3 Ways To Over Deliver As An Executive Assistant

The ability to over deliver on the job will make an Executive Assistant (EA) stand out to managers and co-workers, enhance the professional profile of the EA, and lead to more interesting and exciting opportunities.

Over delivering is a practice used in the sales industry to make sure a client is satisfied with a product or service. You can apply it in any industry and role. It takes just 3 simple steps.

1. Deliver Ahead Of Schedule

This step is fairly easy to grasp. If an EA said they could complete a task by Wednesday, over delivering means having it ready on Tuesday. If the deadline is 2.30pm, deliver it before lunch. The basic act of delivering ahead of schedule is a guaranteed winner in the workplace and any EA who practices this habit quickly gains a reputation as a fast, reliable worker.

2. Give Unexpected Extras

No, not a free set of steak knives! “Extras” means adding value or embellishments to an assignment or task that you know will be appreciated – and exceed expectations. As an EA, if you’re formatting a document, you could also proofread it. If you’re booking a trip, you could give suggestions for five-star dinners or cool cafes in the vicinity. The extras you deliver don’t need to be significant, but the act of taking another step shows initiative and will be highly appreciated in an EA.

3. Follow Up

Following up is critical in an EA’s role. Just ask if anything else needs to be done about the task. Following up on a job that you have over delivered on emphasises the fact that you’ve exceeded expectations.

Over delivering is just about remembering the little things as an EA. You may already take these steps in your role, but if not, you only need to make minor shifts to achieve maximum impact in your workplace.

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