The job of an Executive PA can be very demanding and performance can be a key issue.
There is a variety of things that can hold back performance but to name a few:
  •    Difficult boss or bosses
  •    Difficulty in prioritising workload and diary
  •   Lack of advanced technical skills (e.g. MS Office etc.)
  •    Lack of formal training in the job role
  •   Excessive workload


All of these things can be managed and corrected over time on the job but the most direct route to rectifying these sorts of issues is formal training.

Executive PA Training in London

 
If you have a particularly demanding or assertive boss you cannot allow yourself to be overpowered as it will have an effect on your efficiency. Prioritisation is important as a difficult boss or bosses can cause priorities to be diluted or wrongly assigned. 
 
You need to understand the pressure and perspectives of senior executives so you can empathise where necessary from time to time. To give you grounding in key areas of executive interaction you should consider an Executive PA Performance Course. What you should look for in this training is a cross-section between communication, prioritisation and executive interface. A typical course should include active training such as:
  • Skill enhancement as an Executive PA: What skills does an accomplished EA have? How to self-assess and set realistic goals for the future.

 

  • Top executives-how to work and get on with them: what is their angle of view; what do they need to support this- how can you become a mainstay in this.

 

  • Managing upwards; Learn about management and leadership styles; let your manager give you support as well as the other way round; How to manage others and delegate more effectively.

 

  • Good communication:: how to be a top communicator; verbal and non-verbal communication; the power of good questions; aiming communication at other peoples’ perception levels.

 

  • Increase your personal output and efficiency: motivational drivers in the workplace; learn to be assertive; saying “NO”; creating win/win negotiated solutions; become proactive; effective use of the four quadrants of time management; defining responsibility and accountability when assigning or taking on tasks; confidence-building exercises.
  • What for the Future: Prepare your own vision statement for your career progression; create your own action plan to improve your skills further into the workplace.
 
To locate a course like this make sure the provider is established with their own fixed location as many temporary providers give seminars for a day or two at a rented location and then do not provide ongoing support.
 
An example of a well-conducted course programme can be seen by following the Executive PA Performance Course