From the course: Administrative Professional Tips

Managing down

From the course: Administrative Professional Tips

Managing down

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- Are you prepared to lead and manage others if you are called upon to do so? Have you given thought as to the type of boss you would want to be? Today, many administrative support professionals are called upon to manage and lead other clerical support employees. That certainly is the case for me, as I am charged with directly supervising one employee, and indirectly responsible to lead 50 plus fellow administrative support professionals. If this is not currently the case for you, it very well could be the case for you in the future. Managing down is the ability to work well with employees who report to you. By establishing healthy, professional relationships with the people you supervise, you are able to accomplish excellent results for the organization, your direct reports, and even yourself. Here are a few principles that I follow for leading and supervising those who are under my leadership. First, be the type of boss that you want to be supervised by. For me, I consider an effective boss to be one who communicates well by speaking clearly and being an active listener. One who routinely gives me the benefit of the doubt, is empathetic, and sees issues from different points of view. Lastly, a good boss leads by example. If I expect my team to be on time, I can't consistently be late. Next, provide inspiration and motivation for your direct reports to do well. I want to set a vision for my direct reports that involves us playing specific roles in order for the vision to be achieved. When people feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves, they work towards a greater goal. Also, ensure that your direct reports have the tools, resources, training, and direction they need to do their jobs. One of the most frustrating things for me professionally is to be asked to do something I don't have the support to do. Because of this, I constantly check in with my subordinates so they are not frustrated in this area. We work together to get them what they need to stay on track with their assignments. Finally, practice teamwork consistently. Don't be afraid to assist a team when deadlines are tight, or employees are overwhelmed with multiple projects. The mark of a good leader is one who is willing to share the workload. Managing employees is a privilege, and one that I am grateful for the opportunity to do. We as administrative support professionals need to be prepared to lead when we are called upon to do so. This helps to showcase our leadership ability while making us an even more valuable asset to our executives than we already are, so make sure you are prepared to lead with excellence.

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