Understanding the big picture (i.e.: the purpose, vision, and mission) of your company is crucial when learning how to become truly valuable within your organization. In my experiences, while admins I met want to be “supportive,” they often fall short of the goal because they don’t take the time to understand the big picture of the organization. Having a lack of interest or understanding about the organization’s mission, vision, and goals only limits administrative support professionals.
Regardless of where you fall in the administrative hierarchy, you can make a significant impact on the success of an organization. Showing that you understand the shared vision to your manager only helps to show that you’re serious about your job, the organization, and your style.
Understanding the Big Picture as an Administrative Support
Think about your organization. What is their vision? If your company is enormous, focus on the vision of your department/group. If they don’t have one, ask the owner or manager what it is. Then remember it, let their vision merge into the details of your work. By prioritizing shared goals consistently, you are highlighting the most important factors of the person/department who determines your title and your salary/pay. They will appreciate your efforts, and will trust your dedication to your position and the organization.
By understanding the “big picture,” your ideas, strategies, and/or solutions will be more consistently relevant and helpful. Conversely, by not showing active interest to make the organization better, you could be limiting your ability to advance within the organization.
How Understanding the “Big Picture” Helps in Your Administrative Support Role
Anticipate Your Organization/Manager’s Needs
No matter how large or small, it’s important to understand the “big picture” at any level.
Perhaps, it’s not through marketing or event planning, but through updates and making the filing more efficient or up to date? Perhaps you could turn the hard copy filing into an e-filing system?
Ask what your manager’s goals are for the department/organization for some ideas. Once equipped with the answer you can ask yourself, “My manager cares about XYZ, how can I make my idea an improvement that is in line with my manager’s goals and is reliable?” Once you figure out what that is, always ask them first before implementing!
Why? Oh, because maybe you’re wrong. Not every idea is a winner.
But even proposing your idea and illustrating how it might benefit the manager and the organization will help you to establish an excellent reputation. And, if your idea is a suitable solution, then it shows initiative. Win-Win!
When you explain why you think your idea is good by citing the goals of the manager/organization, it shows that you have a genuine interest in the manager’s and organization’s progress and growth. That makes you a valuable administrative support.
Pro-tip: Never promise something you cannot do.
Drives Your Administrative Support System
Your administrative system is the foundation of your world. It is unique to you, and you can make it whatever you want. I plan mine primarily in Trello, e-filing, and a hard copy stack (that I purge and recycle every year). You don’t have to use Trello, but if you’re interested in it, check it out. I also offer virtual training sessions!
How does the “big picture” drive your administrative system? Well, because it guides your plan. As admins, we are in charge of “how” things get done, not “what” gets done. We’re normally given assignments, a metric fuck-ton of assignments, and we just do them…all.
Understanding the “big picture” shapes how, when, and what tasks we complete and in which order. We get a sense of what is important to our manager and make those tasks a priority. We can be more mindful how to market and represent our organization so it falls in line with the “big picture.”
In an administrative role, there may be several opportunities to contribute to the company simply because you’re a part of every part. You are the person who can specifically give and create deadlines based on actual workflow and feasibility, and work with multiple other groups, if need be. You can set the tone for the company’s perception by others through marketing material, consistency in event quality, and regular communication.
Additionally, you can change/update the structure of internal filing systems and restructure processes in a more efficient manner. These structural suggestions and proposals are more likely to be understood and accepted if they are in line with the company’s/manager’s big picture. YOU are the person responsible for making that goal a reality, and that is a big deal.
Be Part of their “Big Picture” World
*as sung from The Little Mermaid*
Okay, hear me out. People can be selfish assholes.
No, no, don’t argue with me. You know they’re out there. That, combined with the well-known reputation of our administrative support profession being highly-respected and well-paid, (dripping sarcasm) and you are more than likely bound to have some frustrating times.
Okay, people aren’t all jerks. That’s the most you’ll get out of me. 😉
My point is, if you place yourself inside the big picture of your manager or organization, you’re more likely to break the grey area barrier when they consider your work responsibilities.
People rarely understand the admin world, unless you’re an admin. So don’t waste time pouting over the casually-dismissed, fully functional GLORIOUS and SEXY Excel workbook you constructed. Instead, take the time to show the workbook’s value within your manager’s “big picture” terms.
THAT is something they’ll understand. And DON’T STOP there! Keep that same verbiage in your performance evaluation! Have it readied to go.
Phrasing your hard work inside of your manager’s “big picture,” makes it easier to grasp the importance of your work.
Teamwork
Even if you’re the only admin, sharing in the “big picture” makes you part of a team. In their own way, each person is contributing to the same goal. There’s camaraderie in that.
Incorporating and reminding people of that shared goal can help to refocus people why you all are there. After all, it’s not just you in this effort. Even Entrepreneur.com talks about the importance of seeing the big picture from a leadership perspective. It should include everyone in this process – yes, especially the admins.
Take, for example, you and I are a team. We both share the same goal of wanting a space to “rock out with our Post-Its out.” (Oh, come on, you know you liked that.) I contribute to the team by providing content, and you contribute to the team by coming here and reading and maybe sharing.
That’s my “big picture.”
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Photo by Jenny Pace on Unsplash
References:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/349368
