The Executive Assistant Forum
Mission Statement
The mission of the EMC Executive Assistant Forum is to help executive assistants and office managers deal with issues pertinent to their positions by providing them with quality professional instruction and coaching.
Overview
TEAF is a membership-based monthly training program that teaches assistants valuable tools that enable them to add more value to their organizations and more effectively manage their offices. This forum was conceived to serve as a comprehensive training and coaching resource on issues including effective visitor management, dealing with change, time management, maintaining successful working relationships, and how to set self-motivating goals.
How the Program Works
This career-development forum is designed to mirror learning experiences often offered to senior management. Participating assistants help shape the agenda, ensuring that the subject matter is relevant for all members and that specific concerns are addressed. Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at the EMC. Each session begins with team building exercises and group discussion, followed by a workshop with guest speakers, videos, and other learning experiences. To close each meeting, participants discuss member-generated issues and concerns.
Meeting Description
In an interactive group setting, issues are dealt with in a roundtable atmosphere, with each member giving input and receiving feedback. Members share innovative concepts that enhance and benefit one another, including topics such as new filing techniques, effective preparation for meetings, and dealing with executive travel arrangements. As part of the TEAF curriculum, one chapter each month of Stephen Covey's First Things First or The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is generally assigned. These books are discussed and members' views and input are encouraged. Current videos, including "Who Moved My Cheese" and other similar works, are shown and followed up with workshops. These workshops are a journey into self-improvement and creating a self-awareness of the full level of productivity each member is capable of reaching.
