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Whether the newbie is you or your manager, the first days working together are crucial.  These are days that can set the tone for your entire working relationship. You need to get up to speed quickly and understand your new manager’s working style, likes and dislikes, pet hates and main projects.  If you start off on the wrong foot, it can take a lot time and effort to get things back on track.

At our Today’s PA Conference in August, we asked our delegates – over a hundred experienced PAs, EAs, and office professionals – how they would handle those all-important first days.

Here’s a brief summary of their ideas:

• Clarify boundaries and expectations – discover what they expect of you.
• Discuss their strategic objectives.
• Talk about their approach to work – and how you can tailor your own approach to complement theirs.
• Find out what are their preferred methods of communication.
• Discover when they’re at their most productive. Are they a morning person, for example?
• Discuss key contacts (both inside and outside the organisation) and the main stakeholders.
• Look at the challenges of their role – and how you can help overcome these.
• Highlight any challenges in your role if necessary/appropriate.
• Find out if there are any medical issues/allergies/dietary requirements (and discover how they take their tea/coffee!).
• Talk through how you, as their PA, can help them become more effective in their role.
• If possible/appropriate, talk to their previous PA (for inside information!)
• Remember to be flexible. If your manager has a busy schedule in those first few days or weeks, you may not have the opportunity to sit down together for some time.

Of course, there may be other issues to discuss depending on your organisation, industry, and any current challenges. But the above is an excellent starting point for any new PA/manager relationship.