5-23-10 Selling Access

I saw in the news today that Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York (is she still called that after the divorce? Hmmmm) was caught trying to peddle access to Prince Andrew. Interesting concept, eh? The news folks all seem to be in an uproar about that. And while I think it is more than a bit tacky, is it really any different that what we face in business life everyday?

For example, our networks are a form of currency. We do a favor for this person, and someday, will likely get a favor in return. It isn’t a good or bad thing…. It just is.

Or another example, you take a client out to lunch or dinner. Yes, part of it is building relationships. But another part of it is that you are planning to get some business from this client in return for the lunch. Again, not good or bad. It just is.

Or another example, you are hired for a specific job simply because of the contacts you have in your industry. Because of your contacts, you can open doors that were previously closed to your new company. They are hiring and paying you for your influence. Not good or bad. It just is.

A final example…. The administrative assistant. If you are smart, you never alienate anyone’s assistant. Because, in fact, that assistant is the one that controls the access to the executive -- which is, of course, a form of influence. And believe me, if you piss her off (and yes, it is usually a “her”), you will never get the face time you need with an executive.

Again, it is neither good nor bad. In fact, the assistant is PAID to control access to the executive (among other things, of course). And I’m not dissing this function. If you’ve read my previous post about admins (2-22-10 Did ya notice?), you will realize that I revere the person and the position.

So what can the new/aspiring exec learn from Ms. Ferguson’s problems? Of course, the obvious thing is that you shouldn’t get caught on videotape. Kidding. (Actually I’m not kidding, but dealing with the media is a whole ’nother post.) You should learn that selling influence is common, although perhaps not as crass as her actions. And you should learn that you must not peddle influence dishonestly. And you should learn that influence can appear in the most unlikely positions and locations (like an assistant), so never underestimate the person you are talking to.

Cheers!

2-22-10 Did ya notice?

Did ya notice….. That you can give me feedback on this blog? I’ve created two ways for you to do this. First, you can leave me a comment or observation or even question! To get to the comment box, just click on the title for the blog entry that you want to comment on. At the bottom of the entry, it will give you a place to enter and post your comment. You don’t have to be registered on the site. Just tell me what you think.

Another way for you to give me feedback are the “voting boxes” at the bottom of each post. There are three choices: helpful, surprising, and duh. While not as descriptive as a comment, it does give me an idea of what you are thinking about what I’m writing.

Now on to the real reason for this post…… If you are an executive, you likely have an assistant. Did ya notice today what he or she did to make your life easier or better? It is easy to fall into the trap of taking our assistants for granted. Mostly because they operate behind the scenes --- quietly taking care of business, without a lot of fanfare.

I’ve been particularly blessed with assistants. First, blessed because I’ve had one for years (trust me, since retirement, I’ve keenly felt the lack!). And second, because each of my assistants had become an integral part of my life.

I know that some people still say “secretary”. But in my mind, the position is WAY more than that. It isn’t just typing, answering the phone, taking messages, taking dictation. For me, an assistant is an integral part of my work life. He or she is the one person that takes on all of the things that no one else seems to be able to do (or what to do).

For example, it is when I go to him/her and say I need to go to Toulouse. And she understands my travel preferences so well that my travel plan looks like something that I would have spent hours on, trying to get it just right. And she likely did it in minutes.

Or it is when I hand her a few pages of bullet points and say, “I need a presentation. I don’t know what I want. I’ll know it when I see it.” And she is able to create a pitch that fits both my style and my audience. And…. She is patient as I tweak and tweak…. Often coming right back to where she had it in the first place!

So no, today isn’t Secretary’s Day or Administrative Assistants’ Day. What I’m suggesting is that in addition to an annual recognition, you should notice and acknowledge the importance of your administrative assistant in your life EVERY DAY. Did ya notice today what he or she did to make your life easier or better?

Cheers!