To think that being an Executive Assistant doesn’t mean you have to be submissive?

[AdeptEagle]

A friend told me I shouldn’t apply for EA roles because I’m too outspoken and that EAs need to be submissive and bite their tongues. I disagree - I see it as a role that requires strong communication skills, confidence, and the ability to manage up.

Of course, discourse and professionalism are important but does being an EA really mean you have to be meek and never push back? AIBU to think my friend’s view is outdated?

Totally depends on the organisational culture and/or the individual. At my last place (private sector), EAs were encouraged to be proactive and could carve out their own roles. In my current one (large public), EAs just do what they are told in a very very constrained hierarchical system.

You will need to research the company and find out about culture.

I think the best EAs are ones who proactively raise challenges and issues, but will still go ahead with executing a plan they disagree with if the executive says to go ahead anyway.

Have you considered chief of staff roles? Some of them are very similar to EA roles in terms of skills but there is more of an expectation of proactive and opinionated management. (It's a vague title that also includes very senior quasi-execs, but also many that you could start as a more traditional EA and grow into.)

That makes sense - I can see how a great EA would need to challenge things diplomatically but ultimately follow the exec’s direction. I hadn’t seriously considered CoS roles, but now you mention it, it sounds like something worth looking into. Do you think the jump from EA to CoS is a natural profession or are they quite distinct career paths?

Agree it probably depends on the organisation, and also probably one of the differences between EA / PA.
More senior EA roles are definitely more of a business partner relationship and requires someone with a strong personality and able to make their own decisions etc.
The EA to CoS progression is one that sparks lots of mixed opinions. Head over to LinkedIn if you want to read some of them.

I think both roles, but especially CoS, are very ill-defined so it really depends on the organisation as PP said - and, probably even more important, the specific exec you'd be working with and their personality! Some of them will not be suitable. But I would say it's worth including jobs advertised as CoS in your initial filters, and testing the waters.

I think the EA to CoS pathway is a natural jump and I've seen it done quite a few times - but the cases I've known have all involved that kind of "transitional" role in a flexible setup where you start out with more EA duties and the job is able to grow with you into more of a CoS one.