As an executive assistant, your ability to communicate effectively is crucial. It’s not just about passing on messages; it's about conveying information clearly, concisely, and efficiently. This skill is particularly important when answering questions from your executive and filtering responses from colleagues. In this article, we will explore how to master this essential skill, with examples illustrating the differences between poor, good, and great answers.
The Importance of Succinct Communication
Executives deal with a constant flow of information daily. Your role is to distil this information into concise, actionable insights. This not only saves time but also enhances decision-making efficiency. Clear and concise communication helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that important details are not overlooked.
Answering Questions Succinctly
When answering direct questions from your executive, brevity and clarity are key. Follow these guidelines to refine your responses:
Understand the Question: Ensure you fully grasp what is being asked before answering.
Provide Core Information First: Lead with the most important details.
Be Specific: Avoid vague statements.
Add Necessary Details: Include only essential information for context or implications.
Be Objective: Stick to facts unless your opinion is specifically requested.
Example 1: Answering a Scheduling Question
Question: “When is my next meeting with the board?”
Poor Answer: “Your next meeting with the board was supposed to be next week, but I think it got moved. There was a conflict with another meeting, and I’m not sure if we’ve finalised the new date yet. I’ll have to check and get back to you.”
Good Answer: “The next board meeting has been rescheduled. I’ll try to find out when by the end of today.”
Great Answer: “Your next meeting with the board has been rescheduled to Tuesday, 3rd August, at 10 AM due to a conflict.”
Example 2: Providing Project Status Updates
Question: “What’s the status of the Christmas party planning?”
Poor Answer: “We’ve been talking about it for a while, and there’s a lot to do. Some ideas were thrown around, but nothing is set yet. I think the team is still trying to figure out the venue and the theme. There’s also the budget to consider, and we haven’t finalised that either. We’re running behind, but hopefully, we’ll get it sorted soon.”
Good Answer: “The Christmas party planning is underway, but there are still some details to finalise.”
Great Answer: “The Christmas party planning is progressing well. We’ve shortlisted three venues and are finalising the theme this week. The budget proposal is under review and will be submitted for approval by Friday. Everything is on track for a 15th December event.”
Filtering Responses from Colleagues
As an executive assistant, you act as a gatekeeper for information to your executive. We all know our colleagues who would rather use 100 words when 10 will suffice, don’t we? Filtering out unnecessary details and presenting the essential information is key.
Identify Key Points: Extract the main points from colleagues’ responses.
Remove Irrelevant Details: Discard information that does not contribute to the core message.
Summarise: Present a concise summary that captures the essence of the response.
Validate Accuracy: Ensure the information is accurate and up-to-date.
Example 3: Your Executive Has Asked You to Find Out What Is Happening on the Client X Proposal
Colleague’s Actual Response: “Hi, just a quick update on the client proposal. We started working on it last week, but we ran into some issues with the initial data we received. The team spent a lot of time fixing those, and now we’re finally making progress. We should have a draft ready by next Monday. Also, there were some questions about the pricing model that we need to address. John suggested a few changes that could make it more competitive. Overall, it’s coming together, but we’re a bit behind schedule.”
Poor Filtered Response: “Client proposal started last week. Issues with data. Draft ready by Monday. Questions about pricing model. John suggested changes. Behind schedule.”
Good Filtered Response: “Client proposal draft ready by Monday. Data issues resolved. Pricing model questions being addressed. Slightly behind schedule.”
Great Filtered Response: “Client proposal draft will be ready by Monday. Initial data issues have been resolved. Addressing pricing model questions with suggestions from John to improve competitiveness. Slight delay in the schedule.”
Example 4: Your Executive Has Asked You to Chase Departmental Heads to See If the Budgets Will All Be Submitted on Time
Colleague's Detailed Response:“Hi, regarding the departmental budgets, we’ve encountered a few challenges. Some departments had issues aligning their projections with the new guidelines, which caused delays in the initial phases. The finance team also had to adjust some numbers due to recent policy changes. Operations have had an unusually high absence rate, with John being off work with severe earache. Despite these hurdles, everyone is confident that we can meet the original deadline. The teams have been working extra hours, and we can confirm that all the budgets will be ready by the end of the week as planned.”
Poor Filtered Response: "Departments faced challenges with new guidelines, causing delays. Finance made adjustments due to policy changes. Operations have a high sickness rate, and John is off with earache. They are all working extra hours and hope to meet the deadline.”
Good Filtered Response: "Departments faced some issues with new guidelines and finance made adjustments. They’re working extra hours and are confident they will meet the deadline.”
Great Filtered Response: “All departments are confident that the budgets will be delivered on time.”
Remember, mastering succinct communication is essential for executive assistants. By answering questions directly and filtering responses to highlight only the most relevant information, you can significantly enhance the productivity and effectiveness of your executive. Your goal is to make information clear, concise, and actionable. By doing so, you become an invaluable asset to your executive and the organisation.
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About the Author: Richard Arnott, BA, FInatAM, FIToL, is a Director of BMTG (UK) Ltd, and the author and lead presenter of the groundbreaking, globally recognised Advanced Certificate for the Executive Assistant: ACEA® program. Richard also sits on the editorial board of Lucy Brazier OBE’s Executive Support Magazine.
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