BUILDING TRUST WITH YOUR ASSISTANT
6 WAYS TO DELEGATE EFFECTIVELY
As an executive, business owner, or entrepreneur your time is extremely valuable and delegating tasks to your assistant can be a great way to maximize your productivity and success. However, in order to delegate effectively, it’s crucial to have a strong relationship built on trust with your assistant. In this post, we’ll explore some ways to build that relationship and trust with your assistant, so that you can confidently delegate tasks and responsibilities to them.
COMMUNICATE CLEARLY AND CONSISTENTLY
The key to building trust is communication. It is important to communicate with your assistant clearly, consistently, and on a regular basis. This means providing clear instructions and expectations for tasks, and checking in regularly. When your assistant knows exactly what is expected of them, they are more likely to feel confident in their abilities and more willing to take on additional responsibilities.
Without this communication, your assistant can not get to know you. No matter how great or experienced they are, they will never be able to anticipate your needs without the opportunity to learn what those basic needs are. Once your assistant gets to know you, your thought processes, and core values then they will be able to anticipate responsibilities and aid in decision making, freeing up even more of your time.
Communication is a two-way street. A good assistant will always find ways to communicate with you around your busy schedule. This doesn't mean that you have to make time every week for a 2 hour long meeting. It can be something as simple as email, a quick phone call, and/or text messaging.
PROVIDE FEEDBACK
Providing feedback is an important aspect of building trust with your assistant. When your assistant completes a task or project, take the time to provide constructive feedback. This not only helps them improve their work and learn more about you and your expectations in general, but it also shows that you value their contributions and are invested in their success.
Give credit where credit is due
It’s important to acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of your assistant. When they successfully complete a project or task, make sure to give them credit and recognition for their efforts. This shows that you appreciate their hard work and builds a sense of trust between you and your assistant.
BE TRANSPARENT
Transparency is key to building trust with your assistant. Be open and honest about your expectations, priorities, and goals. When your assistant understands your vision and goals, they can better support you in achieving them. Additionally, being transparent about challenges or setbacks can help your assistant better anticipate and address issues, ultimately leading to a more productive working relationship.
RESPECT THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE
Your assistant is an expert in their field and has valuable insights and knowledge to offer. By respecting their time and expertise, you show that you value their contributions and are willing to listen to their input. This can lead to a more collaborative and productive working relationship, ultimately building trust between you and your assistant.
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
It is essential to understand that in order to receive the best support from your assistant, they will require access to sensitive personal and/or business information at some point. It's vital to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your information by ensuring that your assistant is trustworthy and professional enough to handle this information. To ensure that your information remains confidential, you can and should request that your assistant sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) if they haven't done so already. This legal document binds the assistant from abusing this information and ensures it remains confidential. Any breach of the agreement can and should result in legal consequences. You can also ask for professional and personal references before sharing sensitive information with your assistant.
Experienced assistants will understand your need for security and privacy and will be happy to provide personal and professional references and any other information to help put your mind at ease. Since they have such a deep understanding of the importance of confidentiality and the value of protecting their clients' personal and business information, a signed NDA disclosure is often included in their contract or onboarding packet.
CONCLUSION
Building trust with your executive assistant takes time and effort, but it’s essential for a productive and successful working relationship. By communicating clearly, providing feedback, giving credit where credit is due, being transparent, respecting their time and expertise, and taking steps to protect sensitive information you can build a strong foundation of trust with your assistant, allowing you to confidently delegate tasks and responsibilities to them.
