Administrative Assistant's Update

JANUARY 2017 4 executive assistant role and today performs wide-ranging responsibili- ties for Hasenfratz and his daughter, Linda, who served in various roles at Linamar before being named chief executive officer in 2002. Bowman is also the contact point for media and investor relations; sup- ports regular meetings of the board of directors and conference calls with investment analysts; coordinates major Linamar functions that include an annual fundraiser, a management conference and employee events; and, on occasion, assists the company team responsible for Linamar's social media presence. The ability to perform multiple roles depends on a mix of hard and soft skills (see "A senior EA's critical skills") and a trusting relationship with her two bosses, both of whom inter - viewed her when she was first hired. "I have grown with Linda and to a certain extent her father," says Bow- man. "That is the biggest tool in the toolbox." Of Linda Hasenfratz, Bowman says "we are close enough in age that we have grown together." She adds: "I have seen her grow into her position as a CEO in a very male-dominated industry. Seeing her do that has allowed me to gain more confidence." Familiarity has benefits, but is no protection against change. In her current role, Linda Hasenfratz travels to Europe at least five times a year and twice a year to Asia, makes regular visits to Linamar plants and attends board of directors meetings of other organizations. Bowman makes detailed travel arrangements a year in advance, prepares PowerPoint presen - tations and screens calls to the CEO. "I know her [Linda] very well and try to anticipate her needs," says Bowman. "The tricky part is that her needs of 10 years ago are not necessarily the same now so it is about being observant and keeping on top of it." Two-way communication fuels a strong working relationship, say Bow- man and Hasenfratz. "Linda is a very good communica- tor," says Bowman. "If she is asking you to do something or a project she doesn't say 'I need this slide.' She will say 'I want you to design this slide and here's why.'" Linda Hasenfratz views effective communication as a tool in productivity. "Instead of saying 'do this' – that is not very helpful," she says. "If [Andrea] doesn't know what it [the project] is being used for or when or how urgent it is or what my thinking is behind it, then it is harder for her to prioritize appropriately." One of Bowman's biggest chal - lenges is to manage hundreds of daily emails. "I will be honest: email is the thorn in my side," sighs Bowman, who man- ages email for herself and her bosses. "You have to filter through them [email] and you can't skim a lot of them. If there is some action required they are counting on me to bring it to their attention." She generally rises at 4:30 a.m., ploughing through email at home between 6:00 and 6.30 before arriving at the office between 7.30 and 7.45. After more than two decades on the job – and no plans to leave – Bowman is enthusiastic about her work. "Over- all, I do love my job and the people I work with and I love the opportunity they have given me." Growing with the employer Continued from page 1 A senior EA's critical skills A successful admin professional draws on hard and soft skills to get a job done well. Andrea Bowman, senior executive assistant to the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer and media/investor relations of Linamar Corp., ranks these skills among the most critical for doing her job: Hard skills: Continuous learning: She takes refresher courses in Microsoft Outlook and graphic design, with support from Linamar. Once or twice a year, she attends pro- fessional development seminars tied to her work. "If you don't keep training and stay up-to-date you don't survive," says Bowman. Travel planning: She does not use an agency, preferring an on-line reservation booking tool that has been customized to compare prices for flights, hotels and ground transportation. But she also looks for cheap fares offered directly by air- lines. "You spend a lot of time researching the options," she says. Soft skills: Patience (which she says she has developed as a mother of two boys, eight and 12): You need to be patient and be able to juggle multiple projects at the same time. Thinking ahead: Bowman usually arranges calls and meetings only with people known to Linda Hasenfratz, which sometimes prompts a rude response from a caller. "I will go in and I am upfront with Linda: 'If you are going to this event this person might be there, they did try calling' and I will tell her what happened. I think it is important that she knows."

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