A PA's Perspective – Ms Jekyll & Mrs Hyde

I have always been known for my renowned impersonation of Dame Edith Evans in The Importance of Being Ernest ("A haaaaandbaaag") but I have recently developed my repertoire to encompass two kinds of PA: the one who likes being micro-managed and the one who enjoys autonomy. This is because I now have Bossie 1 and Bossie 2 to work for.

I am very happy with this development because Bossie 1 (Micro Manager of the Year Award 1990-present day) is working on a project where, frankly, there ain't much call for my kind of skills (booking restaurants, being lippy with government officials). Bossie 2, on the other hand, has inherited a nightmare of a project and needs someone who is good at organising and likes gabbing on the phone. Step forward me. Bossie 2 didn't really want all of this project, only some of it. Fortunately, some of the unwanted parts are right up my street and so I am the obvious candidate to work alongside her.

The difference in management styles between the Bossies is absolutely staggering. Ms Mico Manager (catchphrase: are you sure you booked biscuits with the catering?) handles her anxiety by quadruple checking every single thing I do. She has given me permission to tell her to bog off but there's a little bit of me that doesn't think I should be responsible for drawing her boundaries for her. The checking and second guessing is not based on any evidence, either. We've never had a situation where honoured guests have arrived and there's no room booked. Or biscuits, for that matter.

Ironically, Bossie 1 prefers to keep her own diary because then she knows what she's doing. Except she doesn't (keep the diary or know what she's doing). This leads to the well trodden path of my being informed that two people are in reception to meet with Bossie but Outlook is telling me she's in a Committee Meeting in 10 minutes. Oh, that's been cancelled, has it? Thanks.

Bossie 2, in complete contrast, keeps her own diary but in a way that means she keeps her own diary i.e. I can go and look at it and see where she is and when she's due back in. She also explains things to me so that I can develop some judgement about situations and doesn't take it as a sign of imbecility on my part if I double-check something with her. So far, so good.

What I have found is that flipping from one aspect of my personality to another all day long is exhausting. Their offices are across the corridor from one another so in 6 paces I can go from having the intricacies of the budget explained to me, to being asked if custard creams are on the menu.

Bossie 1 also likes to be comforted (who doesn't?). This means she likes the idea of someone sitting outside her office. It doesn't really matter, in all truth, if it's me or my colleague but she likes someone to be there in case there is some urgent photocopying to be done or a room needs to be booked (don't forget those biscuits). As I now have to spend quite a bit of time with Bossie 2, Bossie 1 is a little miffed. She is still extremely nice to me on a personal level but I've noticed that she just wants me around more when she is in, even if that involves simply sitting in her office chatting over a cup of tea. Of course, I would have been delighted to do this a few months ago when work flow was at it's lowest but I now have a huge pile of work on my desk from Bossie 2.

As I stepped from one to the other last week, I suddenly remembered the Spencer Tracey film of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde where, as the good doctor, Tracey swallows down his evil potion and then conveniently disappears behind the bench while his transformation takes place. He comes back into view as Mr Hyde who has a very cross expression on his face. If you substitute a cup of our office tea for the evil potion (that's not a big stretch of the imagination either), that could be me disappearing behind my desk to re-emerge as The Other PA.

Both Bossies are extremely competent, professional and human so they recognise that I have to juggle different work flows and different personalities. Having to bridge two different work patterns and be flexible in my approach to my role has highlighted to me that I'm getting the best of both worlds as I can have my own Inner Geek recognised by Bossie 1 (who understands technology better than almost anyone) while having my intellectual faculties stoked by conversation with Bossie 2 (who happily explains the complexities of multi-agency funding at the drop of my hat).

This three way split has sharpened up my focus with both strands of work as I am not constantly dealing with the same old, but keep coming back to it afresh. All in all, a very satisfactory, portfolio way of working. I don't even mind the evil potion but the facial hair from it is becoming a bit of a bother. Excuse me while I go and shave.