You and Your Executive

PPPA Guide to Building a Strategic Business Partnership with your Executive

How to elevate the Assistant role into a strategic business partner working alongside your Executive.

The relationship that Assistants have with their Executives is fundamental to their success in the role. It is the critical relationship between Assistants and the one part of their role to get right. Without a successful partnership, the work becomes that much more challenging.

This guide is designed to explicitly teach Assistants, step by step, how to create a strong partnership with their Executive. We will look at the techniques and strategies Assistants can employ to build collaboration so that they are used effectively and are seen as real strategic business partners.

Over the last ten years, I’ve followed how the Assistant industry has changed and how Assistants must elevate themselves.

In this guide, we will cover one concept that has been part of the changing nature of the Assistant role: the Assistant as a ‘strategic business partner’. Or in other words, aligning your Assistant’s skills with the strategic growth of the business and the strategic objectives of the Executive.

You will all be at different points in being a strategic business partner.

Unfortunately, there is no road map for this because the Assistant career path is so varied, and we all have different experiences in the role, changing from job to job and company to company. As a result, you will have to do a lot of this work on your own, with the support of your Executive. But.

You’ve got to do it!

This level of interaction within your business is imperative to ensure that you future-proof your Assistant career and that you are not left behind.

It is as vital as 30 years ago to know how to use computers and new technology. If you only work on administrative tasks and do not work strategically, your role will be replaced by AI and automation.

Also, it’s worth noting that strategic work is where reward and recognition are found. This is how you get yourself noticed and develop your Assistant career. Here’s a quick preview of what you will find in this guide:

Chapter One: How to start building a strategic partnership between an Assistant and an Executive

This chapter covers the foundations you need to move from an Assistant into a more strategic role. We look at the skills, competencies and characteristics required to work as a strategic business partner. Let’s bust some business misconceptions about the Assistant role and get you on the right track to becoming a strategic business partner.

Chapter Two: Working with your Executive

To form a strong working relationship with an Executive, Assistants need buy-in and support from their boss. In this chapter, we take a deep dive into the working relationship and the strategies. Assistants need to employ to make the relationship work. We cover communication, building respect, working with the inner circle, and staying in the loop.

Chapter Three: Strategic thinking, proactivity and adding value as an Assistant

To work successfully as a strategic business partner, Assistants must increase their overall understanding of the business, take the initiative and be proactive. Of course, this is easier said than done! We share our top tips on building strategic thinking while staying on top of your day-to-day tasks. This chapter is packed with advice on creating a role that adds value and dramatically grows your reputation and career.

Chapter Four: The mindset of a successful strategic business partner

We share everything we have learned from successful strategic business partners over the last ten years of running Practically Perfect PA. This chapter will focus on case studies and practical tips on how Assistants can create the mindset needed to succeed as a top-level c-suite Executive Assistants.

Are you ready to get started?

The Strategic Business Partner Online Course

The Strategic Business Partner Online Course is designed to explicitly teach Assistants, step by step, how to create a strong partnership with their Executive.

The course will give you the skills and insights needed to build an effective relationship with your Executive, develop business acumen that prepares you for future challenges in the Assistant role, and change your perspective to become confident in your decision-making.

Strategic Business Partner online course description
  • Twelve in-depth modules

  • Workbooks, Copy-and-paste swipe files, checklists, resources & templates

  • Video-based lectures with world-leading tutors
  • Certificate delivered on completion of the course