How to work for two executives

- What if you find yourself supporting more than one executive? Finding that balance between them can be very daunting. Let's take a look at two tactics that will help you work with more than one executive. These include using clear communication and delegating tasks. In my case, I support both the owner of the company and the CEO. The owner obviously comes first, but that doesn't mean that I don't give the CEO the same amount of support. The two executives I support also overlap in some of the tasks that I do for them. When I'm scheduling meetings, this makes it a bit easier as they both are normally attending. Look for opportunities like this, where you can use work you've already done for one executive for the other one as well. When I make the decision to put one before the other I base it on the deadline of the task and how long it will take me to complete that task. Then I make sure that I communicate what I've prioritized. It's very easy for you to say, "I am working on X now, but I have it on my list "to complete your task next." Just make sure that you're communicating to both executives so they're both aware what you have on your task list. I recommend scheduling a meeting with each executive each week to go over what is pending, what is upcoming, and what still needs to be completed. This keeps that clear line of communication open so that all parties involved are aware of the status of the projects. This also keeps you organized and a bit less stressed, as you have a clear plan with open communication between you and your executives. I found that it makes things run much smoother if you take this approach. As an administrative professional, delegating is not something that we're always comfortable doing. We tend to just want to complete the task on our own as we feel that's our responsibility to start and complete it. The way to delegate is make a list of the projects you have and the time it will take you to complete them. If one of those projects requires making copies of something, making presentation binders, ordering lunch, booking a meeting room, etc., those tasks can be delegated to another person. You may have more you can delegate than you actually realize. For example, if you're at a company that does in-house printing, then pass the printing needs off to them. They can also put together the binders for you. If you have an in-house graphics department, they can assist you in putting together your presentations. If you have an assistant that helps you or a floating assistant that helps the office staff in general, they could organize the meeting rooms and the lunches. I know it may seem easier to just do these things yourself, but you can use the time you save delegating to focus on the project at hand. When you learn to delegate some of the small tasks and work together with your colleagues, you will feel a sense of relief and less stress on yourself. Remember, open communication and delegating will help you when you are supporting more than one executive.