When you look at the top 10 skills needed for jobs in 2020, complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, judgement and decision making, and cognitive flexibility make up half of the list. To sum it up, you need strategic thinking skills!
Strategic thinking isn’t just for C-levels who run entire companies or departments. It’s an essential skill for every employee at every level, especially admins. The word “strategic” means carefully designed, planned, or tactical. We have a unique perspective sitting at the hub of the wheel interacting with all of the moving parts and projects in the work flowing across our desks each day. When something doesn’t make sense, we need to ask for clarification. When we see opportunities for improving workflow, we need to speak up. If we want to become more valued, integral members of the team, we need to become more deliberate in our thinking.
It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of the day-to-day activities in our offices. But if we want to advance and excel as administrative professionals, we must be actively engaged in expanding our knowledge about our industry, how our company runs, and our individual role in it. We must be able to assess situations, generate solutions, and take action to implement those solutions when a decision is made. This is the essence of The Innovative Admin™.
This week, we’re sharing a lot of tips and resources on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages to help you develop your strategic thinking skills. In the feature article, I also share my perspective on how to become the admin your executive can’t imagine his or her corporate life without.
If we want to be seen as valued, integral members of the team, we must be able to think strategically. This is an essential skill for The Innovative Admin™. Ask more questions. Observe what’s happening around you. Invest time in thinking more deeply about the possible solutions. Then be ready to take the initiative to implement them. It will keep you relevant and make you stand out from the crowd!
Supporting your administrative success,
Julie Perrine
P.S. Every second, two new members join LinkedIn to develop their professional network. It’s the go-to site for 90 of the Fortune 100 companies looking to find and track potential job candidates. And it’s where you need to be if you want to remain relevant, get noticed, and advance your admin career. Whether you’re new to LinkedIn, or you created your profile years ago, this new, two-part course from All Things Admin will help you harness all the career benefits LinkedIn. Register here!
