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My dear readers,

I’ve started writing this post several times and it just hasn’t worked yet. I feel like I have so much to say and I just can’t figure out where to begin. I guess I’ll start here: I quit my job. Ok, that’s not really “the beginning” but it’s a good place to start.

What happened?

I didn’t really say “no” to what I was doing as much as I said “yes” to something else. You see, I honestly loved my career. Being an EA was something I was good at but I felt very alone in my job. I didn’t have a network of people to call on when I needed help. I didn’t have any way of sharing what I was learning in my career with others. As most of you know, that’s the reason I started The Executive Assistant’s Toolbox – as a way to build a community for Administrative Professionals.

I used all of my technical skill to get this blog to the point you see now. I put a lot of heart and soul into this thing. It’s not perfect – in my imagination, I envisioned a much more interactive site where people could connect with one another, ask questions and share personal experiences – a place where people could really build an online professional network. Of course, I don’t really have that kind of technical know-how to do that. So I’ve been pretty happy with what we’ve got.

Little did I know that, at the same time across the country, a small group of people were also recognizing the need for a site like the one I envisioned. They were working to gather some of the best and brightest minds to build it – exactly the kind of thing I dreamed of – an online community for and by office professionals. About two months ago, one of them found the EA Toolbox and that’s when I got a phone call that changed my life…

So I flew to Atlanta, Georgia.

When I first met them, I felt like I was sitting down with a group of old friends. I had been babbling for almost a year to anyone who would listen about EA Toolbox and what I wanted to build, if only I had the ability. People listened politely but they never got that tingle of excitement that I had. And these guys had it. They believed in the idea. They saw the same thing I saw – a huge need for Office Professionals to have a way of connecting with one another. And they were in the process of building the site of my dreams.

So you see, when they asked me to join forces with them – to continue writing the kinds of articles I’ve been writing on EA Toolbox, to bring on other talented writers to do the same, and to help create a living, breathing community – there was just no doubt in my mind that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. And so I quit my job and joined OfficeArrow.

What Does This Mean for Me?

For me, this is a dream come true. I’m now doing (as a job) the thing I’ve been doing in my spare time for fun: I’m writing articles about workplace communication, career advice, and everything else you see here. It means I’m now a part of a company that is building something I truly believe in with all my heart and soul. It’s a labor of love, I tell you. Building a website isn’t easy. And we’re all pretty intense about it. It can get loud in our conference room, each of us voicing opinions on what the site should look like and what it needs to do for our audience.

But overall, it’s already the most exciting experience of my life. I’ve never been involved with something from the ground up like this. We’re literally making it up as we go along sometimes – which, as many of you know, is both exciting and challenging for me. I say this is a dream come true, but that’s not exactly right. I never dreamed that something like this could happen. It would have felt foolish because, after all, I’m a realist. And things like this just don’t happen to people like me….or so I thought.

What Does This Mean for You?

As I said, the new site we’re building is like an expanded version of The EA Toolbox. It’s bigger and better, I can promise you that. The name is OfficeArrow and I really can’t wait for you all to take a look and let me know what you think.

As I mentioned, it’s a site for office professionals. Now, I know there are a lot of people who read EA Toolbox who are not necessarily Executive Assistants. The information that I’ve tried to supply here can speak to a very wide audience – after all, who doesn’t want to know 15 Ways to Enjoy Work (a little) More? And who couldn’t use a refresher on How to be Proactive? Not everyone will benefit from How to be a Good Executive Assistant, but hey – EA’s sure love that one.

My point is this – if you work in an office, there’s something on OfficeArrow for you. We tried to encompass all office professionals including Executive Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Office Managers, Project Coordinators, even small business owners.

You’ll notice in the next week or so, The Executive Assistant’s Toolbox will actually become a part of OfficeArrow. You’ll still find all my articles and I’ll still be creating new ones. But you’ll also find many other things like:

• New Information from New Voices

You’ll find articles from other office professionals writing about productivity and organization, career advice, travel, and event/meeting planning – basically, anything you do on a daily basis in your office, we’re writing about it.

• Forums for Discussions and Question/Answer Areas

You’ll be able to ask questions of the community or start general discussions. You can offer answers for others or just share a quick tip on how to do something. It’s like having a conversation with thousands of other professionals who do the same thing as you.

• Profile Pages

You’ll be able to create a professional profile for yourself and view profiles of others. Based on who you’d like to connect with, you can form groups or join existing ones. For example, a new Executive Assistant can connect with other new EAs in her area, or she can seek out experienced EAs across the globe. An Office Manager in the Healthcare Industry can connect with other Office Managers in Healthcare to share experiences and helpful advice. You see? You can really find or create the exact network you want.

• So Much More…

We’re building all kinds of fun ways to get people involved. In the future, you’ll earn points for participating in discussions and answering other people’s questions. And you’ll win rewards along the way. You’ll also be able to purchase and compare products and services so the next time you’re asked to buy a new printer for the office, you’ll know exactly where to go.

If it sounds like a lot, don’t worry – our biggest goal has been to create an easy to use site. We don’t want anyone to get intimidated here. It’s going to be a lot of fun. And it’ll help you do your job. What’s not to love? Oh, and did I mention that all of this is FREE? Yea. Pretty Cool.

So, you can see that I’m excited. I hope you are too after reading this. To wrap up what has become the longest post in EA Toolbox history, let me just say “thank you” from the bottom of my heart. All of you helped me land this amazing opportunity – this thing that has changed my life. Without your loyalty and support, I never would have had the motivation to keep going forward with this blog. Many of you have sent me personal emails saying how much I’ve helped improve your career. Well, it’s really a two way street. You’ve done the same for me.

I know you’ll all be thrilled with the decision I’ve made. This is the right one for all of us. Please share your thoughts in the comments below. And I’m really looking forward to getting to know each of you better on OfficeArrow. Jump over there and join the community today!

Your friend,
Chrissy

The internet can be a great tool for meeting people. Take it from me: I met my boyfriend of 3 years, “Mr. Toolbox”, online. I’m not ashamed! It’s not nearly as taboo as it once was. Real, honest and wonderful people are using the internet instead of hitting up singles bars. It’s a much better scene, trust me.

I also met three of my closest girlfriends online when I started a Chick Lit book club. That was 3 years ago too and we’re still going strong. And look at all the great contacts I’ve made through this website! I’ve met an incredible number of people who share similar goals and have similar interests. The internet has been an amazing resource for me, both professionally and personally.

But it’s important to recognize and respect the difference between professional and social networking online, and it’s critical to keep the two separate as much as possible.

For example, consider MySpace and Facebook. These are social networking sites where people connect with friends or others with similar interests. They are used to meet people and just have fun. Most likely, you wouldn’t send a prospective employer to your MySpace page, right? After all, do they really need to see that comment from your old college buddy sharing the story of your 21st birthday? Probably not. Keep in mind that anything you put on these sites is not private. No matter what “settings” you choose, consider any information you put on the internet public. So, in theory, a prospective employer could still stumble upon your MySpace page. Just for fun, Google yourself and see what comes up. Employers are doing this more and more now as they research job candidates. It’s always wise to use caution on any social networking site for just this reason. General rule of thumb: don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your boss and your grandmother seeing.

LinkedIn is an example of a professional networking site. People are able to publish information regarding their work experience and professional history. They can then connect with other people who have worked for the same company or who know people they know. It’s a great tool for really networking. Many employers are using it to find qualified individuals that are in their “circle”. It’s a great way to find candidates who are already known by someone you trust and/or have worked with before. It’s also a great tool for finding a job. If you are trying to get a job with a particular company, you can browse your contacts to see if you know anyone who currently works there. These days, it’s all about who you know!

Online professional networking is also useful for simply doing your job more effectively. By connecting with other people in your same or similar profession, you can learn and share all kinds of productivity tips and tricks. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to a site that will help you do just that – connect with other office professionals and gain access to “the wisdom of the crowd”.

The internet can be an extremely helpful professional tool if you use it correctly. It can also be a fun place to really express your creative side and make new friends. Just remember to use common sense along the way. Don’t give out overly personal information like your social security number or your home address. And remember that the internet is like the Wild West – the rules are still fuzzy so be careful out there. Even reputable sites get hacked. And of course, remember that the internet will never replace strong face-to-face communication and networking skills. So use it to supplement your existing professional and personal networks.

How well do you handle change? Are you someone who enjoys it or someone who fears it? Are you willing to sit back and “just roll with it”? Or do you fight it every step of the way?

In the workplace, we all have to deal with change on a regular basis. Co-workers leave or get promoted. Boss’s do the same. Sometimes, the entire company changes around us. If you’ve ever been through a merger you know what that feels like. And most of the time, it takes change to keep your career moving forward. When things stay the same, you stay the same.

For me, change is almost always uncomfortable. That’s not to say that I fear it or even dislike it. I’ve actually learned to enjoy the process of change. I wrote an article a long time ago about how change is a mixture of opportunity and chaos. My relationship with change revolves around my understanding of this. I recognize that every opportunity also presents a level of inevitable discomfort or chaos. That period of time when you lose the old reliable routine and have to learn everything from scratch is tough. There’s no denying it. You can’t lose sight of the reason it’s happening – the opportunity. That’s what gets you through.

I’ve been going through a lot of change recently – personally, professionally, physically. These things have been good and bad, painful and pleasant. I’ve learned so much about how to manage change. I’d like to share a few pointers.

Be Patient

Learning new things is difficult. That’s the reason most of us like our routine so much – it ends up being kind of mindless. Once you’ve done something enough times, no matter how difficult it is, it becomes second nature. When you’re going through any kind of change, you have to be patient with yourself as you learn new things. If you’re working with a new boss, don’t expect that you’re going to “click” right away. Give yourself some time to learn the way they operate. If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t expect it to happen overnight. Anything that is worth doing is worth waiting for.

Be Flexible

Whenever you experience a change, you have to be willing to go with the flow. Now is not the time to be rigid and hardheaded. Big changes usually mean several “iterations”, meaning the change happens in stages rather than all at once. Bottom line: don’t get too comfortable. Remember that things are unstable. Something that was considered “procedure” yesterday may be completely gone the next. Don’t get too wrapped up in the how and why. Just be prepared that you might have to learn several different ways of doing things before the final way sticks.

Don’t Lose Sight of the End Game

I was a big “Alias” fan (Sydney Bristow is my hero!). One of the things I always loved was when Sydney and her CIA spy co-workers were sitting around the conference room, discussing the latest terrorist on the run, and they always asked, “What’s his end game?” They always needed that frame of reference to remember that whatever was happening now was a part of a much bigger plan.

When dealing with change, you have to be Sydney Bristow. Look at the big picture and remind yourself that the present moment is just a step that’s getting you closer to that end game. Keep the goal front and center in your mind. This will help motivate you. You’ll be surprised how much you’re willing to put up with when you know it’s for good reason. I mean look at Sydney Bristow – she was tortured in half the episodes! Ok, maybe that’s a bit extreme. But you know what I mean: change is a lot less painful when you keep your eye on the prize.

I hope you’ll share how you deal with change. Do you love it, hate it, avoid it, seek it? What’s the biggest change you’ve ever been through – professionally or personally – and how did you cope with it? I hope some of you will share.

The Performance Institute has cooked up another great conference for administrative professionals. This time, they’re hosting a summit in Arlington, VA from June 2nd through 4th. And once again, the agenda looks incredibly exciting! With an impressive line-up of expert speakers, this conference promises to cover a wide variety of topical issues including the following:

• Setting effective priorities
• Diversity management
• Overcoming obstacles
• Stress management
• Motivating your office
• Connecting with colleagues
• Setting boundaries
• Negotiation
• Expanding your role

The Performance Institute is dedicated to presenting high quality information to Administrative Professionals. They recognize the incredible scope of our jobs. They know that, these days, executive assistants are meeting planners, travel agents, and office managers all rolled into one! And they know that the best way to stay on your toes is to constantly keep learning.

Most of you know that I’m a big fan of group learning. I love to get out there and attend classes and workshops – not only to learn but also to socialize with other people who work in similar positions around the country. The day-to-day routine can make you feel like you work in a bubble. While I’m sure that there are definitely things about each of our jobs that are unique, when we get together and start talking, we’re sure to find that we’ve got a lot in common. We all experience similar situations and we have a lot to learn from one another. When attending a conference like this, the agenda is the primary reason to attend, but the ability to meet and interact with your peers is definitely a strong secondary reason.

This conference is a great way to expand your skills and network with others. If you’re ready to push your career to the next level, it’s time to take a serious step. This conference is a great way to do just that.

If you’re interested, I encourage you to take a look at the website and download the summit brochure.

Just as the Performance Institute has done in the past, EA Toolbox readers are being given a very generous discount of 20% off tuition. Just use the following code when registering: PRTWB.

I believe one of the biggest time wasters is taking a problem to your boss. I know this from experience, mind you. There was a time, in the past, that I would approach my boss with problem after problem, expecting him to offer immediate solutions. After all, he’s the boss. He should be a big, bad problem- solving machine, right?

Wrong.

The truth of the matter is this: they don’t want to hear our problems. They have enough to worry about without our help. And, as much as it might pain us to admit, our bosses don’t know everything. In fact, many of the problems I used to take to my boss fell right back on my lap.

“What do you suggest?”

That was his typical response to a problem or issue I brought to his attention. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I should have those suggestions ready to go when he asked. Otherwise, I’d end up standing there, stammering away trying to come up with something off the top of my head. Or, I’d slip up and let my mouth move without thinking. And I’d say something stupid like, “I have no idea. That’s why I’m asking you.”

Believe me…this sentiment doesn’t go over well with a boss who believes he’s hired someone with a brain.

Most of the time, when I took a problem to my boss he wanted to know my recommendation for a solution. If I didn’t have one, I was sent back to go come up with one. So you see? It was a complete waste of time to even start the conversation. And it always made me feel incredibly frustrated.

So here’s the rule I live by, that I would suggest everyone follow: never approach your boss with a problem unless you also have a solution. Or, even better, a list of several possible solutions (this way, you can let him or her choose).

Use all of your analytical skills to come up with at least one possible resolution to the problem before you even consider taking it to your boss. If you absolutely, positively, 100% cannot think of a single reasonable solution, work backwards and list all the solutions that DON’T work and why. At least this way you can show your boss that you’ve eliminated every possible solution you could come up with.

This may seem obvious enough, but it can be very tempting to throw your hands up in the air and say, “I need help!” without ever really putting on the old thinking cap. Don’t let this happen. Your boss won’t appreciate it and 9 times out of 10, he’ll put the problem back on your shoulders to deal with. Research, ask others for help, test out ideas. Do whatever you have to do.

But heed my warning: bring solutions the first time…or you’ll have to do it later anyway!

2728: My number at the Avenue of the Giants endurance event this past weekend! Yep, I ran my half-marathon and it was great. No problems at all. Kept a comfortable pace the whole time and finished strong. That was really my goal the whole time – to cross the finish line with a smile on my face. And I did it!

29: My age at the completion of this event. It was my goal to do something big like this before the big 3-0. And now, I don’t know why. Age really means nothing. From mile 6 to mile 10, I ran with a man in his late 60’s named Bob. For him, age was just a number – just another thing pushing him towards that finish line. Such an inspiring man! And the event was full of inspiring people. It wasn’t like the people running were all in tip-top shape or anything. Everyone was just out there to challenge themselves.  Age, physical ability…these things were not limitations. They were circumstances to be aware of and nothing more.

30…: Who knows what 30 has in store for me? I know I’m not worried anymore. It’s just another milestone now. One I feel ready for.

Oh, and I have one more number for you:

Over $400,000: That’s the amount of money that our 212 members of Team in Training raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. That’s over $400,000 closer to finding a cure for blood cancers. And shortly after that…a cure for all cancers. That’s the thing about LLS, they aren’t afraid of saying the word “cure”. It’s not a fantasy; it’s what they’re working for. You can learn more about Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on their website.

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