Tips for Improving Executive-EA Communication

I asked 50+ EAs one question: “What’s the one thing you wish your exec understood about your role?” Here’s what they told me (anonymised): “I’m not just moving meetings. I’m quietly removing multiple decisions a day from your plate so you can think.” “If you loop me into the context, I can protect your time before the chaos hits, not just clean it up afterwards.” “When you cancel our 1:1, I lose the only protected space we have to align. That’s when I start guessing priorities.” “I see patterns you don’t, because I’m across your calendar, inbox, team and home life. Ask what I’m noticing more often.” “Trust isn’t just about confidentiality. It’s you backing me in front of others when I make the tough call on your behalf.” For founders/execs, the message is pretty simple: Your EA is often already thinking at a higher level than the job description. The more context, trust and space you give them, the more leverage you’ll get back. If you’re an EA or a Leader, I’m curious: What’s the one thing you wish your exec / EA understood about your role or partnership? Drop it in the comments. #ExecutiveAssistant #FounderLife #LeadershipSupport #SecondBrainTalent #EALife #CEO #Hiring #EAhiring

My two most effective AI consulting moves have nothing to do with data or tech. Here’s why they work: And they're NOT what you'd expect from someone at the executive level. After hundreds of enterprise engagements, I've distilled my approach down to two signature moves. 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁. Before I even start an engagement, I reach out to all the EAs. I send thank-you notes in advance. I host a call with them. And I tell them: "I see the magic you do with calendars and emails. I know your work is hard and often thankless." Why? - Because they're the power behind the power. - They're the ones who make room on impossible calendars. - They get you in front of the right people at the right time. And on EA Day, I make sure every single one gets treated,not just mine, but ALL of them. 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱: 𝗜 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀. When I establish a strategy, I dedicate the first four months to one-on-ones,not just with executives and stakeholders. I go all the way down to analysts and junior analysts. People are often surprised when they see an EVP or SVP talking to an analyst or a manger. They ask, "Why are you doing that?" My answer is, "Because they're the ones doing the actual work, they are the closest to the issues." They know where the inefficiencies are, where the systems don't talk to each other, and where the manual workarounds happen that executives never see. This lets me bridge the gap between what executives THINK is happening in steering committees and what's ACTUALLY happening on the ground. Those two things together? Creates clarity on the real issues (not the symptoms felt) AND time to talk to the people I need to talk too when I haven’t built up my credibility or reputation yet. Because strategy without relationships is just PowerPoint. And executive perception without ground truth is just wishful thinking. What are YOUR signature moves that others might overlook?

If I'm an EA starting a new job, here's one thing I would do immediately. I'd have my Executive answer a simple yet insightful question: "What is going well?" Based on that answer, I'd double down on those things before jumping in to solve, optimize, enhance, or implement. Here's why: 👓 Minimizes working from a lens of scrutiny. It's never a good idea to go into a new place looking to find faults or problems immediately. If someone was doing the role before you, regardless of whether they're still there (but especially if they are), starting with what they did well and understanding how they did it signals character on your end and is a sure way to build trust. 🪜 Ensures you maintain the standard the Executive is used to. Yes, you intend to come in and eventually make things better, but at a minimum, you don't want to fall below the standard already in place. Having a clear understanding of what currently works and ensuring it stays that way is essential and a trust-builder with the Executive. 🔨 Builds a habit of respecting the Executive's preferences. As an EA, your job is not to come in and do things your way. Executives are often particular, and no two are exactly alike. Listening intently to what they like about the current systems/processes should only be done to enhance them, not change them, to make them "your way." 🔍 Helps you focus on what is missing. This is where you can clarify what you can do more of, less of, or start altogether. If you jump in with the mindset that everything needs "doing," you'll get it wrong. Once you've understood what's already firing on all cylinders, you can move on to solving and implementing. Remember, trust isn't built only on what you do but what you don't do: → Don't be overly scrutinizing. → Don't bad-mouth the EA who did the role before you. → Don't belabor the point of what wasn't being done that should've. Now, keep in mind that this will look different depending on a few factors: 1. Are you the Executive's first EA? 2. Are you backfilling an EA who has left? 3. Are you backfilling an EA who has been internally promoted? 4. Is this your first time as an EA, or is it a new role? Regardless, the principle remains the same. Find out what's working well and double down. #executiveassistant #administrativeprofessionals

Being a high-level Executive Assistant is not about taking orders. It’s about taking ownership. After 15+ years supporting C-suite executives and board members, here’s what I know for sure: the most effective EAs don’t just make things run smoothly. They make impact. If you’re stepping into this space or leveling up, here are my top tips to truly excel: 🧠 Think like an executive Understand the business. Know the goals, the pressure points, the decision-making process. Anticipate what's needed before it’s requested. 📅 Master calendar strategy, not just scheduling You’re not managing time. You’re managing energy, priorities, and outcomes. Be intentional. Know when to say no or reschedule. 🚪 Be a gatekeeper and a bridge Balance access with protection. Communicate clearly and graciously. Know when to shield, when to inform, and how to keep momentum. 🔍 Stay three steps ahead Prep for board meetings early. Confirm logistics down to the last detail. Think ahead so your executive doesn’t have to. 🧭 Manage up like a pro Learn your executive’s style, pace, and preferences. Tailor your support to how they work best and help them stay at their best. 🤝 Build trust relentlessly Integrity, discretion, and follow-through earn influence. That influence allows you to make things happen behind the scenes. 📚 Stay curious. Keep learning Learn the language of the business. Ask questions. Understand the why, not just the what. 🏛️ Own the room, even when you’re not in it When an EA is sharp and aligned, people notice. Meetings flow, decisions stick, and everything runs smoothly. 💡 Balance fierce efficiency with human warmth Systems matter, but so does emotional intelligence. Be the calm in the chaos. The one who remembers both the details and the people. 📣 Know your value. Act like it This is a strategic role. Advocate for your seat at the table. And when you're there, use it to elevate others too. Being an EA at this level takes more than coordination. It takes clarity, confidence, and leadership of your own. If you’ve been in the EA seat at the top level, what would you add to this list? I’d love to hear what’s helped you thrive.

If your Executive Assistant (EA) is only supporting you... they’re a bottleneck, not a bridge. Founders, the power of an EA isn’t just in handling your inbox or scheduling meetings. It’s in embedding them as a true extension of your operating system... empowering your team, streamlining workflows, and multiplying your leverage. Here’s how you can transform your EA from isolated to integrated: 1. Connect Your EA to Your Core Tools - Don’t let your EA dwell in your inbox. Grant access to project management, CRM, and messaging platforms. This empowers them to coordinate directly with your team and stay aligned with organizational priorities 2. Standardize Workflows, Not Just Tasks - Build out SOPs for recurring processes (from recruiting to onboarding to weekly reporting). Enable your EA to manage these flows, catching issues early and proactively nudging teammates instead of waiting for you to delegate. 3. Make Them a Team Resource, Not Just a Personal One - A top-performing EA answers team questions, handles cross-department handoffs, and acts as a communication conduit. Encourage your team to go to your EA for updates, approvals, and routine decisions. 4. Use Automation, Data, and Communication Platforms - Leverage tools that allow your EA to automate calendar bookings, manage internal dashboards, or set up internal briefings using Slack, Notion, or Asana. This magnifies their impact and reduces your dependency as the center point. When your EA is integrated into your company’s operating system, they boost efficiency across the board, keeping you free to focus on strategic moves, not task triage. Start by mapping your critical workflows and identify anywhere an EA could slot in as the operator, not just the admin. Empower, automate, and embed... don’t just delegate. How are you using your EA today? Where could they add more value for your whole team? Let’s share best practices in the comments below.

I brought 40 slides to the exec pitch. Not a strategy. A lecture. This was my first time with the executive team. I worked hard. Put in hours. But it fell flat. I tried to educate them Instead of delivering the strategy Giving them Marketing 101 Instead of VP communications And the moment I started? I knew it was over. Not because I wasn’t smart. Not because the work wasn’t strong. But because the message didn’t land. Too much information. Not enough clarity. The strategy was in there somewhere, buried under jargon, context, and way too much background. And the lesson hit me hard: At the executive level, communication is the execution. It’s not a “soft skill.” It’s not something you polish at the end. It’s how you shape direction. Influence decisions. Drive alignment. Because here’s who gets left behind: The person with the best ideas but the worst delivery. The one who writes updates that need three follow-ups to decode. The one who brings a full lecture when the room only needed a headline. The executive team isn't looking for information. They’re looking for direction. They want to know what matters, what’s changing, and what decision they need to make next. That’s the real job of communication. Not to transfer knowledge But to create movement. You don’t need more slides. You need sharper thinking. Clearer framing. Fewer words with more weight. Because communication isn’t a summary of the work. It is the work—at the level where it matters most. 3 signs your communication isn't landing: 1) Complete silence or tons of questions 2) You can see them drift off 3) Every pitch ends with 'no' Here's an easy way to fix that: https://lnkd.in/gA34Je8p

In my early days, I’d often ask my EA to “just send this email.” Short brief. Clear message. Quick follow-up. Done. Or so I thought. Over time, I realised I was making a quiet mistake that many CEOs still make today. I was delegating the task but not the thinking. What I do now is simple but powerful: I pause for two minutes and explain 👉 What message am I really trying to convey? 👉 Why does it matter to the person receiving it? 👉 How should it make them feel when they read it? Because the goal isn’t just to get the job done. It’s also to help the person doing it get better at it. 💡When we only assign tasks, we create doers more or less machine like. When we share context, we build people. And that’s the difference between efficiency and growth. 👉 So next time you ask your EA (or anyone) to “just send that message,” take a moment to share why it matters. That’s where real leadership comes and development happens.

Supporting your CEO doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. Communications is often about managing up, anticipating needs and saying no when needed. That can feel uncomfortable but it’s also essential. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned that may help communications professionals work more effectively with CEOs. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 You’ll be pulled into sensitive conversations. Trust is your currency. Don’t break it. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄) 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼 Not every idea needs to be shared. And yes, sometimes even the CEO’s idea isn’t the best one. But how you say “no” matters. Offer an alternative. Share your thinking. Say no, but show a better way. (And yes, sometimes they’ll overrule you. That’s part of the deal.) 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗳𝗳 The CEO is the voice and face of the company. You need to know their voice better than anyone else, like how they speak, what phrases they avoid and what gets a strong reaction. (Hint: Most CEOs don’t say they’re “thrilled” about things, even if LinkedIn makes it seem that way.) 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 Stay ahead of what’s coming — from media inquiries to policy changes to shifts in employee sentiment. Being proactive makes you indispensable. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Understand the business strategy and what drives revenue. Sit in on business reviews. You can’t communicate what you don’t understand. 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 Your CEO might be a brilliant engineer or finance expert. That doesn’t always mean they’re a natural communicator. That’s where we come in. 𝗦𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 Sometimes you’re one of the few willing to speak the truth — about morale, messaging or what people are really thinking. Be honest. Be respectful. 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 Communications has a unique vantage point, both inside and outside the company. Use that to spot risks and opportunities before others do. Anything you would you add to this list? #communications #corporatecommunications

Your EA isn’t holding back because they’re unsure. They’re holding back because the environment around them hasn’t felt safe enough for their voice. Maybe their questions created tension. Maybe their honesty landed awkwardly once. Maybe they saw that raising a concern made things harder, not clearer. So they adjust. Not because they don’t see things. Not because they’ve lost interest. But because self-protection feels wiser than contribution. And this is where leaders can misread the situation. A quiet EA is not a passive EA. They are reading you. They are reading the room. They are managing the emotional temperature of the partnership. But here’s the cost.... When your EA goes quiet, you lose access to the perspective sitting closest to your world. The person who sees the patterns, the pressure points, and the things you miss because you’re deep inside the decisions. If you want a strategic partner, you need an environment where their voice isn’t risky, it’s valued. That looks like: 👉 Asking what they see before you decide 👉 Inviting their thinking, not just their tasks 👉 Responding to honesty with curiosity, not consequence 👉 Treating disagreement as partnership, not pushback 👉 Showing them their insights shape outcomes Strategic EAs don’t shrink in safe environments. They expand. So the question isn’t “Why aren’t they speaking up?” The real question is... “Have I made it safe enough for them to?” #theeainstitute #executivepartnership #ealeaders

Picture the ultimate scheduling circus: Four different executives, each with their own EA, and all of them impossibly booked. You can already see the emails flying: ➡️ “Is your exec free at 2:00?” ➡️ “No, sorry, she’s in another meeting.” ➡️ “3:30?” ➡️ “He’s traveling.” ➡️ “Alright, what about 5:00?” ➡️ “She’s taking a flight…” Sound familiar? Where Context Saves Us All Rather than firing off random time requests, I clue my fellow EAs in on exactly why the meeting needs to happen—like, “This is a critical prep session for Thursday’s high-priority client meeting with our CEO.” That one line tells them, “We’re not just blocking time because we feel like it. There’s a real deadline here.” Suddenly, they’ll move that non-urgent meeting and find a slot that works. Why Bother Explaining? ➡️ Fewer Pings – When everyone knows the urgency, we’re not emailing 12 times about possible timeslots. ➡️ Better Decision-Making – If they see how crucial the meeting is, they can shuffle smaller tasks without hesitation. ➡️ Team Spirit – Adding a brief note shows we respect each other’s schedules. It’s not a pushy ask; it’s a heads-up that this is a Big Deal. So next time you’re stuck coordinating high-stakes group meetings, share the bigger picture. It turns scheduling chaos into a smoother collaboration—and your fellow EAs will thank you for it. If you’ve ever been buried by calendar Tetris, let me know how you tackled it in the comments. I’m always up for battle stories!