Course Summary:

Receptionists and Administrative assistants are invaluable members of the office team. They are charged with overseeing and coordinating the day to day operations of a business. Thanks to the advent of communication technology, the skills these assistants require have become diversified, and the ability to multitask and juggle several different instructions at once have become essential. Other qualities needed by these members include excellent communication skills, a polished appearance, and good interpersonal instincts. This course tackles all these behavioral skills while focusing on areas related to the use of technology to get things done effectively and successfully.

This course also focuses on the importance of providing exceptional internal and external customer service and the impact of doing this. Moreover, you will thoroughly have the chance to discuss the effects of stress at the workplace and ways to turn stress to an advantage. You will also learn how mastering your effective usage of time will inevitably enhance your productivity and lower your stress level. Another topic you will delve into is organizing and running an effective and professional meeting. Finally, you will learn in detail, how you can improve your phone handling capabilities.

Course Objectives:

• Define and apply the new roles of executive assistants and administrators to meet modern challenges
• Use technology to get more done and to stay connected with the office and their boss
• Plan and organize work flow effectively by filing, documenting, sorting, indexing, and retrieving corporate documents in the most appropriate manner
• Create quality standards for a motivating and productive office environment
• Demonstrate a better command of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, grammar, and the rules of writing
• Identify and improve the competencies they require to keep generating added value services
• Define and understand the role of the office manager and administrator
• Implement verbal and written communication strategies needed for carrying out responsibilities in an effective manner
• Develop a service attitude and mindset aimed at the internal and external customer
• List the main causes of stress and apply the techniques needed to control them
• Apply time management techniques required for better office productivity
• Organize meetings effectively
• Handle telephone calls properly and professionally

Course Outline

• New roles for new times
  • The changing organization
  • The role of management in the workplace
  • The main tasks of office managers
  • New roles for new times
    • Optimizing communication and influence
    • Fostering a professional attitude
    • Producing results from various activities
    • Use of technology to get things done
• Mastering data management, indexing and archiving
  • Mastering filing systems
    • Five secrets to organize files better 
    • Electronic archiving
  • Records management
    • The records and information cycle
    • Common problems in records management
    • Rules for indexing personal and business names
    • Cross referencing personal names
• Creating a motivating and productive office environment
  •       Design and productivity
    •       Feng Shui office design: the art of working (tips and basic steps)
  •       Dealing with and managing diversity
    •       Communicating across cultures
  •       Six steps to great time management
  •       Dealing with difficult bosses
  •       Inbox zero: managing emails effectively

• Advanced communication skills for administrators
  •   Business communication
    •       Communication defined
    •       Types of communication
    •       Tips for smart communication
  •   Creating powerful short presentations
    •       Tips for powerful presentations
    •       Key characteristics of dynamic speakers
    •       The four step communication process
    •       The “A-U-D-I-E-N-C-E” analysis
    •       The anatomy of a good presentation
  •   Advanced business writing
    •       Managing the reader’s expectations
    •       Using positive and courteous language
    •       Preparing meeting agendas and minutes
• The executive assistant success tool box
  •   Basic modern office etiquette
    •       Telephone etiquette
    •       Email etiquette
  •   Event planning and execution
    •       Preparing for meetings and conferences
    •       Major event planning elements
    •       The event tool box
  •   Team and leadership skills
    •       Team formation stages
    •       Situational leadership
• The role of the office manager and administrator
  • Perception versus reality
  • The 3Ds of successful administrators: dramatically and demonstrably different
  • Competencies required for success
  • What it takes to be a 'star' at work
  • Identifying your role
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
  • Improving credibility and gaining recognition
  • Importance of having positive attitude
  • Being assertive
  • Selling your ideas to the boss, colleagues, subordinates and clients
  • Preparing a professional presentation
  • What constitutes professional business writing
  • Style and layout
  • Obtaining your objective with the reader
  • Readers' expectations
• Serving the internal and external customer
  • Understanding the needs of internal and external customers
  • Removing services barriers
  • Providing excellent service
  • Breaking down the silo mentality
  • Handling complaints
• Stress management techniques
  • Causes and symptoms
  • Identifying your stressors
  • How stress affects performance
  • Formulating a comprehensive stress management plan
• Managing time
  • Identifying and eliminating time wasters
  • Setting goals and priorities
  • Using measures to control and improve your effectiveness
  • Planning and managing time for self and others
  • Preparing time logs and learning from them
• Organizing meetings
  • Elements of an effective meeting
  • Preparing the agenda
  • Meeting common time wasters
  • Taking minutes of meetings
  • Responsibilities of meeting leaders and participants
• Using the telephone properly
  • Professional telephone behavior
  • Rules for good listening
  • Steps in professional handling of an incoming call
  • Dealing with difficult callers
  • Identifying common phone problems and formulating solutions