Despite the fact that one of the world's most pressing problems is the selection and training of good administrators and secretaries, there is surprisingly little agreement among top management or educationalists on what makes a good secretary and administrator. Some of the country's most prestigious corporations and colleges offer executive development programs with a wide range of objectives.
Administrative professionals play a critical role in keeping a team together, and many organizations would break apart if they were not present.
Professionals with strong administrative abilities contribute to the smooth operation of the company and are critical in the administration of projects and development efforts.
The Robert Half Salary Guide can help you figure out not just how much administrative employees should be paid, but also what skills they should have.
There isn't such a thing as a 'standard' administrative position. Companies are continuously on the lookout for administrative professionals that are a good fit for their company's aims and culture.
The search for the traits or attributes that will objectively identify the ideal executive who is equipped to deal effectively with any problem in any organization is at the root of this difference. As one recent industry observer put it:
‘’The secretary’s relationship with technology has not always been vexatious. After all, the typewriter was largely responsible for bringing unprecedented numbers of women into the office from the late 1880s. From the 1970s, early word-processing systems began to make real inroads into what had traditionally been the heart of secretarial work: dictation and typing. That was a good thing, as it allowed secretarial work to evolve into more varied, managerial tasks, even though it meant fewer secretaries hired as it also destroyed the one boss, one secretary ratio. Many believe there will always be a demand for secretarial jobs. It makes sense for the higher echelons of management to have someone act as a gatekeeper as well as to take care of complex but time-consuming tasks, freeing the boss up, Ms. Peril.’’
The goal of this essay is to propose what may be a more effective method for secretary and administrator selection and development. This method is centered on what successful executives do rather than what they are (their natural qualities and attributes) (the kinds of skills which they exhibit in carrying out their jobs effectively). A skill, as defined above, is a talent that can be cultivated rather than being inherent, and that manifests itself in performance rather than potential. As a result, efficient conduct under varied situations must be the primary criteria of skillfulness.
This method proposes that good administration is based on three fundamental developable abilities, which eliminates the need to define specific qualities and may give a beneficial way of seeing and comprehending the administrative process. This strategy arose from direct observation of executives at work, as well as research into current field research in administration.
An administrator is defined as someone who (a) controls the actions of others and (b) assumes responsibility for attaining specific goals via their efforts. Successful administration appears to be based on three core abilities, which we shall refer to as professional, ethical, and intellectual in this description. Although it would be unreasonable to claim that these abilities are unrelated, there may be actual value in analyzing and improving each one separately.

Skills Approaches for Administrators

1. Professional skill, as used here, refers to a grasp of and expertise in a certain type of activity, especially one that advanced functions, activities, protocols, or strategies. When a physician, a pianist, an economist, or an architect is doing his or her own specific job, it is pretty easy for us to envision their technical expertise. Professional talent entails expert knowledge, analytic abilities within a specialty, and proficiency with the instruments and procedures of the field. Professional Skill is arguably the most recognizable of the three abilities discussed in this article because it is the most concrete and because, in our era of specialization, it is the skill needed of the greatest number of individuals. The majority of our vocational and on-the-job training programs are focused on honing this particular technical competence.

2. Ethical Skill: A person who has a high level of ethical skill is aware of his own attitudes, assumptions, and beliefs about other people and groups, as well as the utility and limitations of these sentiments. He is adept at comprehending what people actually mean by their words and conduct by recognizing the presence of perspectives, perceptions, and beliefs that differ from his own. Ethical skill, as defined here, refers to the executive's capacity to operate successfully as a team member and to foster cooperative effort among the team members he supervises. ethical skill is largely concerned with dealing with people, whereas professional competence is mostly concerned with working with “things” (processes or physical items). This ability is exhibited in the way a person sees (and acknowledges the perceptions of) his superiors, equals, and subordinates, as well as how he acts in response.
Since it requires sensitivity not just at moments of decision-making but also in the individual's day-to-day conduct, true competence in working with others must become a natural, ongoing activity. Ethical Skill can't be a "once-in-a-while issue." Techniques can't be used at random, and personality qualities can't be put on and taken off like an overcoat. Because everything a CEO says and does (or leaves unsaid or undone) affects his subordinates, his actual personality will eventually emerge. As a result, in order to be successful, this talent must be organically developed and unconsciously exhibited in the individual's every movement. It has to become a part of his entire existence.

3. Intellectual Skill: As used here, intellectual skill entails the ability to see the enterprise as a whole, as well as the ability to recognize how the various functions of the organization interact with one another and how changes in one part affect the others. It also entails visualizing the relationship of the individual business to the industry, the community, and the political, social, and economic forces of the country. The administrator should be able to operate in a way that enhances the overall welfare of the company by recognizing these relationships and perceiving the significant factors in each scenario.
Not only does the intellectual ability of the administrators engaged affect the effective coordination of various sectors of the business, but so does the organization's overall future direction and tone. A top executive's attitudes impact the entire character of the organization's response and determine the "corporate personality" that distinguishes one company's ways of conducting business from another. These attitudes are a reflection of the administrator's intellectual ability (referred to as "creative ability", or how he perceives and responds to the business's future direction, company objectives, and policies, as well as investors' and employees' interests.
A secretary or administrator assists professionals with both clerical and administrative tasks, either as part of a team or independently. You'll be involved in the execution and integration of office operations, and you'll be in charge of specific tasks and projects on a regular basis. In some situations, you may be responsible for overseeing and supervising the work of junior employees.
The job description varies a lot based on the industry, the size of the company, and the amount of responsibility. The majority of your work entails written and vocal communication, as well as word processing and typing, and necessitates related abilities including organizational and presentation skills, as well as the ability to multi-task and work effectively under pressure. And for the purpose of this write-up, the senior-level secretary skills will be looked upon.

Senior-Level Secretary Skills

You might have what it takes to get a senior-level secretarial job, such as an administrative supervisor if you succeed in a support-based business. While these professionals must use standard secretarial skills and tasks, they must also go above and above in practically every element of their work. Develop the abilities necessary for one of these senior administrative positions to advance your secretarial career.
• Capabilities in Planning: The importance of preparing ahead for an administrative supervisor cannot be overstated. You'll have additional chores to juggle in this role, as well as a small team to manage. That means you'll need a firm grasp of your company's goals as well as a comprehension of the resources available to you.
Guidance: If you need to improve your planning skills, consider taking a project management course. To execute daily activities and significant projects on time, you'll learn how to balance resources, allot time, and manage employees.

• Progressive Approach: As an administrative supervisor, you'll quickly find that waiting for things to happen won't get you ahead. Instead, you'll need to approach everything on your to-do list with vigor. Many senior secretaries find that establishing progressive strategies early in their careers helps them flourish. To create this type of workflow, think ahead about potential challenges and seize the opportunity to handle them head-on. This may take more time upfront, but you'll save a lot of time in the long run if you execute tasks correctly.

• Discretion is a virtue: Senior secretaries are often in charge of confidential material including classified information and private communications. You'll need a sharp sense of discretion and the ability to retain confidentiality to handle this type of material efficiently. If you pride yourself on your immaculate ability to keep a secret, you might even be able to get higher-paying jobs that require discretion.

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Great.