7 Ways to Help Your Assistant (and YOU) Be More Productive

March 01, 2020

A great assistant is an unparalleled asset. Not only do top-tier assistants provide unwavering support and critical services, but their central focus is you—your wants, your needs, your schedule, and your goals. Leveraged right, assistant relationships can be incredibly beneficial and can help you, your family and your business keep moving forward efficiently and productively.

That said, there’s often a major hurdle to assistants performing at their peak. That hurdle? YOU. Whether it’s a lack of systems, complete disorganization or lack of clear-cut communication, it’s not uncommon for an assistant to lack the basic elements needed to be successful in their role. And, while a good assistant will do their best to work through these challenges, even they would benefit from a little client fine-tuning—and, as a result, could be even more productive from day one. 

Your job, then? Consider these simple steps to helping your assistant maximize their productivity and performance—because, remember, when your assistant excels, you, your household and your workplace benefit. 

#1. Get a confidentiality agreement in place now 

This should happen before your assistant starts—but if it didn’t, get a confidentiality agreement in place now. It’s hard to truly open up or for your assistant to dive in completely if there are any lingering concerns about confidentiality and trust. A simple confidentiality agreement calms any fears while reiterating the trust between you and your assistant, so both sides can move forward with key tasks, responsibilities and proprietary knowledge-sharing without worrying. 

#2. Be organized

While it’s impossible to be completely organized at all times, it’s important to stay on top of your task list and communicate any changes to your assistant. Ideally, aim to have one shared project list that includes everything your assistant should be working on daily, weekly, monthly or as-needed—and be sure that list includes clear-cut instructions, passwords, objectives, and next steps so your assistant can dig in and get started.

#3. Help prioritize 

As your assistant gets increasingly familiar with you, your family and your business needs, priorities will, likely, become apparent and, to some extent, consistent. In the beginning, though, don’t assume your assistant sees your day-to-day needs the same way you do. Be clear in your priorities, set and communicate deadlines, and remind yourself that not everything is mission-critical. By helping your assistant understand concrete priorities, you’ll better him/her to maximize their productivity each day—and that will help you function at your peak. 

#4. Be a good communicator 

That said, the only constant is change—your assistant knows that. While your personal assistant should be comfortable pivoting as your immediate and ongoing needs change, keep in mind you still need to clearly communicate those shifts. Again, don’t assume your assistant knows exactly what you do or will process information exactly the same. 

If you aren’t working in close proximity or tend to travel, schedule daily or weekly check-ins, request daily status updates or develop some system for ensuring your assistant is always in-the-know when it comes to changes and updates. This will help your assistant change course, re-prioritize and map out their day to best position you for success.

#5. Commit to training and documenting 

Even a highly-skilled, highly-training assistant isn’t experienced at the way you do things. To that end, it’s important to commit to an initial training period, during which you or a member of your staff can help new hires get up-to-speed. If possible, document essential tasks and other how-tos in a training document or manual—this will be a good added support, helping eliminate confusion while ensuring your assistant gets acclimated and integrated even faster.

#6. Give productive, honest feedback 

Whether your assistant has been with you for days or years, it’s important to continuously give honest, constructive feedback. While much of this can—and should—be given at the moment, it’s also a good idea to schedule regular check-ins quarterly or even annually. This gives both sides an opportunity to share their experiences and determine goals and next steps going forward. 

#7. Integrate a dedicated personal assistant service in NYC  

Vivo Domi personal concierge services in NYC connect our clients with qualified assistants who drive results from day one. Our assistants are trained and thoroughly vetted to ensure outstanding service, commitment, and trust, then hand-selected based on you and your family’s unique lifestyle and objectives. The end result? Greater skill, greater efficiency and enhanced productivity—and, from there, a better, more personal experience for you, your family and your extended inner circle. Learn more about Vivo Domi's personal concierge services in NYC here, and contact us today to get started.  

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