Administrative Assistant's Update - sample

NOVEMBER 2017 4 For example, several years ago, senior leaders, teachers and students, but not admins, were equipped with mobile devices. That posed problems because meeting participants, includ- ing admins, were expected to develop plans using a Google platform. The Administrative Specialists' Team, led by Palmer and Jennifer Dunbar, executive assistant to the principal of the Senior School, invited senior managers to a session to discuss laptops for admins. At the meeting was Mary Anne Van Acker, assistant head of innovation development and technology for the school, who imme - diately agreed with the suggestion. "It meant this powerful group was at the same table as teachers and senior leader- ship, collaborating, and that changed everything," says Van Acker. Two years ago, when the school contemplated a new internal commu- nication system (for school-parent emails and scheduling school activi- ties), Van Acker first sought the advice of the admin specialists and invited them to technical demonstrations. "They could see the possibilities for improved efficiencies and improved customer service for our parents," says Van Acker. "Stuff that I couldn't see, they saw it." Dunbar was recruited to an imple- mentation working group. "She was essential, lock-step all the way, in helping us make decisions," says Van Acker. "She would bring things back to their regular meeting of admin spe- cialists and put questions of problems, pathways and timing, all kinds of things, in front of them." The result was as everyone hoped. "It made the transition for an old system to a new one almost seamless, even though it was a lot of work for everyone," says Van Acker. "It was seamless from the parent, student and teacher perspective because of that group." Dunbar and Palmer, who spear - headed formation of the admin specialist team in 2007, presented a workshop on their experiences to the Administrative Professionals Confer- ence in Toronto last spring. Part of the rationale for cross-de- partmental admin teams is "common sense," says Palmer. "It's about work- ing together, not just coming togeth- er." The group established a formal mission and goals so that agenda topics related to what the members wanted to accomplish together. Palmer's pitch to her fellow admins was simple: "Our jobs are going to become easier. We will increase the level of respect for, and understanding of, the value of the work and what we contribute to the organization." Dunbar is candid that some admins questioned the value of a cross-de - partmental team. "People get in their mind they are busy and sometimes get a real negative attitude," she says, but notes that the skeptics were also those with leadership potential to tap for the group. By design, Dunbar and Palmer recruited allies who understood the Collaboration collapses silos Continued from page 1 How to set up a team By Jennifer Lewington What does it take to set up a cross-departmental team of admins? Jennifer Dunbar and Ellen Palmer, who were instrumental in the cre- ation of a team at Bishop Strachan School in 2007, urge patience. "It does take time but it is worth it," says Palmer. "The key is to listen to the needs of the individuals in your group." Here are their tips for getting started: • Find allies to begin a conversation. • Identify departments and positions that are a good fit as members. • Make a pitch to managers and leaders in the organization. • Schedule an initial meeting to assess the idea for strengths, weak- nesses, opportunities and threats. • Schedule future meetings to determine criteria for agenda topics, goals, expectations, meeting norms and the creation of a manifesto. • Establish a documentation system (such as Google docs) so partici- pants can share material. Dunbar notes that each organization has its own dynamics. "We had to do something that was going to work in our school culture...It does come down to that organic piece of what you need for your environment." Mary Anne Van Acker Jennifer Dunbar Ellen Palmer Continued on page 5

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