The power of a PA

It’s a simple mathematical calculation but if new research by the Association of Personal Assistants (APA) is right then every senior manager, leader and principal must employ a PA if they want to achieve and exceed corporate targets. In a report published today the APA details the results of its survey of over 5,000 business leaders and suggests that their effectiveness is hugely enhanced by having an Aid and most report an improvement in excess of 30%.

If the average salary of a CEO for the Top 500 listed companies in the UK is over £750,000 per year then a 30% increase in their effectiveness is sufficient to fund an entire department. And that level of return on investment makes real economic sense says the APA. In a small business, where the owner director fulfils every major management role, a PA is doubly essential to ensure all the competing plates are kept spinning and none of the business critical ones are dropped; in this size business MDs also suggested that their PA is the sole guardian of their corporate quality of life and director of their work life balance.

Gone are the days when a PA was a glorified secretary (a ‘Miss Jones’) and even less true is the stereotype portraying the PA as a flunky who runs errands, makes coffee and looks attractive in the outer office. Modern PAs are highly business savvy, using every technological means at their disposal and are increasingly well educated, trained and qualified to maximise their boss’s time. They plan meetings and diaries, co-ordinate travel plans and accommodation and process all of the day-to-day issues of an executive office

A PA has to be a great communicator and even better negotiator; managing people’s expectations when they hope to access the boss, and making sure that all priority tasks are processed quickly. If you ask the modern boss what takes the most time in their busy working life most will say meetings and emails and their PA is of fundamental importance in managing the problems associated with both. As our research suggests, a good PA is worth a fortune and every business leader should have one.

I have been blessed by having three of the very best supporting me over the years (Johanne Hawes, Faye Jennings and Carly Beales), each different but each possessing an abudence of skill, good humour and patience and playing no small part in the successes along the way. Faye still calls me now and reminds me about birthdays I definitely should not forget and we haven't actually worked together for 5 years!

Gareth

The Image shows me with my two wonderful PAs, Carly Beales (left) and Faye Crisp (right)