15th Annual Executive Assistant & Personal Assistant Conference

About

Executive and Personal Assistants need to ensure they own the aptitude, skills and a talent to match the evolving needs of their Managers and the organisation. It is therefore crucial to build on foundation skills to effectively manage tasks that come their way in a manner that will impact positively on themselves and their Managers.

Attend Bright*Star’s 15th Annual Executive Assistant & Personal Assistant Conference to gain new optimism that will ensure respect for your roles and responsibilities as Executive and Personal Assistants. 

The conference highlights changing dynamics in today’s organisation and roles of Executive and Personal Assistants to enable delegates to perform to their highest abilities and excel in their individual roles. 

Stressing on the need for extending the knowledge-base beyond the demands of the job, this programme is tailored to guide administrative professionals in being proactive in their careers from a range of aspects.

Attend to learn how to be highly respected and valued whilst remaining focused on achieving specific career goals alongside building and successfully maintaining working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Endorsed by AAPNZ, the 15th Annual Executive Assistant & Personal Assistant Conference features New Zealand’s finest trainers for delivering enhanced development, alongside a line-up of successful, award-winning professionals sharing their experiences that have helped them on their way to the top to deliver maximum value to attendees.

24 February: Full day workshop: Able Leadership, Negotiation and Delegation Mastery crucial for those that want to grow in their roles – facilitated by
Penny Harrison

Special Discount - 50% off 2nd delegate!* Administrative professionals can benefit from attending with our special discount. Register 2 people from your organisation at the same time, and the second person receives 50% off the registration fee. *Applies to conference only

Workshop

Full-Day Separately Bookable Workshop 24 February 2010

9.00am - 5.00pm
Able Leadership, Skilled Negotiation and Delegation Mastery for Senior Executive and Personal Assistants
Executive and Personal Assistants’ roles and responsibilities put them right in the forefront when it comes to decision making and autonomy for providing effective and able support to their Managers and Executives. Strategic and efficient administrative support most often directly translates into management responsibilities making Senior Assistants the force behind the scenes. This workshop will help Senior Assistants to further hone techniques to exert the right influence and exercise their skills and abilities.  Learn how to collaborate more effectively with your Executives and Managers for higher levels of performance and mutual success. Attend this workshop and master strategic management assignments with accuracy and obtain skills at the right level to drive your own growth.
Penny Harrison, Director, COMMUNICATE
Penny Harrison works with a wide range of clients in the public and corporate sectors as well as with professional groups.  She brings over 15 years experience in management and as a trainer and facilitator. This experience has been gained through both corporate roles within the Banking and Financials Services industry and eight years as a General Manager of two small to medium sized businesses. We’re talking success!

Agenda

Agenda: Day 1

8.30

Registration & Coffee

9.00

Opening remarks from the Chair

Sharon Robbie, EA to CEO, ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND

9.10

Thrive vs. Survive – Build an Opportunity Mindset Amidst Change

Change ain’t fun! And usually cloaked with uncertainty, doubt and negativity - unless… Unless you understand why it is so, and then avoid the trap that 99% of people fall into. With simple insights, you will both energise and excel despite the challenges. These insights lie at the heart of self leadership. They will enable you to remain positive in your role and succeed in your workplace.
• Discover the key to knowing what you want – in any situation
• Turn change and problems to your advantage
• Demonstrate capabilities in unstable environments
• Develop resilience triggers

Bruce Ross, Director, IGNITE BUSINESS SYSTEMS LTD

10.00

Icebreaker Networking Session – Get to Know Your Peers

Get acquainted, meet your peers at the conference, mingle with trainers and make the most of this opportunity for professional growth and have fun whilst you are at it!
Come prepared with suggestions for hot topics you want to discuss in the ‘Open Space’ session.

Facilitated by Yvonne McLean, Executive Coach, STRATEGIC DIRECTION CONSULTING LIMITED

No presentations available for this session

10.25

Have You Got What it Takes? Vision, Values and Goals for Success

This highly interactive session will help you step back and take stock in order to take control of your career path. Do you know where you want to go in your career? Do you have what it takes to get you there? Learn how to proactively increase your personal success.
• Know your personal objectives
• Learn what will motivate you
• Match your objectives to your organisation and its culture
• Simple goal setting strategies
• Plan of action to get you going

Facilitated by Yvonne McLean, Executive Coach, STRATEGIC DIRECTION CONSULTING LIMITED

11.15

Morning Break & Refreshments

11.30

Communicate with Diplomacy, Discretion and Influence

Diplomacy, discretion and advanced communication skills are critical for executive and personal assistants. Build and maintain business relationships to increase your value by communicating with savvy and finesse. This session will guide you in how to best handle the most sensitive issues, and people - with tact and diplomacy.

Janine Gould, Director, COMMUNICATE CONSULTANTS

12.15

Assertiveness Essentials for Executive and Personal Assistants

If you don’t learn to set limits, being ‘nice’ might end up hurting your effectiveness at work and worse impact negatively on your career. How can you be professional and assertively get your message across without coming across as rude or pushy? Learn simple but highly effective assertiveness techniques that will lighten your workload and earn you respect alongside.

Karen Baucke, Director, CAREERS IN MOTION

1.00

Lunch

2.00

Personality is Everything! Upwards and Onwards With the 3 Ps – Poise, Polish and Professionalism

Give yourself a professional jump-start to get appreciated and turn into a dynamic personality. Image is everything! Don’t stay in the sidelines waiting to be recognised, appreciated and acknowledged. Take the power into your own hands and be responsible for your own success.

Janine Gould, Director, COMMUNICATE CONSULTANTS

2.45

Project Credibility to Get the Respect You Deserve

Credibility is one of the most powerful business tools you have at your disposal and also one that can be easily tarnished. Calm, controlled and confident Assistants are highly respected figures and the pride of Managers. Command respect and admiration and become even more productive in your role.
• Build a foundation of influence and credibility
• Handle situations with discretion and authority
• Handle sensitive information & situations with tact
• Effective communications for the electronic age

Liz Robinson, Executive Assistant to MP Green Party, PARLIAMENT

3.30

Afternoon tea

3.50

Building a Professional Partnership with Your Manager

Your rapport with your Manager can make or break your career. So, how do you develop an optimal relationship to work effectively together for a win-win relationship? Mary-Anne will relate her experiences in building a winsome partnership with her Manager.
• Teaming up for successful partnerships and long-term mutual gain
• Assessing the level of trust and setting up for stronger partnership
• Taking a pro-active role in assisting management and modelling the way

Mary-Anne Powell, Office Manager & EA to CEO, AUCKLAND AIRPORT

4.30

Open Space – Hot Topics for Discussion

Enjoy some champagne or juice with your peers whilst openly discussing topics that are chosen by you during the morning’s Icebreaker session. Topics will be structured to ensure you get the most value out of these discussions.

5.00

Networking Drinks and End of Day One

Agenda: Day 2

9.00

Welcome back from the Chair

Sharon Robbie, EA to CEO, ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND

9.05

Web 2.0 Tools for Effective Administrators

With the emergence of new technologies, tools for more effective administration are now available in your browser. Debra will show you how to simply and easily incorporate some new technologies in your work day to make your administration more effective.

Award winner AAPNZ Administrative Professional of the Year 2009

Debra Clark, Senior Technical Administrator, ADMINCORP LIMITED

9.50

Taking Control of Office Technology before it Takes Over and Controls You - Advanced Skills to Overcome your ‘Office’ Blues!

As an EA or PA there is no way day would go by without using Microsoft Office. Most Assistants will agree that they waste time trying to format and master technicalities related to Office documents and computer related work. Microsoft Office can be your saving grace or the bane of your working life. This valuable workshop will change your ‘outlook’ and provide ‘access’ to skills you can put to use everyday to ‘power’ through and be more productive to ‘excel’ in your work. You will wonder how you got by without knowing these little tips and secrets that alleviate your misery and turn you into a whiz!
• Tips and secrets to Office Suite
• Getting the most out of ‘Office’ for day-to-day tasks
• Mastering MS Office interface – key features
• Time management and information services in Outlook

Debbie Mayo-Smith, Director, SUCCESSFUL INTERNET STRATEGIES

10.30

Morning tea

10.50

Master the Art of Delegation to Become More Productive

Delegating effectively will ease your workload and make you available for the critical tasks that your Manager really needs you for. Appropriate delegation seems to be challenging for Assistants to implement. If you are an over-achiever hesitating to delegate, this session is crucial to reach optimal productivity levels.
• Think there is no one to delegate to? Think again!
• Let go of ‘If I want it done right, I’d better do it myself!’
• Find common goals and benefits whilst enlisting help
• Trust right people to do right jobs and macro manage
• How your manager can help you in accomplishing more

Penny Harrison, Director, COMMUNICATE CONSULTANTS

No presentation materials available

11.40

Case Study: Avoiding It Won't Make It Go Away

Sharon Robbie, Personal Assistant to CEO, ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND

12.20

Lunch

1.20

Stay Resilient! Energy Boosters to Keep your Batteries Charged

Do you often feel you could do with a few more hours to fulfil the expectations placed on you? Assistants find their energy levels can often be on a roller coaster ride with conflicting demands and endless amounts of workload they have to manage. This session will help uncover basic rejuvenating strategies that you can take back with you to turn your depleting strengths into seemingly inexhaustible supplies.

Emma Gillard, Personal Trainer and Lifestyle Consultant

2.00

Case Study: Dealing with Different Personality Types

Understanding people is made easier if we understand the differences in people and their personality types. Using her experiences, Debbie will touch upon different personality types she has worked with, and highlight how and why some people work well together whilst others don’t. Find out how knowledge of personality types can make working enjoyable even with challenging personalities.

Debbie Smith, Acting EA to the Mayor, MANUKAU CITY COUNCIL

Speaker has declined permission for her material to be online

2.45

Prize Draws

ELIZABETH ARDEN GIFT SET
ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO ‘CUISINE’
ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO ‘LIFE & LEISURE’

2.55

Afternoon tea

3.10

Summary Remarks from the Chair and Close of Conference

3.15

Quick Guide to Writing Stardom

Don’t miss this gem of a short and sweet session to gain valuable skills in business writing. Mediocre writing will affect your efficiency and drag down your well earned credibility in other quarters. Assistants MUST have a strong grasp on professional writing principals and this session will get you off and running with answers to common problems with business writing and how to fix them.
• Concise, clear and error free writing
• Grammar and punctuation – critical aspect of good vs. bad
• Basic principles that will revolutionise your writing

Anna Pelesikoti, EA, BURLEIGH EVATT

Although Anna did not present - she is happy for us to put her material online

Sponsors/Partners

Interested in sponsorship?

There are some exclusive opportunities to promote your company, and its products and services, at this leading event. Contact the sponsorship team below to request a prospectus or discuss the options, or view more about event sponsorship.