I Just Assumed…

Early on in my career when I was "green" to the ways of a Rockstar Executive assistant, I made "assumptions". Some were easily corrected; all were lessons learned. In fact, I started keeping a journal entitled "Things I Will Never Do Again." A couple of those instances come to mind as I type this.

One of my first experiences with assumption occurred when my executive, who had good relationships with both the press and various government figures, including President George W. Bush, received a prestigious invitation to the White House Correspondents' Dinner that year. He and his wife were excited about the invitation, and I had the privilege of organizing their travel itinerary. I felt confident in managing the planning since my husband and I had traveled to Washington, DC, just a few months prior. I planned for them to stay at the same 5-star hotel we had enjoyed, which was conveniently located near all the attractions Washington, DC, has to offer tourists.

While finalizing the itinerary, I noted that transportation was readily available since the hotel offered taxis for guests 24/7. I sent him and his wife off to the East Coast, feeling excited for them. This was a significant honor as they would be mingling with high-powered superstars, influential government officials, and well-renowned press agencies.

The next day after they had just arrived at the hotel, I received a phone call from my executive with a straightforward question: "Debbie, I really like the hotel; it's very nice, but how close do you think my wife and I will get to the White House in a taxi?" I nearly fell off my chair. It had not occurred to me that there would be a significant amount of security and protocols required for guests arriving at the White House. I had just assumed that taking a taxi would be convenient and work simply fine. Sigh. I immediately got to work rearranging their transportation.

About a year later, John was set to host our company board meeting at a country club near his home, where he was a member. I had been working directly with the club manager to handle the coordination and finalizing the menu over several weeks. I felt positive that everything would turn out well.

The next day after the board dinner, my executive approached my desk and asked if we could talk for a few minutes. I initially assumed he was going to commend me for how well the event went, but instead, he said, "Debbie, in the future, when I host a board meeting offsite, I fully expect you to be there to ensure that everything is taken care of and that any requests or special needs from our board members are met." I again, had assumed that the club manager would fulfill that role. I realized I was mistaken and had not understood my executive's expectations of me and my responsibilities. After that conversation, I made sure to attend every board meeting offsite.

The biggest lessons I have learned, both from my career and in my personal life, are never assume because that is where all troubles begin and end.