It's hard to define the top five skills a PA needs, because so much that we do is automatic. To me it's just like riding a bike (and I've not done that for many years!) But I have been a PA or Secretary all of my working life, and I believe I have a solid grasp of what the role is, and should be.

Our main responsibility is to ensure that our boss's work life, and sometimes his or her personal life, runs smoothly. So what do we need to do to make sure that happens?

1. Telepathy
   You need to be able to pre-empt your boss's needs, to be one step ahead – read his or her mind.

   This can sometimes be hard to do, particularly if you have just started working with someone new, but in time you should be able to grasp this. Easy to say, but how exactly can you achieve this?

   You don't need a crystal ball, just keep an ear to the ground and listen to what is happening around you. That way you can pick up on what your boss will need, and what he/she wants doing.

   For example, read through the minutes of the meetings he or she has attended. Is there a follow up meeting? Does he/she need to prepare any papers for the next agenda? If so, is there a deadline? Will he/she need to meet anyone in order to prepare the papers? Will he or she be able to meet that person in your office, or will he/she have to travel? Could that person come to you – when are they free? Can you ask their PA to check their diary now for available slots? And so on...

   Be ready for when your boss asks you for the information – or much better still, be proactive and go into him/her first with a list of what needs to be done. Imagine how impressive it looks to be able to say, "Following the meeting yesterday, I see you'll need to get together with James King to prepare your joint presentation for the follow-up meeting on the 17^th. I've spoken to his PA. He's quite happy to come here, and he's suggesting the 3^rd or 4^th as possible days. You've got a slot on the morning of the 3^rd, so I've pencilled it in. Oh, and here are the minutes."

   Now that's being proactive!




2. Diary Management
   I'm a firm believer that the PA should have control of the boss's diary! If they want a meeting set up, they should leave it in your hands to arrange. If – and this can still happen – he/she does slot an appointment in, make sure they let you know!

   I find it helpful to block out time in the schedule for travel, and if you've given someone several provisional slots, make sure you put those in too. And remember, leave some breathing space between meetings, and be prepared for those last minute changes.




3. Organisation
   Make sure your boss has all his/her papers, travel documents, phone numbers, etc, ready for the next day.

   Use a bring-forward system to ensure you have the papers for future meetings ready for when they are needed. I have a desk drawer with suspension files numbered 1-31 so I can put the papers in the appropriate date that they are required.

   Each afternoon I collate the papers, tickets, etc, for the following day and put these in a coloured folder (a different colour for each day) together with a printout of the boss's schedule. I give this to him/her allowing him/her time to double check in case any additional information is needed. (Obviously if he/she will be out of the office for a few days, give them packs for the duration).

   It's important to include phone numbers on the diary sheet of where he/she is going and who they will be travelling with in case of hold ups so they can call ahead. It's also useful to include alternative train/flight times in case he/she misses the one they were scheduled to take!

   But you need to organise your time as well as your boss's. So before you leave the office at the end of the day, prepare a "to do" list for yourself of any outstanding items you need to cover the next day. Remember, though, to leave space for any extra tasks that come your way, as they inevitably do!




4. Be professional
   You should be professional at all times and there are different ways to do this. Here are a few suggestions:
   
   
   • You need to be able to remain calm under pressure. If you've a tight deadline to meet, don't get unduly stressed. Ask a colleague if they can help, maybe take your phone calls for a while. If there's no-one to ask, speak to your boss to find out if the deadline can be extended to allow you to complete the task.
   
   
   
   • There's no point getting upset if something hasn't quite gone to plan. If you've made a mistake – and we all do – own up to it and resolve to put it right, and make sure it doesn't happen again!
   
   
   
   • Don't get involved in office gossip. Not only can gossiping about your colleagues' personal lives make you unpopular, but divulging business sensitive information could affect your career prospects.



5. Multi-tasking
   We all know what it's like. You're in the middle of one job, when boss appears and wants a whole string of other things doing – including getting him a sandwich! When this happens you need to prioritise what needs to be done first – which may depend on how loudly his stomach is rumbling!

   You need to assess the importance of each task, decide what needs doing first and what can wait until a little later. Here your boss will rely on you to make sure everything is completed within its own timescale – but if you're not sure which needs to be done first, don't be afraid to ask your boss – they would rather you double check than find that the most urgent task be left until last!

Mastering these skills will help define you as not just a PA, but as someone your boss can rely on to keep things running smoothly in the background so he/she can concentrate on the bigger issues.

However, there is one final skill which I regard as one of the most important for a top PA and that is a Sense of Humour. Where would we be if we couldn't laugh at ourselves and with others? No matter how bad you think your day has been, there is someone, somewhere, who has had a much worse time than you. Smile, be happy, and above all – enjoy your job!