OOPS!

Administrative professionals are among the busiest individuals in an organization. They juggle multiple requests, troubleshoot issues with the latest IT tools, and manage a constant stream of messages—whether they come through team chat, emails, texts, or phone calls—either from their desks or on their smartphones. They are also busy coordinating resources for major events planned for the next two weeks, all while navigating the challenges of "calendar tag." It is impressive that they can maintain focus amidst such a whirlwind of activity!

However, the incredible ability to manage vast amounts of information can sometimes lead to minor slip-ups. Being human means experiencing those moments of imperfection. I would like to share a story about an outstanding administrative assistant who puts her heart and soul into her role every day! Sharon was new to her department and relatively new in her role as an administrative professional. She was quickly grasping the objectives and goals set by her new director. Like a sponge, she was absorbing the complexities of both the organization and the business.

The director wanted to explore a concept aimed at fostering closer relationships among his team, so he decided to create a “Book and/or Blog of the Month Club.” He shared his strategy with Sharon, which involved asking team members to submit articles, blogs, books, and other materials related to topics such as teamwork, positive energy, and effective communication. His objective was to cultivate a community of shared knowledge, which he hoped would lead to a more cohesive team.

Sharon was as excited as her director about the concept and went right back to her computer to create the messaging explaining how it would work. Then, with a sincere note of encouragement, she asked the team for help and support on this new idea.

A short while passed before she received her first email message from one of the team... Hey Sharon, are you kidding? This is simply crazy! This shook Sharon up a bit, thinking that this person was taking this a little too seriously, being quite forceful with his comments.

A short time later, Nancy from the team stopped by, and with a huge smile and a wink of her eye—like the cat who has eaten the canary—she said, “Good one, Sharon—good one!” then walked away still grinning. Now Sharon was starting to second-guess this idea—people in the organization were having funny reactions to the email.

Sharon decided to quickly review the email to ensure she had explained everything clearly, used the right tone, and added excitement to engage the recipients. To her horror, the very first sentence read: "Please join the “Boob or Blog of The Month Club!”" Something that “Spell-check” would never have caught! It pays to read the entire message before sending. Slowing down the speed of light!