Administrative Support Instructor Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ..............................................................................................................................................6 What is Courseware? ................................................................................................................................ 6 How Do I Customize My Course? .............................................................................................................. 6 Materials Required ................................................................................................................................... 8 Maximizing Your Training Power .............................................................................................................. 8 Module One: Getting Started ........................................................................................................... 10 Housekeeping Items................................................................................................................................ 10 The Parking Lot ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Workshop Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 11 Pre-Assignment Review .......................................................................................................................... 12 Module Two: Getting Organized (I) ................................................................................................... 13 Dealing with Email .................................................................................................................................. 13 Managing Electronic Files ....................................................................................................................... 15 Keeping Track of the Paper Trail............................................................................................................. 17 Making the Most of Voice Mail .............................................................................................................. 19 Module Two: Review Questions.............................................................................................................. 22 Module Three: Getting Organized (II)................................................................................................ 24 Keeping Your Workspace Organized ...................................................................................................... 24 Using a To-Do Book ................................................................................................................................ 26 The Extra Mile: Adding Project Management Techniques to Your Toolbox ........................................... 28 Module Three: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 31 Module Four: Managing Time........................................................................................................... 33 Managing Your Time .............................................................................................................................. 33
Keeping Others on Track ......................................................................................................................... 35 Maintaining Schedules............................................................................................................................ 37 Module Four: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 40 Module Five: Getting It All Done On Time ......................................................................................... 41 Prioritizing............................................................................................................................................... 41 The Secret to Staying on Track ............................................................................................................... 43 Goal Setting ............................................................................................................................................ 45 Module Five: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 47 Module Six: Special Tasks ................................................................................................................. 48 Planning Small Meetings ........................................................................................................................ 48 Planning Large Meetings ........................................................................................................................ 50 Organizing Travel.................................................................................................................................... 52 Module Six: Review Questions ................................................................................................................ 54 Module Seven: Verbal Communication Skills .................................................................................... 55 Listening and Hearing: They Aren’t the Same ........................................................................................ 55 Asking Questions .................................................................................................................................... 57 Communicating with Power ................................................................................................................... 59 Module Seven: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 61 Module Eight: Non-Verbal Communication Skills .............................................................................. 62 Body Language ....................................................................................................................................... 62 The Signals You Send to Others .............................................................................................................. 63 It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It ............................................................................................. 65 Module Eight: Review Questions ............................................................................................................ 68 Module Nine: Empowering Yourself ................................................................................................. 69 Being Assertive ....................................................................................................................................... 69 Resolving Conflict.................................................................................................................................... 71
Building Consensus ................................................................................................................................. 73 Making Decisions .................................................................................................................................... 74 Module Nine: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 77 Module Ten: The Team of Two ......................................................................................................... 79 Working with Your Manager .................................................................................................................. 79 Influencing Skills ..................................................................................................................................... 81 What to Do in Sticky Situations .............................................................................................................. 82 Module Ten: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 84 Module Eleven: Taking Care of Yourself ............................................................................................ 85 Ergonomics ............................................................................................................................................. 85 Stress Management ................................................................................................................................ 86 Dealing with a Heavy Workload ............................................................................................................. 87 Module Eleven: Review Questions .......................................................................................................... 90 Module Twelve: Wrapping Up .......................................................................................................... 91 Words from the Wise .............................................................................................................................. 91
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Chinese Proverb Preface What is Courseware? Welcome to Courseware.com, a completely new training experience! Our courseware packages offer you top-quality training materials that are customizable, user-friendly, educational, and fun. We provide your materials, materials for the student, PowerPoint slides, and a take-home reference sheet for the student. You simply need to prepare and train! Best of all, our courseware packages are created in Microsoft Office and can be opened using any version of Word and PowerPoint. (Most other word processing and presentation programs support these formats, too.) This means that you can customize the content, add your logo, change the color scheme, and easily print and e-mail training materials.
How Do I Customize My Course? Customizing your course is easy. To edit text, just click and type as you would with any document. This is particularly convenient if you want to add customized statistics for your region, special examples for your participants’ industry, or additional information. You can, of course, also use all of your word processor’s other features, including text formatting and editing tools (such as cutting and pasting). To remove modules, simply select the text and press Delete on your keyboard. Then, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click, and click Update Field. You may see a dialog box; if so, click “Update entire table” and press OK.
(You will also want to perform this step if you add modules or move them around.)
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If you want to change the way text looks, you can format any piece of text any way you want. However, to make it easy, we have used styles so that you can update all the text at once. If you are using Word 97 to 2003, start by clicking the Format menu followed by Styles and Formatting. In Word 2007 and 2010 under the Home tab, right-click on your chosen style and click Modify. That will then produce the Modify Style options window where you can set your preferred style options. For example, if we wanted to change our Heading 1 style, used for Module Titles, this is what we would do:
Now, we can change our formatting and it will apply to all the headings in the document. For more information on making Word work for you, please refer to Word 2007 or 2010 Essentials by Courseware.com.
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Materials Required All of our courses use flip chart paper and markers extensively. (If you prefer, you can use a whiteboard or chalkboard instead.) We recommend that each participant have a copy of the Training Manual, and that you review each module before training to ensure you have any special materials required. Worksheets and handouts are included within a separate activities folder and can be reproduced and used where indicated. If you would like to save paper, these worksheets are easily transferrable to a flip chart paper format, instead of having individual worksheets. We recommend these additional materials for all workshops:
Laptop with projector, for PowerPoint slides
Quick Reference Sheets for students to take home
Timer or watch (separate from your laptop)
Masking tape
Blank paper
Maximizing Your Training Power We have just one more thing for you before you get started. Our company is built for trainers, by trainers, so we thought we would share some of our tips with you, to help you create an engaging, unforgettable experience for your participants.
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Make it customized. By tailoring each course to your participants, you will find that your results will increase a thousand-fold. o
Use examples, case studies, and stories that are relevant to the group.
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Identify whether your participants are strangers or whether they work together. Tailor your approach appropriately.
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Different people learn in different ways, so use different types of activities to balance it all out. (For example, some people learn by reading, while others learn by talking about it, while still others need a hands-on approach. For more information, we suggest Experiential Learning by David Kolb.)
Make it fun and interactive. Most people do not enjoy sitting and listening to someone else talk for hours at a time. Make use of the tips in this book and your own experience to keep your
participants engaged. Mix up the activities to include individual work, small group work, large group discussions, and mini-lectures. 
Make it relevant. Participants are much more receptive to learning if they understand why they are learning it and how they can apply it in their daily lives. Most importantly, they want to know how it will benefit them and make their lives easier. Take every opportunity to tie what you are teaching back to real life.
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Keep an open mind. Many trainers find that they learn something each time they teach a workshop. If you go into a training session with that attitude, you will find that there can be an amazing two-way flow of information between the trainer and trainees. Enjoy it, learn from it, and make the most of it in your workshops.
And now, time for the training!
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It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out nor more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things. Machiavelli Module One: Getting Started It is 8:50 AM and you just arrived at your desk for work. Your manager is waiting for you with a concerned look on their face and asks, “Is the sales report ready? I have to present it to the senior management team at 9:00 AM!” You hesitate before you respond. Then you say, “I thought the meeting was tomorrow.” You can imagine how the conversation goes from there. Welcome to the Administrative Support Skills workshop. Having effective administrative skills are essential in today’s work environment. Being organized, punctual, and effective in your communication skills, both written and verbal are crucial if you want to achieve your goals in any endeavor you pursue. Think of it. The current business environment is filled with many sources of information, and you have to take that information and analyze it, prioritize it, and process it to the extent where value is achieve for the organization. Good administrative skills reduce the risk of “things falling through the cracks.” Great administrative skills create exponential results that spot potential problems, overcome obstacles, and leverage resources effectively. In this course, you will learn the core skills that will help you use your resources efficiently, manage your time wisely, communicate effectively, and collaborate with others skillfully. The practices presented in this module will take time to root into your daily work routine. However, making the commitment to consistently apply the concepts every day is the key to changing and adopting new behaviors in a short amount of time.
Housekeeping Items Take a few moments to cover basic housekeeping items.
If you need an opening or a way to introduce the participants to each other, utilize the Icebreakers folder to begin or between breaks during the day.
Let participants know where they can find washrooms, break facilities, and fire exits.
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Ask participants to turn off their cell phones or at least turn them to vibrate. If they must take a call, request that they do it outside.
Take this time to encourage the group to ask questions and make this an interactive workshop.
Write the words Respect, Confidentiality, and Practice on a piece of flip chart paper and tape it to the wall. Explain to participants that in order to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that’s how we learn!
The Parking Lot Explain the concept of The Parking Lot to participants.
The Parking Lot is a visible place where you will “park” ideas that arise which are not on the agenda, may be off topic, or are better addressed outside of the program.
At the end of the session, we will review parked ideas and follow up, or make suggestions for your own investigation when you are back at work.
Suggestions for the trainer: 1. If you are working with a large group of participants, you may wish to nominate a recorder to park items as you are facilitating. 2. It’s a good idea to note the name of the contributor along with the parked item. 3. Items noted on the parking lot can be useful to you later as you plan future training sessions.
Workshop Objectives Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning that the learning occurs more easily and rapidly. With that in mind, let’s review our goals for today. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Getting Organized
Manage their time more effectively
Prioritize their time so they can get it all done.
Complete Special Tasks
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Verbal Communication Skills
Non-Verbal Communication Skills
Empowering Yourself
Deal better with their managers
Taking Care of Yourself is a priority
Pre-Assignment Review The purpose of the Pre-Assignment is to get participants thinking about the Administrative Support strategies they are already using and where they feel a need for improvement. You will also find a Pre-Assignment handout in the Activities folder. List three areas in relation to Administration Support you feel you are strong. 1. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ List three areas in regards to Administrative Support where you would like to see improvement. 1. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
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The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. Hans Hoffman Module Two: Getting Organized (I) Organization begins at your data entry points. Emails, voice mails, and interoffice mail are all channels that ebb and flow with information that require processing and organization. In this module we are going to take a moment to see how these various entry points of information can be harnessed and used efficiently.
Dealing with Email Email is one of the largest sources of information you will have to deal with on a daily basis. Email is a useful tool if handled properly. It is common practice for an administrative assistant to be in charge of their manager’s inbox. This means you, as an assistant, have to monitor twice as much email, and typically managers tend to have more emails than regular employees. Although having email makes communication much easier, it does present some issues when it comes to organization. Determining which emails are important or should be deleted places you in the position of making decisions for both you and your manager. You cannot approach your manager to ask if this email is important or not. That is why you are there. Having a technique that enables you to process emails systematically allows for faster decision-making and organizing. Below is a quick and easy technique you should use to process emails more effectively. The READ technique allows you to process emails in the following manner:
Read
Evaluate
Act
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Delete
The Act step in the process is the most important. Here you determine the following:
Do you reply to the sender?
Do you relay this information to you manager?
Do you resource this information for future reference?
Do you reject the email and delete it?
Estimated Time
10 Minutes
Lesson Objective
To identify the steps in the R-E-A-D technique on how to handle emails. The four steps to handling email in the R-E-A-D technique are: 1. Read the email a. As soon as you can 2. Evaluate the content a. Who sent it b. To whom is it addressed c. Is it time sensitive
Lesson Summary
d. Does it require action 3. Act on the information a. Reply b. Relay c. Resource d. Reject 4. Delete a. Keep your email inbox uncluttered
Materials Required
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01-READ Job Aid
01a-Sample Emails Set1 01b-Sample Emails Set2 Have enough job aides for each participant. Planning Checklist Have enough Set One and Set Two email packets for each group In small groups, distribute Set One emails and instruct the groups to handle them as they see fit. Give them two minutes to complete Recommended Activity
Next, distribute READ job aid and Set Two emails to each group. Give them two minutes. Once done, debrief by getting feedback on how the groups felt handling emails without a specific technique.
Stories to Share
On average, a person receives 304 business emails a day. This does not include the average 274 personal emails we read at home and sometimes at work. That is a lot of information to process.
Delivery Tips
Make sure groups have a maximum of four participants each.
Managing Electronic Files Major file folder structure:
Storing electronic files is easy, but can create a haven for outdated and unorganized documents. Many people take the same approach with electronic folders like physical file folders and use them as places to hold every document, saving them for just-in-case. This is not the best strategy, because memory space on the server or your computer is usually a limited commodity. Enormous data files slow your system down and create a vast sea of files to manage.
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Another issue with electronic files is the organization. Having endless files filled with randomly named documents slows you down when you need to search for a particular document. Without a file naming strategy, you will most likely have to rely on your memory for retrieval, which is another time waster. Taking the time to set up your folders and naming both files and documents with a systematic format makes organizing and searching your files and documents more efficient. Having a filing strategy that manages your file size and facilitates faster retrieval is the goal. Moving files through phases of inactivity helps you determine when to archive your data to external media. Finally, naming your documents with a uniform pattern allows you to use the search function on your computer more effectively, taking away the need to rely on your memory. The method presented here is a recommendation. You certainly can modify this to fit your individual needs and circumstance. Just remember the following when developing your own strategy:
Make it consistent
Use your computer’s file search function
Make it time sensitive
Place your archive material on an external medium
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Lesson Objective
To understand how developing a file and document naming strategy and time-sensitive filing reduces search time and file clutter. The key to managing files and documents is to develop a naming strategy that is consistent and searchable In addition, use a major file format that is structured by time.
Develop a naming strategy for files and documents o
Lesson Summary
For files: date opened and Name
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For documents: date received, name and document type
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(ex. MMDDYY Jones account)
(ex. MMDDYY Jones Account Proposal)
Structure major files by increments of time related to inactivity
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In Box: rename document and move to current work folder
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Current folder: files containing documents less than 30 days old
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30, 60, and 90-Days Inactive folder: move files into these folders according to their inactivity
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Pre-archive folder: files greater than 90 days inactive. Delete any irrelevant documents and archive the rest on a disk
Visual representation of file structure on power point Materials Required 02-Electronic Files Worksheet Test projector before class Planning Checklist Print enough electronic files worksheets for all participants Display the power point with the folder structure model. Recommended Activity Have participants work in pairs and complete worksheet Delivery Tips
Explain model on power point before going into activity.
Keeping Track of the Paper Trail Even in our electronic age, we still have to contend with paperwork. You may receive letters from customers, invoices, or contracts. Being an assistant, you will need to manage and keep track of all the paperwork that is circulating around your desk. Often times, you will need to act on the paperwork and send it to other departments like accounting or HR. Other times you may need to produce a report and have it ready on a certain day for your manager. Having an organized method of tracking your paperwork at your desk helps to reduce missed deadlines and lost paperwork. A good practice is to create a filing system, using either a traditional filing cabinet at your desk or a Pendaflex folder. The strategy here is to stage out the paperwork over the course of the week. You will need an inbox, five folders for each day of the week, a folder for next week’s work, outbox and a red rush folder. Place the inbox in a clear area on your desk. Review the paperwork in the inbox and determine what day you intend to work on the item. Place the item in the corresponding day of the week. If you determine it does not need to be done this week, place it in the Next Week’s folder. As you process the work each
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day, either file the documents you do not need to send out or place the document in the Outbox for sending in the mail or interoffice system. Note: The outbox concept will be elaborated more in the lesson for organizing your workspace in the next module. Use the Red Rush folder as a communication piece for between you and your manager, when an urgent document needs to be addressed. This takes precedence over other jobs. Finally, at the beginning of the new work week, review your Next Week’s folder and your Inbox and plan out your work for this week. Applying this strategy consistently is essential to its effectiveness.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Lesson Objective
To understand a system of organizing paperwork at your desk. Create a paper-organizing strategy that uses the following tools:
Lesson Summary
Materials Required
An inbox,
A folder for each day of the business week
A folder for holding work for next week
An outbox
A red rush folder
Flip chart, Markers Be familiar with the lesson summary above
Planning Checklist Be familiar with the questions below for sharing activity Have participants form table teams of at least four participants each. Ask the teams to responds to the following:
What are some challenges you face in keeping your paperwork organized?
What are best practices you can share on how to handle paperwork?
Recommended Activity
Have teams share their answers and write them down on the flip chart. Debrief the activity by sharing the system of organizing paperwork as
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described in the lesson summary. Stories to Share
Personal experiences, anecdotes, parables, etc. that an experienced trainer may include with the topic.
Delivery Tips
Have table teams elect a leader to share table team’s responses to questions.
Making the Most of Voice Mail Voice mail could be the most misused form of communication in the business world. There are countless ways this could be accomplished. Here is a list of possible offenses:
Caller hears voice mail greeting and waits until the beep to hangs up, leaving a recording of the hang up.
Caller leaves a message to call back with no background information.
Caller is obviously unprepared to leave a message and is thinking out loud and rambling on and on.
Caller begins leaving information without first warning you, causing you to have to replay the message.
Caller leaves way too much information in their message.
Caller lacks common courtesies like please and thank you.
These are just some of the abuses committed when leaving a voice mail. Voice mails should be well planned and professional. You may be asked to leave a message for a senior vice president or important client. Being prepared is the key to well executed voice mails. Taking a systematic approach to making phone calls and leaving voice mails will make the process more efficient and make the best use of the time you are investing in making that call. Here are some steps you can take to ensure you are making the most out of your voice mail:
Plan times during the day to make your calls instead of being random.
Before you make your calls summarize the nature of each call and write it down.
Have a prepared greeting with your name, time of day, and contact information
Make your message short
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Before giving instructions or information the recipient has to write down, tell them to get a pen ready and pause for a few seconds so they can prepare.
Always be professional and use common courtesies.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Lesson Objective
To understand the steps to planning an effective voice mail message. Here are some basic steps in planning your voice mail
Lesson Summary
Plan a time in the day to make your calls all at once.
Write a brief plan for all your calls in case you need to leave a message o
Leave name, time of day, and contact information
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Make your message short
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If recipient is to act on your message, leave enough information to avoid a call back
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If you are relaying information pause so that the recipient is able to prepare for writing down information
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Remember to use common courtesies and use a pleasant tone.
03-Poorly Executed Voice Mail Materials Required
04-Well Executed Voice Mail Flip chart, Markers Print enough handouts of both samples for all participants.
Planning Checklist Be familiar with each sample.
Recommended Activity
Give participants handouts and have them write down the pros and cons of each sample. Encourage participants to share their thoughts and jot them on flip chart
Stories to Share
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Have you ever received a voice mail from a person who clearly did not plan the call? You get to hear them thinking out loud for about a minute or two,
then they say in a hurry, “Just call me back!� How frustrating is that? Delivery Tips
Review the poorly executed sample before the well-executed.
Case Study Alex recently obtained a fulltime job at a telecommunication company where he has to keep in touch with many people. Ever since he joined the company, he struggled due to the fact that he hated being organized. This was until he got in trouble with his manager, who decided to teach him how to deal with email and how to keep it organized to avoid losing data or not replying to messages. Tricks such as seeing who sent it and seeing what an email is about managed to help a lot. Together with this, his manager also thought him how to plan and manage electronic files in such a way that will keep everything organized. Additionally, he was also thought how to handle offline equipment and voice/video calls. Today, Alex avoided getting fired because of his lack of organization and work, but he also started thinking for himself, which in turn has made him a lot better in his field of work.
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Module Two: Review Questions 1) What does the READ technique imply? a) b) c) d)
Read, Edit, Abbreviate, Debate Rush, Enter, Absorb, Debug Read, Evaluate, Act, Delete Randomize, Economize, Acquire, Delete
2) Find a question which IS NOT important for the Act step? a) b) c) d)
Do you reply to the sender? Do you resource this information for future reference? Do you reject email and delete it? Do you have time to read such a large email?
3) Why is naming the electronic documents with a uniform pattern convenient? a) b) c) d)
It helps you to use the search option more effectively It looks more orderly It seems more professional It is easier to remember where the documents are stored
4) What does the time sensitive strategy for arranging electronic files imply? a) b) c) d)
Using the files right away when they are received Arranging the files when they are received Separating the files based on the time of their inactivity Deleting the files after awhile
5) How many kinds of folders for paperwork are recommended? a) b) c) d)
5 2 3 1
6) What is the Red Rush folder for? a) b) c) d)
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For communication with the manager in need of urgent addressing of a document For leaving the everyday paperwork to the manager For storage of the daily amount of received documents For storage of the unnecessary documents
7) Find the information which is redundant for the voicemail: a) b) c) d)
Time of the day Detailed explanation of the reason for calling Courtesy expressions such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ Contact information
8) Find the key of successful voice mail call: a) b) c) d)
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Being prepared Being spontaneous Giving the detailed information Giving only a rough draft of the information
Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it’s not all mixed up. A.A. Milne
Module Three: Getting Organized (II) You are now ready to begin working on the data you received through the various channels we discussed in the previous module. Now it is time to organize your environment to be more efficient. This module will give you some great suggestions on how to organize your workspace, your tasks, and the people you work with on projects.
Keeping Your Workspace Organized Our workspace is a reflection of your organizational skills. Having a cluttered unorganized workspace sends the message to others that you may be the type of person that loses things or is constantly behind on projects. Taking the time to organize your workspace is a good investment. It not only improves your efficiency, it sends the message to your manager and peers that you are organized. Here are some basic suggestions to make your desk a true workspace: 
Only place books, binders, and other reference materials on your desk that you use on a weekly basis. All other infrequently used materials should be placed in a drawer or cabinet.
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Keep personal effects to a minimum on your desk. Perhaps one or two photos of your family, favorite sports team or pet are enough to personalize your area.
Next, create a workflow pattern on your desktop. This will keep you from creating piles of work to accumulate atop your desk. Here are some recommendations:
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Create a landing place where you will begin processing work either from left to right or vice versa. This work could come from your paper trail folder system mentioned earlier or just work you have to complete.
Move your first task to the middle of your desk where your computer and other office supplies are neatly organized in trays or holders.
Once the work is complete, place them in one of four trays at the other end of your desk. These trays are your Outboxes mentioned earlier in the previous module.
Mark your trays “To be filed”, “To be mailed”, and “To be reviewed” or “Pending information.
Try avoiding working on too many things at once. This will lead to multiple piles of work on your desk.
Estimated Time
15 minutes
Lesson Objective
To understand how to set you a workspace with only the essential materials and with a workflow pattern.
Lesson Summary
Keeping your workspace free of infrequently used reference materials or irrelevant items leaves more workspace room. There are some simple tips to organizing your workspace. Flip chart, Markers
Materials Required 05-Desk Workflow Become familiar with the diagram of the workflow. Planning Checklist Have enough handouts for all participants In groups, have them share instances where an unorganized workspace presented challenges to their efficiency.
Recommended Activity
Capture things that were affected because of the disorganization on the flip chart. Ask for volunteers to share some ideas or best practices in overcoming this issue. Distribute workflow handout to the participants as a take-away.
Delivery Tips
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Have team chose another table leader to share their thoughts to you.
Using a To-Do Book Having a to-do book or a planner is a useful tool. Many times in meetings, tasks are given and expectations are set. It is best to bring along a book that has all your to-do items scheduled. This way you are able to determine when you are able to complete the task. Placing all of your tasks in your computer is a good thing, but you cannot take your computer to a meeting or when meeting a client. A to-do book is a simple way to carry all your pending tasks. Here are some simple tips in keeping a to-do book:
Get a planner that is right for you. This means the size, features, and format should make you feel comfortable using it.
Use a book mark or insert tab as a place holder for the day’s work, making it easy to access.
Take your to-do book everywhere you go.
When a task arises immediately write it in your to-do book, forwarding to the day in your book you expect to complete the task.
Avoid squeezing in last minute tasks in your to-do book or over scheduling.
Negotiate, whenever possible, another deliverable date.
The best practice in using a to-do book is remaining consistent in its use:
Always consult your to-do book before committing to a task.
Respect the other tasks already scheduled in the book.
Synchronize whatever tasks you have in your computer with your to-do book and vice versa.
If you follow these steps, you will be very successful in using a to-do book.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Lesson Objective
To understand how to use a to-do book effectively. Using a to-do book is helpful in capturing information and things to do at or away from your desk.
Lesson Summary When using a to-do book, here are some recommendations on how to make this an effective tool:
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Get a planner that is right for you.
Use a book mark
Take your to-do book everywhere
Immediately write tasks in your to-do book
Avoid squeezing in last minute tasks
Negotiate a deliverable date if possible.
06-Project Meeting Case Study Materials Required 07-To-do Book Case Study Worksheet Become familiar with the case study information. Planning Checklist Print enough case study and accompanying worksheets for all participants. Discuss the case study with the participants. Discover what issues are present in the scenario and how to overcome them. Be familiar with the main issues of the case study”
Recommended Activity
Delivery Tips
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Administrative assistant is there without a to-do book
Administrative assistant given many to-do items
Administrative assistant does not remember what other things they have pending. It is on their computer
Administrative assistant asked to do a couple of last-minute tasks.
Emphasize the lack of a to-do book in the scenario.
The Extra Mile: Adding Project Management Techniques to Your Toolbox Adopting project management tools into your daily routine will help to organize your work more effectively. Modern project management started in the 1960’s and identifies five major phases of a project: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing. Within the planning phase are three important tools for managing people, tasks, and communication. Becoming familiar with these tools and using them will help you organize those that work with you by their involvement in the project and influence. Below is brief description of each tool:
List of project stakeholders: a tool that identifies all people that are affected by a particular project or have influence either directly or indirectly over the project. Each project should have a list of stakeholders. The list also outlines each stakeholder’s perspective as it relates to the project, which includes their interests, rights, and values. Knowing this information as an administrative assistant helps you relate effectively to each stakeholder.
The work breakdown structure (WBS): a tool that identifies all the people responsible for a task or deliverable in a project. The person is listed on the WBS along with a description of the task to be completed and the start and end dates. The WBS makes it easier to identify who does what in a project and hold them accountable for completing the task according to the dates on the WBS.
The communication plan: a tool that lists all the project stakeholders and performers. It also lists the method and frequency of communication between them. This plan will help to structure how and when you should communicate with people, preventing lapses in communication. This is a valuable resource in your toolbox.
These three tools represent a fraction of what project management offers. Learning project management methodologies enhances the skill of the administrator. You do not have to pursue a career in project management in order to study it. Project management offers many tools that are applicable to almost any function within an organization.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Lesson Objective
To understand project management tools that improves your ability to organize people and tasks effectively.
Lesson Summary
Here are three project management tools you can use to organize people and tasks more effectively:
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List of project stakeholders
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The work breakdown structure (WBS)
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The communication plan
08-Project Stakeholders 09-Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Materials Required
10-Communication Plan 11-Project Management Worksheet 12-Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Review each handout and be familiar with what each document does
Planning Checklist Be familiar with project management in general. Distribute handouts and discuss the meaning and function of each project management tool.
Recommended Activity
Distribute worksheet and have participants determine what items on the worksheet are stakeholders, items that belong on the work breakdown structure or communication plan. Ask participants how these tools could help them be more organized and efficient. Be sure to go over the meaning of each project management tool presented.
Delivery Tips
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Bring a copy of the Project Management Body of knowledge to share and pique interest in the subject.
Case Study Even from a very young age John has always avoided staying organized. This has made him unable to understand how important doing activities such as keeping your workplace organized are. This was until he realized that people in his office at worked laughed at him for the childish ways he used to manage his work. Then, John decided to make a change. This was when he asked a close friend for some tips and brainstormed some of his own and finally realized that the workplace is a reflection of who we are together with our abilities to stay organized. He managed to learn where to place and how to do things for full efficiency. John was also given tips on creating a to-do list which he can use in order to keep track of his work and make sure not to miss anything. All these changes together with adding more project management techniques to his daily use, managed to make John a more organized person who knows how to handle big amounts of work without having to worry about aspects such as forgetting where something is, how to or to do something.
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Module Three: Review Questions 1) What items should be at least present on the workspace? a) b) c) d)
Paperwork Books Office supplies Personal items such as photos
2) Find a convenient way for organizing your desk: a) b) c) d)
Putting away the unnecessary items into the drawers Creating a workflow pattern on the desk Often arrangement of the items on the desktop Improvising the desk arrangement depending on the working circumstances
3) Why is a to-do book more efficient than a computer planner? a) b) c) d)
Because there is no danger of losing the data Because it is easier to use Because you can take it with you wherever you go Because you can have a better overview to your schedule
4) Which of these steps related to the to-do book IS NOT recommendable? a) b) c) d)
Negotiating another deliverable date Over scheduling Constant consulting the to-do book Combining the tasks from to-do book with the ones from your computer
5) Which phase of project consists of three important tools for managing people, tasks and communication? a) b) c) d)
Planning Executing Initiating Monitoring
6) What does the work breakdown structure tool (WBS) identify? a) b) c) d)
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The arrangement of the tasks The segregation of duties within a project The schedule of project phases The structure of a project
END OF FREE PREVIEW FULL WORKSHOP AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT:
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