PA and Secretary Community - Deskdemon.com

So things are progressing.  I have now settled in my company, and am well established in my new role with my new team.

At the beginning of the year, employees enter annual activity discussions with their line manager in or order to set objectives and now it's my turn.  The information will be uploaded to our in-house personnel system, to be reviewed at year end.

Any ideas on how I go about this?  My boss wants me to draft my own, but where to start?!

In setting objectives I have always tried to find win-win objectives; if only the company benefit the individual feels devalued and if the individual is the only beneficiary the company get miffed!

I look at three areas:

• In my own role is there anything I could do differently? (note not necessarily better, more efficiently or at a saving)
• In the wider organisation is there something I could contribute to a system or process that currently doesn't work well - eg is there a bottleneck in the current month end procedures that I could help to address?
• Is there something I could contribute (skill/knowledge/new system) that the organisation doesn't currently have?

The best example I can give of this last category from personal experience was a team of secretaries who each saved their own files using a numerical system (which required an index), they archived to floppy disc at month end and documents were inaccessible to their colleagues in the event of illness or holiday - result a tangled web of documents and shared account access (nightmare!).  I suggested a Document Management System (before they existed) and led a team in putting a system in place, rolling it out and training/helpdesking it.  5 years later it was still consistently in use by 100 staff members having originally been intended for 20!

It is important to bear in mind that this is an annual process and so it is better to set objectives that can be done well and achieved within the year, rather than being over ambitious. 

For anyone who isn't familiar with objective setting they also need to be SMART

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

Hope this helps you make a start Gee

Best wishes

Cathy

It appears Cathy has captured the process perfectly.  In establishing my goals and objectives, my boss and I also include review meetings throughout the year, usually every quarter, to review  progress and adjust any goals or objectives that may need to be revised due to business changes, etc. 

I always include a goal for personal development ie: identify a skill that needs improvement or you would like to improve on.  Target a course or two to take and specify when you want to take them by. 

I understand the process I just don't know what to put on paper without knowing what is expected.

I detest when this is left to the individual because I know whatever I write, will be altered or changed anyway.

This is the classic situation - everyone has a book inside them ... but they have to start by writing the first words on a blank piece of paper ... so where to start?

That is always going to be the hard part the first time you draft your own objectives ... since the objective has to work for the organisation as well as you they will, inevitably, want to change it somewhat.  That doesn't mean that your first draft of the objective is bad or wrong, simply that it is negotiable, if it isn't negotiable then it isn't SMART because it will never be completely AGREED.

We would struggle to write you a sample objective because we don't know the organisation at all.  There are some good resources on the internet, including templates to assist in setting out a SMART objective BUT again the template doesn't help with the personalisation of your objective for your organisation.

Is there someone in the organisation who might give you some input? perhaps your HR team might look at your initial draft and make some suggestions so you can revise it before you meet with your boss to agree it? Alternatively would your boss do one with you as a starter for ten so you have a better idea of the organisation's expectations? OR work out some areas that could be addressed and discuss those with your boss so you narrow down to say 3 issues that the organisation are agreed on and then draft the objectives for those areas?

If you want to bounce an outline of an objective on here I'll try and make constructive comments, bearing in mind I don't know the company or you well enough to be specific.

Cathy

I have drafted a list and forwarded to my boss which he can look at in his own time.  I don't know why we have to set our own objectives but I wouldn't engage HR, they are useless.

Our organization has job descriptions posted with the core dimensions and skills required for the role.  They had every other position in the company except Admin and Executive Asst.  I worked with our HR Dept and we prepared and sent a survey to the Administrative and Exec. Admins in the co.  As well as their executives.  From that the key core dimensions and skillsets required for the role were established.  The description was finally posted.  It took awhile, but now we have something to go by when setting goals and objectives each year.  I had to continue to follow up with our HR Dept. to get this prepared and finalized. 

Is it me or just the people I work with?

Just read an email my boss sent on Friday after I left saying my objectives were fine and could I upload them to the system.  What about the discussion he said we would have?

If that's not an example of how admins are regarded, then I have no idea what is.

Obviously I'm busting a gut for nothing.

Gee

Chill out!  Just because he is your boss, it does not mean he cannot be a moron too (as well as being a man - you know they never ask for directions!)!.

Read my new post in the funnies, it may help a bit! ;)

Thanks Jess.  I just couldn't believe it.  I don't even know if what I have proposed is in line with the company or our department in general.

We use SMART goals as well, just one other thing that might help you -- start with your company's corporate goals and align to them the best way that your job will fit. Corp goals really should trickle down to every person's area that in the end supports those goals. So work with your manager to make your goals align with the business goals.

You might consider a template some what like this:

Goal/Description/Measure of Success/Start Date/Status/Action Plan/Completion

Ok today quite late on in the afternoon, I get told by my boss he wants to complete my professional development discussion and suggests I go online and add the necessary info.  The last day for completion is 30 September.  I can't believe he didn't give me more notice.

Again, what to write?  I've not been through this before.

Firstly the online tool timed out, it took half an hour to log on.  Once I logged on I couldn't click any of the fields to add anything until I asked my boss for some assistance.  The damn thing timed out before I left so I have no idea if it's been uploaded...I will have to check again in the morning.

How can I know what opportunities are available to me unless -

a) they are communicated to me
b) the existing secretarial needs of the company are addressed

It seems like a last minute decision on his part.

Postponed for 2 hours - can see how this is going... ::)

Well we've had the discussions and all went well.

My boss is happy with the support I am providing for him and the team, and he has no issues.  This was good to know especially after 2 years of being here.  I am now working for this Director 11 months and he couldn't believe how the time had flown.

He was happy with the objectives set earlier in the year and explained they would either be reviewed/updated in January or new ones would be set. 

We touched on the subject of current secretarial issues and we both felt that there were no issues with our team/department but that the current exercise would be advantageous as job descriptions were well out of date.

 :) Well, at least that is good news!

Well done!

Wonder when I am going to get one of those!

Jess,

Even if it does not result in or contribute towards a pay rise of any kind, I think it's always important to have feedback.

Have you asked about this?  I did in a previous job just before I got made redundant.  At least my boss understood why I was asking for it.

 :-\
Gee, right now all I can think of is having the whole of next week off (knowing my luck I will be in bed all week as I feel rotten).

My head is so fuzzy, having spent the last 2 weeks getting the mob caught up on their billing forcast for the first half of our financial year, it is still spinning at the scope of the work.  and I still have to do the bill narratives (excel exercise!) to explain what work was done etc!

When I get back it will be business as usual with a heavy dose of credit control (another add-on element of my job).

To think that people think I am daft saying I should be doing the additional work (billing and credit control) on a percentage basis! ;D

Jess

Round 2...

What objectives do I compose for this year?  Same ones as last year?  What new ones can be added?

This process is so vague mainly because there is no progression for admin staff unless you move within a different job family, and because there is no incentive for a pay rise or to move up the salary scale.

It's a necessary exercise but seems to have no value.

Gee

Stick with the old, but take out any redundant ones and add different emphasis to the remaiing ones. 

If it worked last year, then it should be ok!

Jess

Thanks.

No redundant ones I know of - all still relevant.

The closing date for Annual Discussions was Mon 31 Jan.  An extension was given to 7 February which is today.

Here is my gripe...

Whilst I understand diary commitments and urgent meetings take priority, why is it myself and other admin staff are still bottom of the list when it comes to this sort of thing?  Am I not entitled to an annual appraisal in the same way as another Manager?

I welcome your opinion because I seriously cannot make head or tail of it.  After today my records are going to show that no discussion has taken place between myself and my boss.  How can I be appraised or agree any details if that does not happen?

This activity will close out and my records for 2011 will be left incomplete.  As you can imagine I am not happy.

Is my boss just pre-occupied with other more important things or is he lazy/forgetful/uninterested?  Automated emails have appeared in his inbox in relation to appraisal sign off for others, hence my concern.

Have you tried letting your boss know of your concerns, Gee?  He may not realise how much this is bothering you.

Firstly I don't see why I should when he can manage to carry out this exercise for others.

We sit opposite each other so how can he forget about me, or that he has to complete this task when reminders appear in his inbox.  All he has to say is, can we do your review today, tomorrow or next week.

The whole thing is bizarre.  He's obviously not interested in completing what has been asked of him, for his sake or mine.  It makes me feel unimportant yet I enjoy my job and the department I work in.

Whilst I feel like this, I'm now of the opinion if he hasn't carried out this task, then let him take the flack for it and make excuses for what he hasn't done, because as far as I am concerned, I have done my bit which was to set objectives for this year.  He even received an automated email about that too.

If the entire company has to have a review on an annual basis, which bit is he having trouble remembering?  Maybe he needs reminding he has a PA or better still, maybe I should take a long holiday and see if that jogs his memory!

I have just been chatting to my boss about travel plans for next week, and noticed his own review is scheduled with our MD on Monday.

Now you would think in highlighting that to him he would have said something to me about mine...no...nothing.  :-[

How many more hints does he need?!  I can't figure this place out.

That is very frustrating indeed gee and I can understand why you feel like you shouldn't have to remind your boss that you should be treated as an equal to every other employee there.

Still, it is what it is, so it might be best to just ask him directly.... I see mine is the only performance review left to complete (if that actually is the case). When would you like to schedule this? It would be nice for you to be able to say at your own review that you have completed all of your employee's reviews.

Marie

I am so angry I cannot tell you.

I contacted HR last Friday to ascertain what would happen if my review did not take place.  It has taken nearly a week to get a response but I've finally had a f2f discussion with one of the HR team.
 
1. Firstly we opened the online tool and it became apparent my objectives for last year have been entered incorrectly and should have been entered further down, on a separate line, so my boss can appraise each one. 

2.  Secondly it was clear I could not edit the details because I had already entered new objectives for this year which triggered an automated email going to my boss to complete the next step.

I made it clear my boss mentioned nothing about my review and HR said, "well it's his job to".  That was enough for me.  I explained that while I had not been through the process before, but was aware of it, the actual steps had not been explained fully.  Again HR said that my boss should have taken me through the process "but he's obviously not aware of it himself".
 
Now I have set up a meeting for my boss to carry out my appraisal and score me on each of the objectives.  I then asked HR what comes out of the review, what does this feed into.  I was informed that my boss is assigned a "pot of money" and out of that pot he allocates a sum to his team.  It's not a given but if he feels you are worthy of something then he decides.
 
HR will take an action to arrange a session for those new to the process and explain how it should be completed. 

3.  Lastly HR looked at my objectives and said they are not specific, to which I replied, "well my boss approved them last year and never questioned them.  In fact he told me to draft my own and never made any input into them himself".
 
I think HR are now getting the picture on the issues I am raising.

Fingers crossed for a successful closure of this matter and resolution of the 'misunderstanding' of procedure from your boss and your HR dept.

The 'b1tchaitch' in me says if they want specific you should try noting down put something like "increasing efficiency in correspondence to client A in relation to matter b/c/d/e/f/g" with the bcd etc being a preci (sp?) of any and all correspondence/actions required for that client, fully itemised.  Then do Client B, Client C, Client E (not forgetting all inter-company correspondence on any/all matters!

They want specific?  They got it! or perhaps they need to actually look at what your objectives cover and the consequences/benefits of doing each one!

Now, take a deep breath ... and

Good luck! 

Jess I was thinking same.

My list is endless!  ;)

I scheduled my review for this morning knowing that my boss was due to have his review yesterday with our MD.

It all went extremely well and having had interim feedback last year I was pleased to hear, that both my boss and the department, are still more than happy with the support I am providing.

I voiced some concerns which will be addressed, and we added a couple of new objectives in line with the team.

It makes a big difference having had this review and even more so that the appraising comments were excellent.

 ;D Nice one Gee!

Long may it last!

Jess :D

Thanks Jess.

Would be nice if he completed the exercise and signed it off...he's already had 4 automated reminders!  ::)

Now, now, you cannot expect miracles overnight!  ;)

True, but by end of Feb would be good.  ::)

Gee-  Glad this worked out well for you. 

Maybe by the end of February next century!  ;D

Now up to 6 reminders!!