Page 18 - Nutranix Training April 2025

CHAPTER 03

ADMINUNIVERSE™

Team: The first stage is the most basic and almost everyone achieves this level unless they have
drastic personality or work style conflicts. At the onset of the team stage, the leader/AP are learning
to work together to accomplish daily tasks and complete projects.

Partnership: The second stage encompasses knowing each other on a deeper level, such as
understanding each other’s work values, appreciating specific likes and dislikes, being curious and
interested in the scope and depth of each other’s jobs, working in concert, and seeing differences as
assets versus liabilities to the team. At this level, the partners challenge each other’s ideas, decisions,
and processes.

Strategic Partnership: The third stage for a leader/AP pairing is a strategic partnership. A strategic
partnership between an executive assistant and their leader refers to a close working relationship in
which both parties have a shared understanding of the goals and objectives of the organization and work
together to achieve them. This partnership involves open communication, mutual trust, and a
collaborative approach to problem-solving.

In a strategic partnership, the AP serves as an advisor and confidant to their leader, providing
valuable input and support in decision-making. They also act as a gatekeeper, managing the leader’s
time and priorities to ensure that they are able to focus on high-level tasks and initiatives.

To be effective, a strategic partnership requires that both the AP and the leader be proactive,
organized, and committed to the success of the organization. It also requires a willingness to be
flexible and adaptable, as well as a willingness to take on new challenges and learn from one
another.

Building a strategic partnership with your leader takes time and attention and is especially important in
today’s fast-paced work environment. To be more efficient and responsive, it can be helpful to study your
leader, pay attention to the details, and determine their communication style, preferences, areas of
expansion, boundaries, and “hot buttons.” While it’s true that your specific leader may change in three
months, it’s still important to build the relationship while you are working together now.

Important Notes:

• To strengthen your partnership with your leader, we recommend involving them in some of the
activities in this workbook. This will help improve communication between you and your leader.

• If you are an AP who supports multiple leaders, the ideas presented in this module can be applied
to each of your working relationships. The communication techniques remain the same, and you
can expect to see great success when implementing these concepts.

Instructor: Joanne Linden, AdminUniverse™ ©2025 Office Dynamics International
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