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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 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.

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.

Well, I’m happy to report that Part 2 was another successful webinar! Once again, Maria Braune (our expert from RollCall) offered some really valuable advice. Some of the key points of discussion were:

• Different types of pricing for web conferencing services
• How to determine what conferencing service best suits your needs
• The kinds of things you can do with conferencing technology - like poll and chat
• An overview of how RollCall’s Web Presenter technology works

A recording of the webinar is now available for download here: Download Part 2: Meet Me in Cyberspace

Again, this is a zip file so, after you download it, you’ll need to extract the files and then play it from any media player you wish.

If you choose to listen, I’d be interested to know what you think. I’m hoping to do some more webinars in the future and any feedback you can offer would be helpful. Also, if you have some specific topics you’d like covered in the future webinars, let me know and I’ll see what kinds of experts I can find to help us. Thanks to all of you who participated!

Just a reminder that if you want to participate in Part 2 of our webinar, Meet Me in Cyberspace: The 411 on Virtual Meetings, please register soon. It takes place this Thursday, April 24th at 2:00 EST. Below are the topics we plan to go over:

• Brief recap of Part 1
• How pricing works for web conferencing
• Overview of web conferencing technology - features and functions
• Support and pre-consultation information – how to work with a web conferencing rep to review needs
• Open question session with Maria Braune from RollCall – ask the expert!

We’re looking forward to another informational session so don’t miss out. Sign up now if you’re interested!

Did you know that this week is Administrative Professionals week? April 21st to 25th is a week dedicated to recognizing and appreciating the amazing work we do each and every day. And really, is there any better way to show appreciation than with food?

Boston Market knows that’s the truth! And obviously, the folks over there appreciate the work of administrative professionals. I received word from them that all week long, they’re offering $3 off any order of $10 or more to all administrative professionals. Just bring your business card to your local Boston Market and you’ll be treated like the star you are!

You can also sign up at www.bostonmarket.com for the latest specials and coupons, and you can even place online catering orders for last-minute office lunches.

So treat yourself today (and everyday) like the amazing professional you are!  Whether it’s a chicken dinner or a new suit, do something special for yourself that says, “I rock!” Because you do!

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