We entrepreneurs are a special bunch.
We’re known for our passion, our vision, our grit and our can-do spirit. Yet those very same qualities that propel us and our organizations forward can also put a lid on our leadership and push our enterprises backward. Too many CEOs and leaders hold tight to their early days as task-oriented solo acts, without realizing that they are now the conductor for an orchestra.
We need help. And that’s why I believe that a virtual assistant is one of the fastest tickets to growth in 2017 and beyond. These capable, professional administrative specialists give us the discipline, structure and support to steady the entrepreneurial risk of randomness. After all, so many of us love having our hands in 87 different things at one time; we enjoy keeping those fun projects for ourselves or having our say about every little thing.
But as a founder, leader or member of the C-suite, we leaders must figure out the two or three things we should focus on most, and then delegate the rest. There are high-payoff activities that only we can do, and these things advance our business, like making strategic partner connections, weighing in on legal issues or moving on financial decisions. Then there are lower-payoff activities that, honestly, any other trained professional can pull off.
This is why a virtual executive assistant is a must-have differentiator for businesses and companies bent on competing where it counts.
Fostering communication as a conduit for growth
How many times has your email inbox or voicemail taken on a life of its own? Are employees in your ear about something they emailed you weeks ago? Do you recognize the tone set and potential negative business outcomes sparked by lulls in giving feedback, responding to messages or replying to emails?
Virtual assistants can serve as air traffic controllers over your outreach and correspondence. They can ensure that you are accountable for communicating transparently, professionally and timely. They run interference, fill in blanks, reduce ambiguity and keep the cycle of productivity and efficiency more continuous. This builds employee engagement, fuels operational performance and keeps actionable strategies alive.
This is because a capable, entrusted virtual assistant serves as the CEO’s representative. And this has the incredible benefit of crystallizing organizational growth for business. For example, if an internal business development team is awaiting the blessing of the company president before proceeding with a sales proposal, then a delay could postpone or entirely put the brakes on the opportunity.
But, when a virtual assistant is empowered to block and tackle on your behalf — whether internally or externally — people know that they can count on you if you’re not around. And, better yet, the synergy will be so seamless that they won’t even know you’re away or otherwise encumbered at all.
Inspiring innovation and big-picture thinking
It can be hard not to think in a vacuum when consumed by a litany of