EP9:The Administrative Assistant's guide to using new tech.

This episode is sponsored by Autograph Events - THE experts in providing a complete event management solution – from free global venue finding through to full onsite event management.  https://www.autograph-events.co.uk Connect today and ask more about the collaborative promotion for our listeners!

Ready to supercharge your administrative skills with the latest tech? You're in the right place! We're taking you through the dynamic world of new technology and how it applies to administrative professionals like us. 
 
 We're talking about the value of lifelong learning and continuous professional development, and how it aids in navigating the ever-changing tech landscape. 
 From our personal experiences with CPD (continuous professional development), we've seen it boost career growth and help us utilize a range of communication tools and apps for improved productivity and collaboration. Stay tuned as we discuss embracing advancements and nurturing an attitude of relentless curiosity.
 
 We're also sharing some real-world wisdom on how to handle the inevitable difficult interactions with prickly clients or colleagues - it's all about kindness, understanding, and patience. 
 
 Listen to our engaging listener question about fostering a positive relationship with a challenging executive assistant; we've got some insightful advice up our sleeves. And we're not shying away from the tough stuff - initiating those hard conversations and setting those much-needed boundaries. 
 It's all part of reaching that desired work-life balance. So lean in, soak up the knowledge, and let's tackle these challenges together! If you have a question for us, send it in via email starting with "Hi Crodie..." to be featured on the show. You can also do this anonymously. 

Value Bombs

Jodie Mears - ‘Network with a VA, ask them the difference between an employed corporate EA and VA’.

Craig Bryson – ‘Champion of change, you can be the Champion of change by learning new software, being one step ahead.  

Chapters

• 0:00 Professional Development and Embracing New Technology
• 14:51 Building Trust With Difficult Clients
• 22:53 Approaching Difficult Conversations and Setting Boundaries

Transcript

Professional Development and Embracing New Technology

Craig Bryson 0:00

This episode was brought to you by Autograph Events, our sponsor. Thank you for tuning into the Codie Files.

Jodie Mears 0:26

I'm Craig Bryson and I'm Jodie Mears and together we are the Codie Files.

Craig Bryson 0:32

In this episode, we are going to talk about an administrative assistance guide to using new tech. This is always difficult, isn't it?

Jodie Mears 0:55

It is Again. It's a hot topic, isn't it? It is Everybody's talking about it AI is the new technology, but there are hundreds of other new technologies out there.

Craig Bryson 1:05

I think because the hardware of computers is evolving with every six months everything goes out of date, so hardware becomes obsolete, because the software is sort of working on the hardware. So that's why new software always coming out with it, maybe every week.

Jodie Mears 1:20

that I found this new Feels like it.

Craig Bryson 1:22

There's another software to learn, another software to learn.

Jodie Mears 1:25

And because they're usually productivity time, efficiency saving types of collaborative software, it really relates to our industry.

Craig Bryson 1:33

It does.

Jodie Mears 1:35

And it's really important that we do sort of stay on top of what's coming out, just to be knowledgeable and ready for any change.

Craig Bryson 1:42

Yeah, I think sort of playing around with software, new tech, is really fun for me. You always call me the geek.

Jodie Mears 1:50

It's not your thing, I can think of other things to do A bit more fun. Craig loves a laptop.

Craig Bryson 1:58

I do With a new technology and new I'm okay, I'm okay.

Jodie Mears 2:02

I definitely embrace the software part of it. Yeah, laptop, I don't really care how thin or thick it is, does it?

Craig Bryson 2:07

switch on.

Jodie Mears 2:09

Yeah, what's my password? Yeah great, let's go.

Craig Bryson 2:13

You're a bit more wooed. Yeah, because, as a graphic designer, to make sure, when you're rasterizing something in Photoshop.

Jodie Mears 2:20

What a tech what Arising?

Craig Bryson 2:22

Rasterizing.

Jodie Mears 2:23

Rasterizing.

Craig Bryson 2:25

The computer has to convert all the colours and stuff. It takes hours if you haven't got a fast-forward laptop or a high-definition screen. So the hardware is important as well as the software.

Jodie Mears 2:35

I was going to say why are you not in IT support?

Craig Bryson 2:37

You are, aren't you, everybody in the office always comes to me. It is on the first floor. It's all quick setting right over there.

Jodie Mears 2:46

We spoke about internal networking and getting to know your IT guy.

Craig Bryson 2:51

I am the IT guy. You're just everything mixed up.

Jodie Mears 2:55

So, with learning and development, this all comes part and parcel of learning new things in general. We've had a few questions concerning CPD. What is it? How does it tie into what we're talking about as well? So we thought we would cover CPD.

Craig Bryson 3:12

What is that?

Jodie Mears 3:13

I'm going to tell you it is continuous professional development, cpd In the UK. That's something that's quite poignant in learning and development. I'm pretty sure it's similar everywhere else as well. Let us know, because I know we have a lot of listeners globally. So if continuous professional development is different in your country, do let us know, email us.

Craig Bryson 3:36

We'd like to know and understand a bit more. Share the knowledge, yeah.

Jodie Mears 3:40

There's also CIPD, which is a governing body. So for me it's been really useful understanding what CPD is, how it works, how it affects me and how it can benefit me. First of all, understanding what does it mean in the workplace and, for me, understanding it and being able to relay it to the person paying for the training course I was requesting is really important Because I could bat out those unnecessary questions that say I want to go on this course, it is accredited and it does give me CPD points, which aids towards my collection of the points.

Craig Bryson 4:19

What is points? How does that work?

Jodie Mears 4:21

Yeah, so, cpd, you can collate the points. There are various platforms and agencies or companies, if you like, that help you collate them For me. I'm a member of the IAM, the Institute of Administrative Management. Every year I, in the members portal, I will document and upload my evidence of what I've done, learning and development-wise.

Craig Bryson 4:45

Attending events or doing a course?

Jodie Mears 4:47

Yeah, all of that Webinars, attending events, industry-related events, networking is on there as well. Having panel discussions that's on there. Of course, all the industry-related learning and development courses as well, and at the end of the year it gives me an overview, a tally, me being organised and make sure I'm accountable for my own learning and development. That's what I find it really useful.

Craig Bryson 5:14

It's like a digital imprint of you, isn't?

Jodie Mears 5:17

it Of my year yeah.

Craig Bryson 5:19

Which you can use at the end of your reviews. God couldn't you?

Jodie Mears 5:22

Yeah, my annual appraisal, end of year review. I will bring that up as a really good reminder. Not only do we have that tally or that sheet that we spoke, about before what you keep a list of all the projects you've been involved with, but also on the professional development side of things. I will download the report at the end of the year from the IAM to support my review in my chat.

Craig Bryson 5:48

Well, that's exciting. And how did you do that?

Jodie Mears 5:51

You just go into IAM and sort of set it up, count, or yeah, you become a member and you can use the member portal to track your learning and development. There's a minimum number of points you need every year, but it really does give you a focus on your own accountability for learning and development. So I like doing that. It really does help me support conversations, because at the end of the year you say what did I do?

Craig Bryson 6:20

It's so exhausting because you might have done so much Exactly Remembering.

Jodie Mears 6:25

So I think it's quite important, and using new technology kind of wraps into that the importance of continuous professional development. If you think of that, you're constantly keeping abreast of what's happening in our industry. But don't be afraid of new technology at all. Be excited, be curious, ask questions and try them out. There's loads of communication tools and apps Mondaycom.

Craig Bryson 6:52

Trello.

Jodie Mears 6:53

Light Trello Click up Mirror boards. Mirror boards yeah, we use those and Asana. That's just like a couple, Just like just a few. There's so many more.

Craig Bryson 7:04

What I do. Well, I don't do this at work. I do it on my personal time on the weekend, as you know, like a bit of a geek. So download the software. You have a sort of a two week or 30 day trial period and you can play around and see if you like it or not. And then there's always a subscription of like six pounds per month. After that I use that with Photoshop it's so much easier to buy, sort of buying 3,000 pound worth of the software. You can pay six quid per month and I can use the software and it cater what I wanted to do. I just that FYI. If you do download a software, put a little diary sort of reminder to cancel it.

Jodie Mears 7:46

If you don't want it, forever. If you don't want it forever.

Craig Bryson 7:49

You're just trying for two weeks or 30 days. Make sure you have a diary reminder, because when you've got a credit card, that sort of statement, and it's like where did that come from? And they're oh, I've got to cancel that software.

Jodie Mears 7:59

And don't download it on your work. Pc Just in case you know, it come purling through the doors and I want to shut you down and kick you out of the door.

Jodie Mears 8:09

Do ask questions. It might be something that you're asking for that's already purchased as a license through IT and they hadn't realized that you might want to use it in your role because they just assumed that that license for that software is for project managers or for the architects. So, be curious, ask the question first at work to say do we have so and so Do we have access to this? You?

Craig Bryson 8:38

know with Y company they've been amazing because being dyslexia, it's something that you can't have any control over. So when I spoke to my boss and they spoke to IT and they actually got software called Got it you can download that and it says on my work PC anytime I need to proofread anything, I can copy that information and put it into this software, it will tell you the grammar here, full stop, there and actually teaches me how to actually, when you visually see it. Oh okay, then you'll remember it, because you're always visual recognition.

Craig Bryson 9:10

Exactly that's how I would work more with images than with thinking of words. And the reason why they use that particular one, not Grammarly, is because Grammarly is a third party server. So when you load up a document that's confidential, it will be taken to a server to be assessed. So with the software that's on my computer, it's only limited to my laptop.

Jodie Mears 9:30

We have Grammarly. I like using Grammarly. It's a really good reminder, especially like once I get creative and into the flow of things. I'm typing it a million miles an hour and making a lot of mistakes and having to go back and proofread it. I do like Grammarly.

Craig Bryson 9:45

Grammarly I use personally.

Jodie Mears 9:46

I like that, but we have a license at work, so maybe there's like a corporate version of. Grammarly? I'm sure there is, but do check them all out. Ask IT. You might be surprised. There might already be something that the company has subscribed to anyway, yeah. Yeah, be curious. Keep on top of new and emerging technology, because that will lead you into becoming more of a strategic yeah, we discussed that. So yeah, keep on top of new emerging technology, because we feel like this is the entry route of becoming that strategic PA.

Craig Bryson 10:20

Yes.

Jodie Mears 10:21

I do believe you can be a strategic VA as well, and we speak to a lot of virtual assistants.

Craig Bryson 10:25

Yeah, we do.

Jodie Mears 10:26

They are so knowledgeable with their tech.

Craig Bryson 10:27

Oh my goodness, it is shocking. They are really on top of it, did you feel?

Jodie Mears 10:32

slightly threatened.

Craig Bryson 10:33

There you did say oh, hello, where did this come from?

Jodie Mears 10:37

A fellow, a fellow.

Craig Bryson 10:39

IT boss.

Jodie Mears 10:40

VA's. I take my how.

Craig Bryson 10:41

Yes, me too.

Jodie Mears 10:42

You learn so much. It's quite astounding really. It's so interesting to work with or speak with, network with a VA. Ask them the differences between an employed corporate EA and a VA. Really interesting to learn. They are always on top of new tech because their time efficiencies need to be there when they're working on certain clients.

Craig Bryson 11:05

They're not. They're not. They're not invisible, are they?

Jodie Mears 11:08

That's probably why I think yeah, that too, but we work for just one entity.

Craig Bryson 11:13

Exactly.

Jodie Mears 11:14

VAs can work for up to I don't know how many can you take on Like four or? Five entities, companies that you're working on so having these platforms to keep everything together. They do get exposed to a lot of new tech. So if you do network and there's a VA in your group, do ask them what do they use, how do they use it, and see where you can merge that into your day-to-day role in the office.

Craig Bryson 11:37

Yeah, be open to trying new things. I think that's also important. Don't be afraid to experiment. I just think you try it If you don't like it. Sometimes you're being like with that. So we were talking about in another episode. Oh, I don't like using Google because the way it is, I only can use it out. But we are trying it. We're using it in our personal styles.

Jodie Mears 11:57

We're using that.

Craig Bryson 11:58

So that is new technology.

Jodie Mears 12:00

And just because it don't maybe look a certain way of what you're used to, there probably is the capability there to adjust the settings. So if you're at a loss as to why is it looking like this, why doesn't it do that? It probably does. You can probably just need to go and listen to a webinar. I think we can say the problem is?

Craig Bryson 12:20

well, no, it's not a problem. I think when computers started coming out, microsoft was on the forefront and therefore we had to learn how that software worked. So the layout, this is how you do it, control C, all that. But now new software coming out, it's evolving, so anything that you'll train many, many years ago it's now changing to make it easier and quicker for you. But you overthink it and try to make it. No, but I did this in Outlook. Why is it not doing it to this one? It's because you just click it. You don't need to right click and add it. It's all simple, but you overthink it sometimes on new technology. And you don't need to. You just need to take a step back. You don't need to think because it was like that. It's going to be like. This isn't just more basic.

Jodie Mears 13:06

And attend those webinars Definitely. Be, furious Enlisted to help an expert, our contributor Shelly Fischel. She is an amazing MS Office suite guru. Tap into those resources. There's paid resources. They're free. Sometimes there's newsletters there's.

Craig Bryson 13:23

YouTube as well. There's YouTube.

Jodie Mears 13:25

Yeah, there are so many different ways to get the information you need, so if you do need any sort of personal recommendations, do get in touch. Email us through the website. Greg and Jodicom would be more than happy to sort of tailor some advice to you.

Craig Bryson 13:41

And if we don't know, we can reach out to our networks.

Building Trust With Difficult Clients

Jodie Mears 13:44

Definitely, we're always able to say I'm not sure, but I'm going to find that out for you. The CRODIFILES is brought to you by Autograph Events, our show sponsors. Autograph Events are the experts in providing a complete event management solution, From free global venue finding through to full on-site event management, executive away days, team building and off-site meetings. They can help us plan it all. They offer that extra pair of hands, a bit like the assistant's assistant. The best part is they understand how we like to work. They understand our role. So for more information, email events at autograph-eventscouk, quoting CRODIFILES2023, to find out how they can help you plan your next event and for your personal reward. Terms and conditions apply. Please see our website, craigandjodicom. Next is our listener question from Charmaine Diplosie.

Craig Bryson 15:04

Hi CRODIFILES. I have two liais with another EA and another organization to organize meetings between our two executives. This EA is rather prickly and the tone of their emails is always short and snappy. Do you have any tips in building a record in gaining their trust, please? So this is a difficult one. I've always I've had difficult clients that are prickly.

Jodie Mears 15:30

What is prickly to you. Let's give some context to that.

Craig Bryson 15:34

I think when it's a sentence. Remember when I was talking about one sentence no, yes, or I need this done now. You haven't replied back to my email, you know. And then they see see, your boss is there.

Jodie Mears 15:45

So a little bit. You know you're brushing me up the wrong way. You sound a bit off you sound a bit curt, you sound a bit rude. Rude yeah a bit to the point, but not everyone's going to have those fluffy intros and outros to their. I know you just I always do.

Craig Bryson 16:02

I did I always do because I think every person is the new person that you're going to meet and you don't know who you're talking to.

Jodie Mears 16:09

Definitely. I was working with someone years ago that was racing to a meeting in London. There was a lot of pushing and shoving on the tube and anyway it was a long story. But it turns out that she didn't realize the person she was, let's just say, exchanging words with on the escalators down to the tube and getting a bit short tempered, was exactly the same person who ended up in our conference.

Jodie Mears 16:35

So you've got to be really careful how you address people, how you approach situations. You never know. So in our world and what Charmaine is alluding to the emails can be short and snappy. You don't want to continue that cycle. You never know when you're going to come face to face with that prickly client EA, and you don't want there to be an air of animosity, yeah, just a bit of negativity.

Craig Bryson 17:02

Yeah, I've always stuck with it. Kill them with kindness, definitely Kill them with kindness. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

Jodie Mears 17:09

Just being sweet as anything.

Craig Bryson 17:12

And then, if that doesn't work, pick up the phone, have a father, might have died or somebody needs you know something that has happened on that side for that person to be prickly. But I mean, if it's once, okay, fair enough. If it's twice, okay, and then three strikes, we need to have a conversation.

Jodie Mears 17:28

We need to have a conversation, yeah, and if you don't and you don't feel confident to have a conversation and it's going to be difficult approaching it. But sometimes you'll be surprised where they say I didn't even know, I'm so sorry it come across like that. Just let me know. If I'm ever like that to you again, let me know. It could have more of that outcome than your ex-wife argument.

Craig Bryson 17:47

Just suck it up. What do you mean? I'm not like that. I'm not like that. Yeah, in these three strikes.

Jodie Mears 17:53

I think you owe it to yourself to let people know how you want to be treated.

Craig Bryson 17:57

Yeah, but it's like you getting blamed for being the victim. What were you saying the last time? You said you're having?

Jodie Mears 18:03

this animosity and you're the victim. Yeah, that's how I spoke to. Yeah, when you get told to be the bigger person.

Craig Bryson 18:10

Oh, bigger person. Yeah, I don't like that, no.

Jodie Mears 18:13

Because why should you bear the brunt of someone else's rudeness? By being the bigger person. It never comes back to the instigator.

Craig Bryson 18:21

Yes, yeah.

Jodie Mears 18:22

The instigator of the rudeness in this example.

Craig Bryson 18:25

They should be the bigger person.

Jodie Mears 18:27

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Why does it always fall on the shoulders? Of the victim. Or the receiving end of someone else's rudeness and it's because we don't like having difficult conversations.

Craig Bryson 18:39

We don't. We always push under the carpet and then we talk about it.

Jodie Mears 18:42

Oh, did you see that email. For me. I will say well, did you let her know Exactly?

Craig Bryson 18:46

Like no, I didn't. I'm too scared to yeah well.

Jodie Mears 18:50

Well then it's still going to keep on to continuing. It's going to be a vicious cycle. Yeah, I would pluck the courage to have that conversation and the ways you can do that, because I know for me I would be thinking it's all right you're saying that, but how do you approach that?

Craig Bryson 19:06

From me I would say you have one is a reaction which is talking from the heart, so your feelings. The other one is a response which is thinking with your head. So I would either leave the office, walk around and get a coffee, just calm down and then approach it so you take your mind off it, you assess it and then you come back so that you don't want to be sort of using your heart. You know your emotions. You want to have a thoughtful procedure on how you think this is strategic, because you're always going to be a listener. You always need to listen.

Jodie Mears 19:40

So don't react immediately. So having our three strikes is kind of good because you're allowing that buffer time for things to reoccur again. Yeah, maybe sleep on it, let emotions die down, but I really think it's important. You should be able to let me know how I made you feel.

Craig Bryson 19:57

Yes.

Jodie Mears 19:59

Because I might be repeating unconscious biases and unconscious catchphrases in my head that I don't realize are offensive. And I've heard people do that to me.

Craig Bryson 20:11

And.

Jodie Mears 20:11

I've had to say do you realize the way you respond to certain questions?

Craig Bryson 20:17

It's really a nice thing.

Jodie Mears 20:18

Yeah, it's actually not the dumb thing to do in this day and age.

Craig Bryson 20:20

Yeah, people don't like talking about their feelings, do they? It's like, but that vulnerability of you upset me, oh okay, so what do we do about? That Right yeah.

Jodie Mears 20:29

Partnerships and relationships at work are really important. You need to set your boundaries with people, how you want to be spoken to and just approach it calmly, collectively. Don't send texts. Don't fight the fire with the fire. Don't send back a lengthy email either.

Craig Bryson 20:44

Yeah.

Jodie Mears 20:44

Pick up the phone, see if we can have a conversation, if you're interested in maintaining that relationship. Yeah but you know it's still.

Craig Bryson 20:52

Respect for myself. I would give her a call and just be sort of you know, in a nice voice and say how are you and all that, but don't say you really hurt my feelings.

Jodie Mears 21:03

You're like there's a way of saying it yeah, if you want to escalate it you can come with me with that one.

Craig Bryson 21:10

Yeah.

Jodie Mears 21:12

We have got to have some conversations. Those emails, as we mentioned in a previous episode, is try not to use them one-liners. No that will come across short and snappy, using like three or four words, and then you read those three or four words You're going to think, oh, okay.

Craig Bryson 21:28

Is that all I get?

Jodie Mears 21:30

Yeah, it will come across like that. So using effective language to get the point or the question across initially really helps eliminate that if you're the instigator of the prickly conversations.

Craig Bryson 21:42

Yeah, so what are your top tips in this episode, if we have two conversations, one with tech and one with prickly so interesting?

Jodie Mears 21:52

With the new technology again, just like with the AI, be curious, network, understand what others are using, ask questions and if you're not able to use the new technology now, don't just go along to these webinars and training sessions just because Try and take some of what you've learned and absorb and apply them into your personal life. Break gloves Doing that and using these new technologies and look where you're able to share knowledge, even though your company are not using half of the things that you're aware of.

Approaching Difficult Conversations and Setting Boundaries

Craig Bryson 22:29

But I'm always putting out fires every time Because we have this problem. Yeah, if we just do this and this and this, we're going to use SharePoint for that. We can use Teams for that. So, knowing that you can always sort of have answers to solutions or problems, definitely Mine would be Champion of Change. Oh yeah, champion of Change. You can be the Champion of Change by learning new software, being one step ahead of the curve.

Jodie Mears 22:53

And not being afraid of having difficult conversations.

Craig Bryson 22:56

Be patient.

Jodie Mears 22:57

Be patient with people and allow people to breach your boundaries.

Jodie Mears 23:04

Have the confidence to approach difficult conversations and let people know when they've upset you. There's a style of conversation for everything and again, if anything is bothering you and you want some personal, one-to-one advice, just email Craig and I via the website at craigandjodycom, and we will be more than happy to listen to your personal situation and advise you accordingly or point you into the direction of where you can get some advice. So thank you for listening. It's been a great episode. Don't forget to check out our website, craigandjodycom, or on any of the social media platforms, the CRODI files, and we look forward to receiving your high CRODI messages through the website, sending your emails, bugbears, questions, comments, concerns within the industry and remember you're not alone and keep sharing the knowledge.

Craig Bryson 24:01

Next episode we shall be discussing how can administrative assistants achieve a better work-life balance? I'm Craig Bryson.

Jodie Mears 24:10

And I'm Jody Mears.

Craig Bryson 24:12

And together we are the CRODI Files. This episode was brought to you by Autograph Events, our sponsor.