Meryl Runion - Perfect Phrases for Office Professionals: Hundreds of Ready-to-use Phrases for Getting Respect, Recognition, and Results in Today’s Workplace

Hundreds of Ready-to-Use Phrases for Getting Respect, Recognition, and Results in Todays Workplace

Meryl Runion and Susan Fenner

Copyright 2011 by Meryl Runion and Susan Fenner. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-0-07-177054-5
MHID: 0-07-177054-2

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My role as executive director of OfficeTeam gives me a good sense of what distinguishes the most effective administrative professionals. Office professional responsibilities have expanded dramatically in recent years. The businesses we work with seek professionals who stretch beyond their job descriptions, juggle multiple priorities, and address unexpected and urgent matters. Many managers now turn to their administrative teams for help controlling costs, troubleshooting technology, planning meetings and events, and even evaluating potential hires. Its a new world. What does that mean for you?

You need to be able to form partnerships with your managers and the staff you support in order to communicate and work with them on complex and creative assignments. You also must be self-assured and assertive in requesting opportunities to grow your skill set and to ensure your ideas are heard. That takes excellent communication skills.

According to OfficeTeams exclusive research among support staff and senior managers, solid communication skills are vital for career success. In fact, 81 percent of human resources managers polled by OfficeTeam, HR.com , and the International Association of Administrative Professionals said verbal communication was the soft skill in greatest demand at their firms. Knowing just what to say and when to say it makes a difference. Actually, one could argue this makes all the difference.

Effective communication is simple in theory but difficult in practice. In fact, it can be downright messy. Sometimes, its difficult to get the right words across from one situation to the next.

Whats an office professional to do?

Meryl and Susan have simplified the process with phrases throughout Perfect Phrases for Office Professionals. The phrases communicate confidence and competence as they invite collaboration.

The most successful office professionals Ive worked with embody these qualities. Theyve shown confidence by assuming ownership of an assignment and seeing it through to completion. Theyve also learned my work style, the questions and concerns Im likely to have, and the way I prefer to communicate.

Since 1991, OfficeTeam has been on your team, providing free tools and resources to administrative staff, helping them excel in their roles and advance their careers. We proudly support Administrative Professionals Week every April and sponsor the annual Administrative Excellence Award, which recognizes the performance of outstanding office professionals across North America. Meryl Runion and Susan Fenner are on your team, too, and have created a resource that will help you communicate in the new world of office professionals.

As you read this book and begin using the phrases within, keep the following in mind: When youre a confident, collaborative communicator, youre at the top of your game. And youll help keep your managers at the top of theirs, too.

Robert Hosking

Executive Director of OfficeTeam