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Have you ever been described – or described yourself – as the “work spouse”? It’s a controversial thing to say – but you can see why the PA role has often been referred to as such. It’s a relationship underpinned by loyalty, trust, and respect. You work closely with your manager, supporting them, running their diaries, dealing with their emails, and organising all aspects of their business life. Or at least, this is how it should be in an ideal world.
But managing your manager isn’t always easy. To do it effectively, you need to completely understand their personality, their approach to work, likes and dislikes, and what you should (or shouldn’t) do to keep everything working harmoniously. In short, you need to get inside their head.
The bad news is that there is no quick and easy way of doing this. The good news is that, as a PA, you are perfectly placed to observe how they work and see exactly what makes them tick. Are they a morning person or do they only get into their stride after lunch? Is their work style methodical or impulsive? Prefer to work alone or collaborate with the team? By figuring out the kind of person they are, you can adapt your style to suit. If they like to communicate face-to-face, schedule regular meetings and catch-ups. Alternatively, if technology is their thing, make sure your IT skills are up to date.
However, bosses can be complicated beings. If you’re getting mixed signals – one week they’re a technology junkie, and the next, it’s back to pen and paper – you can just ask how they like to work. They could be surprised at your question, never having been asked that before, and it may help them focus on what they actually want (and ask what you recommend!) If you’re relatively new to the role, or to the boss, this is your best approach. You may feel a little self-conscious, thinking you should be able to pick it up, but if you don’t ask, you’re going to be working in the dark. Your boss may never tell you that they don’t like the way you’re working – and making them work. Some managers won’t give you that sort of feedback unless you ask. They’ll just struggle on the same way for years.
You also need to understand your boss’s strategic objectives. This doesn’t necessarily mean an in-depth knowledge, but being totally unaware of what their overall responsibilities are will reduce your own role that of diary management, making a few phone calls, and booking a few hotels. Demonstrating your understanding may encourage your boss to start delegating more interesting tasks and projects to you.
But a quick word of warning: don’t assume that the tasks you’re given will be in any particular order of priority! Managers tend to delegate whatever is in the forefront of their mind – whether it’s due in two days or two months’ time. The best advice is to always ask for a deadline to ensure you can prioritise your work and direct your efforts and focus accordingly. Being aware of your deadlines will also help you under-promise and over-deliver (for instance, knowing a piece of work is needed for the 30th, but completing it by the 28th!).
When your boss is under a lot of stress, it can cause even the best working relationship to hit a bump in the road. Different personalities react differently, and it isn’t always easy for PAs to understand the demands that their bosses have to deal with every day. All organisations face a huge range of pressures and constraints. Redundancies, Brexit, financial cuts, major changes in legislation, restructuring, The World Cup! … each sector has its own pressures, both from inside the organisation and from factors it cannot control. Try to focus on the bigger picture, and if you can, offer potential solutions. This will help reduce your boss’s stress levels – and therefore your own! Win-win.
Managers with a broad range of responsibilities, or who are dynamic or powerful will need their PA to be more of a business assistant, with an independent opinion and a different outlook. For instance, if you don’t understand a certain decision, rather than keep quiet, your boss may prefer you to speak up and voice your confusion. This can help them to see the situation afresh and perhaps re-think their original plan. Many high-profile managers are surrounded by “yes men”. Standing out from the crowd will make you more valuable.
Similarly, you may need to protect your boss from distractions. If their role means being approachable and visible to the whole team at all times, your role will be to keep them on track, ensuring they stick to a timetable to meet their objectives. This can be just a simple reminder of an up-coming presentation or project deadline, asking what you can do to help. However, sometimes you may need to be more assertive! One trick is to schedule time into their calendar to work on a specific project, blocking out a morning or afternoon – or longer if necessary!
Working with one boss can be tough, but what are the challenges in supporting two or three (or more) senior executives? Managing several managers, each with different approaches to their role, different expectations, and management styles means you have to develop a split personality of your own. Your stress levels can quickly double or triple as you try to keep up with your bosses. Looking after yourself, learning how to handle the increased pressure and responsibility becomes even more important, and this should be reflected in the salary structure. PAs with multiple bosses should definitely be paid a bonus!
It’s important to understand that, before you can manage your manager – or managers – you need to know exactly what your own role entails. Look again your job description and read between the lines, speak to your bosses, and come to an agreement as to what is expected of you and how you will all work together. Then make sure everyone understands the situation.
One of the main challenges – regardless of the number of managers– is looking after emails and Calendars. Some bosses like to look after their own Calendar, but experienced PAs know that diary management isn’t as simple as just booking in an appointment. There can be many variables involved, and issues surrounding meetings in that part of the city, or with that particular client, or travelling on that day …
Even if your boss is happy for you to manage their diary, they may still prefer to look after their Inbox. This can be more problematic. In order for you to fully understand your manager’s role, and do your own job to the best of your abilities, email access is essential. If your boss is unwilling to relinquish control of their inbox, don’t do anything drastic, at least to begin with. Start slowly, and suggest that you declutter some of the emails, moving (not deleting – yet) any junk emails or newsletters. Your boss will soon see the benefit, realising that they can get on with their day, safe in the knowledge that you understand what’s important, what isn’t, and what can be dealt with by others.
Emails, mobiles, and being in touch with everyone all of the time is seen as the norm nowadays. Remember Simon Cowell saying he hadn’t used his mobile for eight months? Whether you believe him or not (he may have checked his emails on a tablet or a laptop, or had his PA read them out loud!), it makes the point that’s possible to communicate less frequently and still be successful!
Looking at your role, the work you do, and how closely you work with your manager, you can see how the phrase “the work spouse” became associated with the PA. In effect, it’s just shorthand for saying you are 100% loyal to your boss, and a trusted individual. After all, one meaning of the word “secretary” is “a keeper of secrets”. But it leads on to another question: how personal should a Personal Assistant be? Or, to turn it around: what’s the best way to help your boss? Managing diaries and emails, and organising each aspect of their business life lets your boss concentrate on their goals, aims, and objectives. But what about popping out to buy them lunch, or making endless cups of tea or coffee? Many PAs see that as part of their role, too. It’s not about being the tea-maker, or a gofer, or running errands. It’s about doing what’s needed to help your manager do their job. It’s about managing your manager.
PAul Pennant
Managing Director & Principal Trainer
Today’s PA
Visit the Today’s PA Academy page. I’ve developed this multi award-winning course to help Assistants to excel in their roles.
