The video provides guidance for executive assistants on what to do and avoid during their first 90 days in a new role.
Key advice covers building relationships, understanding business operations, learning company processes, managing expectations, and maintaining professionalism.
The content is aimed at helping assistants set a positive tone and build a strong reputation early in their tenure.
Action Items
None explicitly assigned in the transcript.
Guidance for Executive Assistants: First 90 Days
Building Relationships and Reputation
Establish one-on-one meetings with leadership, department heads, and key employees to understand their needs and workflow.
Focus on listening and learning rather than trying to impress with gestures like baking for the office.
Be sociable to build rapport but maintain professional boundaries.
Avoid becoming too informal or overly familiar with colleagues early on.
Learning Organization and Processes
Attend all orientation sessions; proactively arrange meetings if not scheduled.
Meet with finance and HR to understand key systems and procedures.
Take initiative in learning how the business operates without stressing about mastering everything immediately.
Working with Your Executive
Develop a strong rapport by understanding your executive’s schedule, priorities, key contacts, and pain points.
Schedule regular one-on-one meetings focused on development and working styles, distinct from daily task updates.
Ensure open, honest conversations about performance and expectations.
Assertiveness and Professionalism
Don’t be afraid to push back respectfully; assertiveness is valued over blind agreement.
Under-promise and over-deliver to build trust and credibility.
Follow through consistently on commitments to establish reliability.
Understanding the Business
Take time to learn about the company’s business, customers, competitors, and overall goals.
Build a comprehensive business or process manual, updating existing documentation as needed.
Documenting processes is both a learning tool and a valuable resource for the team.
Avoiding Premature Critique
Don’t criticize or dismiss existing processes and culture before thoroughly understanding them.
Seek to understand why things are done a certain way and who is responsible before suggesting changes.
Tracking Achievements
Maintain a running list of accomplishments, which will be useful for performance reviews and appraisals.
Decisions
Do not bring baked goods or similar gestures as a primary method for building relationships — Focus on meaningful interactions and listening.
Under-promise and over-deliver in the first 90 days — Builds trust and sets realistic expectations.