There is No Skill Called "Executive Assistance"

Avoid prioritizing certifications and trainings

There is no skill called “business.”

Avoid business magazines and business classes. Study microeconomics, game theory, psychology, persuasion, ethics, mathematics, and computers.

- Naval Ravikant

This concept, in relation to our work, is something that I try to relay to Executive Assistants almost every chance I get.

The path to becoming an EA is not a straight, obvious path. There are no two EAs who have had the exact same experience or trajectory. And that’s because we support human beings, and every single human being on earth is different.

Sure, the concept of what we all do is similar. We schedule and calendar, email with others, book travel, do expenses, plan events, deal with board meetings, etc. But beyond that, the experiences we have and everything else we do for our executives are deeply personal and therefore unique.

Because of this, the best way to grow in your role as an EA is simply by doing the job. And by putting in the years. You’re not going to become a rockstar EA overnight, or through certifications and formal trainings, or going to school for it. The only way to really level up is to do the job.

By doing the job, you learn how to build relationships, become adaptable, gain and earn trust from others, become quicker in your problem solving abilities, and make better executive decisions.

By doing the job, you get better at observing and listening to patterns and behaviors. You start to understand human behavior, you can read your executive’s body language, you know how to provide enough context or prep your executive where it matters, and you learn about human psychology by watching the interactions of everyone around you.

By doing the job, you’ll inevitably make mistakes, but be thankful for them. Mistakes are what help you get better at what you do and help you understand yourself better. By making mistakes, you (hopefully) learn from them, you do your best not to make them again, you start to understand why your executive wants things done a particular way, you know what to expect, and you become great at anticipating needs and being proactive.

By doing the job, you also feel all the emotions. Anger, frustration, pride, embarrassment - it’s all part of the job. You’ll reflect on what you could’ve done differently, feel great about the wins, and laugh at how petty you can get (not proud of it, but I’ve been there!). Through it all, you’ll learn more about yourself - what pushes your buttons, what you’re capable of, and how to handle situations with grace.

There is no skill called “Executive Assistance”.

Avoid spending time and money getting certifications and trainings. Or at least don’t put them at the forefront of your priorities.

No amount of hours studying or taking courses that imply that they can teach you “how to be a great Executive Assistant” will make you a great EA.

Instead (and on top of simply doing the job)…

…Read books (fun NYT bestseller books) about human psychology, organizational psychology (Adam Grant is awesome), human behavior, negotiation, stoicism (Ryan Holiday makes this easy to understand), self-awareness, and communication. You are in the people business, so take time to learn about people.

…Watch and study the people around you - how they operate, what gets them energized, what makes them tick, how they interact with others. What’s the difference between people you want to be like and people you don’t? Why do you trust some people or rely on some folks, but not others? Why does someone have a great reputation, but not others?

…And most importantly, look inward. Learn your limits, your bandwidth, how to say no, and how to let things go. Learn what motivates you, what rubs you the wrong way, what pushes you to do well. Learn about the environment that you thrive in and the one that drains your soul. And figure out how to get what you need to do your job well. You’ll only be able to learn these things if you are in the thick of the role.

Everyday is a learning opportunity. Become more self-aware. Exercise empathy. And watch how far basic values like kindness, trustworthiness, and hard work can take you.

The next time you ask yourself “how can I grow in this role?” remember that it takes a lot more than taking courses and getting certifications. Our role is unique. You can’t be taught how to be an EA. You have to be an EA.