new roles because of this fact. You, nor your boss sometimes, know who will be in charge mere days from today. I have watched change come to large organizations that people bet would never happen, but I was sure would. No supernatural knowledge or crystal ball necessary, I have seen enough organizational change in my over 20 year career to know that few things surprise. Change, though it sometimes only means shuffling, will one day be real change where everything moves and few things remain the same. This is why it is prudent to be known as a loyal assistant who treats everyone well. If you always have the neutral outlook and demeanor, no one can read your moods and make assumptions based on changes in your behavior. Always a win for an executive’s right hand.

These are what we call soft skills. The maturity and plain common sense to know what your role is, and what it is not. Gatekeeper yes, lioness at the gate NO! These are some of the real time issues that we will openly discuss at this one-day event which is geared to senior-level executive assistants. We will honestly, and with frankness, talk through how we are perceived in the organization, how we mentor and build bridges rather than roadblocks. It is a new workplace in which we are required to survive and thrive, and we must come to the table with a new mindset and set of priorities. We will explore ways in which we can work and communicate more effectively with our leaders, anticipating rather than reacting. How we manage up, down and across - because it is not sufficient to just manage up anymore.

If you are an executive assistant operating at the senior level, this is a day with your peers where open dialogue, collaboration and best practice sharing will be emphasized. If you are an executive whose assistant has some opportunities in the area of relationships within the organization, we will speak candidly about organizational perception and how it impacts both the assistant and the leader. Because, at the end of the day, the reason you value this resource is because they have proven themselves invaluable in many areas. Helping them to grow into their best professional self, is sometimes the greatest form of appreciation you can show.

Registration for the event may be completed by clicking here: www.executiverighthandroundtable.eventbrite.com

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3. February 2010 by admin.

Last year’s heralded launch turned out to be a “soft” launch, no fanfare just a few social media postings and word of mouth to announce Executive Right Hand,, Inc. was open for business. I am happy to report that one year later we are still here and proud to announce the official launch event will take place on May 6, 2010 at The Defoor Centre in Atlanta, GA.

The past year has been one of challenge for many, I found it to be one of substantial growth. Yes, the business earned some loyal clients, especially in the travel segment, but more than that I have grown into being the President and CEO of a viable business concern. I take great pride in that, and owe much to loyal friends and former bosses who gave encouragement and sound business advice to this entrepreneur. Clients have proven to be invaluable sources of information and business intel, giving freely of their knowledge and experience. I am humbled and blessed to have Ken Robbins of Responsemine and Steve Kirschner of Kirschner & Associates CPA among those valuable clients who are also venerable resources for this intrepid entrepreneur.

The Edge Connection at Kennesaw State University has been an invaluable partner before launch in providing guidance and direction for the right way to get into business. I am indebted to Carlotta Roberts who spent many afternoons poring over my ideas and helping me to flesh out different concepts, expressing concern when it was too narrow and ever encouraging of my idea.

The big cheese this past year in all of this has been my coach and mentor Angela Stalcup of Ladies Who Launch Atlanta www.ladieswholaunch.com/atlanta . Angela has fueled the personal and professional (simultaneous) rebirth of Petal and the savvy Executive Right Hand, Inc. As chief permission granter, she has by her unerring support and encouragement, kept me going when I may have backed away from my destiny and abandoned my dream. There are no words to express the gratitude when someone shares of themself without expectation of payback, but just for the sheer joy of seeing someone else’s success. Everybody needs an Angel”A” - watch for that book in the next 2 years, I’m going to write it.

Thank you to all who have been a part of this wonderful year, my covenant sisters, my cheering section - Rocky, KBiddy, Edwidge, Jimmie, etc. For the executives of The Home Depot who were kind enough to share their ideas and thoughts on my concept while it was yet in development, I am eternally grateful. For those who could not make the journey with me from beleagured associate to business owner, au revoir. I cannot end this entry without giving huge kudos to Dr. Bertice Berry who came to speak for Black History Month while I was dying daily in my role and seeing no way out. She said everything we needed to fulfill our destiny was right there in that building. She reprimanded those of us who came in there everyday bellyaching about how bad we had it when we were blessed to be in the midst of the brain trust. Her tough love talk put a whole new perspective on  my situation and instead of dying daily I began to reclaim and live again. I chose to see my circumstance as an opportunity rather than a deterrent. That doesn’t mean things got easier, they actually got harder, but the change on the inside of me had occurred and no one was able to touch that. I am eternally grateful to this woman of words and letters for daring to say the things that needed to be said that day.

 The official launch event promises to be an evening of entertainment, fascination and celebration. I will tweet and blog along with press releases as our speakers are confirmed. Drop me a line if you want to receive an invite and check out our sponsorship package on www.executiverighthand.com if you would like to be a part of this momentous event. As my friend Susan would say….Cheers.

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3. February 2010 by admin.

In today’s business culture it is not unusual to find that the services of an executive coach are being sought for leaders. However, long overlooked has been the support person who in many instances is heavily relied upon by the leader. Rather than encourage and seek to provide growth opportunities for their assistant, some leaders will instead find a replacement. Though this may necessarily be the right decision because of skill limitations or the unwillingness of the assistant to grow, when you have a loyal and trusted assistant what should first be explored is how to help this person, who has served you tirelessly, grow with you. This may involve a number of strategies requiring an investment of time and money. While it is true that loyalty is a waning characteristic in today’s business world, it is usually found at the desk sitting outside a leader’s door….the assistant or “right hand”.

Though it may be argued that some may not possess the personality or skill to grow with the leader, more often than not the loyal and trusted assistant is willing to move outside their comfort zone to stay with a good boss. This may mean taking a business course or two, joining an organization such as IAAP (International Association of Administrative Professionals), or acquiring the services of an executive assistant coach such as Executive Right Hand, Inc. The coach becomes a partner, mentor and resource to the assistant while working with the leader to ensure desired outcomes.

Executive Right Hand, Inc. interviews the leader to determine strengths and development needs from their perspective. A day is spent with the assistant (preferably when the leader is out of the office), and using a combination of interview and observation, the assistant’s input is obtained. A second meeting is scheduled with the leader at which time a plan and the tools to execute the plan are agreed upon. The assistant and the coach then spend another day together to give feedback and outline the plan. Once all are on the same page, the coach and the assistant work together over a pre-determined period of time to develop the Indispensable Executive Right Hand.

If your loyal and trusted administrative resource could benefit from the support of an executive assistant coach, show them the same care they show you each day by calling Executive Right Hand, Inc. at 770-975-4701 or 770-367-9923. Visit our website at www.executiverighthand.com and remember this Administrative Professional’s Week (April 21, 2010) make sure you recognize and celebrate your executive “right hand”.

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23. February 2009 by admin.

Welcome to Executive Right Hand, Inc. - the official launch of this soon to be recognized name in business is scheduled for March 2009. Yes, it has been a while coming and so many have been instrumental in bringing this vision to fruition. From interns (thank you Sarah) to VPs and EVPs (thank you sirs) to CEOs (thank you Ken) - too many to name here but you know who you are. You shared your time, your experience and your thoughts when this was just an idea, and it has flourished and grown in the past year and a half.

 So, how did I decide on this particular niche for this business? Funny thing that. I had been toying with the idea of starting my own gig, and actually have started 2 or 3 others in past lives. None of the previous ones were thought out, they were simply jump in and swim upstream. Well, those are not foundations for success in business, but they are great lesson teachers. This time, I did my research, I talked to people (oh boy did I talk to people) - I asked them for their opinions, their input and what they thought of the concept. My friend Jimmy (love you man) was the first to say “pare this back, too much stuff” and I followed his advice, he is after all a PhD, not that I count all PhD’s input worthy or worth following :). History….— Rocky, Ed (love you guys much) and I, just one day in the office started talking through names, we came up with Right Hand but it wasn’t enough (plus another company had the name already incorporated) and I wanted to be first in the alpha searches so I needed a first name that started with A-E, that’s it Executive Right Hand….BAM!!! - the great name is born. Ed came up with “the right resource at the right time”, now famously coined - the tag line. And so the naming of this entity, just one day in cube world it came about. Now, let me not forget Gloria Johnson-Goins, Chief Diversity Officer of THD because she brought Dr. Bertice Berry to speak for Black History Month and that is what ignited this flame. We all had some take-aways from that afternoon’s event, Rocky, Ed and I: and we knew we were destined for more. Thank you Dr. Berry, mine was “everything you need to get to your destiny is right here in this building”.  She was right, the brain trust that I could never have afforded, the contacts I would never have made on my own, they were all there in that building. Along with some needed equipment (AHEM) - it became the catalyst for my journey to launch.

 Along the way there have been hardships, “friendships” lost, though accepting that folks who share one part in your destiny sometimes can’t make the rest of the journey with you, is part of life. But there have been friendships gained (no quotes) - new relationships, new bosses who brought a whole new perspective and encouragement to the mix. People thought I was crazy telling my bosses up front what I was planning to do, but know your audience is key. I didn’t tell my old boss, I knew it would have been career suicide, but I did tell her boss and others who were key players in the building of the foundation that is today, Executive Right Hand, Inc.  These people were able to offer encouragement and advice that was priceless (thank you Chris) and even gave me flexibility to build this enterprise. But if you believe in karma, it all comes back in the end, so nothing is lost by being good to people.

The journey continues with all the great input and help I have been blessed to receive. My first treat to myself when this thing takes off is a journey diamond, in tribute to the journey that has been one of fears, tears and ultimate faith.

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