I supervise a team of administrative assistants. The cohesiveness of my team is great. The one area I thought had improved but just reared its ugly head is the value my employees place on themselves. I feel they understand their role in our company; sometimes the inadvertent actions of others give them the perception they are less important. I can’t control how this makes them feel but how can I overcome it? How do I improve their sense of worth?

The Team Doc Says…

Administrative assistants are some of the most (if not THE most) valuable people in the company. They are the glue that holds it all together. I always make sure that the admins are on my radar screen. They can save your neck in a pinch.

But I realize that not all people in an organization value administrative assistants the way I do. And it only takes one snide remark or poorly phrased comment to make someone feel less valued.

It would be a good idea to have a weekly meeting where you share a success story. It doesn’t have to be a long one, but you could use a round robin format where anyone could share. The power of positive words (and actions) can overcome negativity any day. A consistent message of goodness about the work they are doing will go far to minimize the negative impact of someone else.

And another thing you might want to do is deal with the negative by talking about it head on. Talk about the situation as a group. Get the feelings out in the open and turn it around into a continuous improvement opportunity.

Plus one thing to always remember… Life is 10% what happens and 90% how we react to it. We can only control our reactions. That’s where the power is.

What other suggestions do you have?

Related posts:

1. What It’s Like To…Fire Half Your Team
2. Be The “Team Solution” Not The “Team Problem”
3. Is Leaving The Team The Best Option?

I work in a small non-profit. The director has been there for 30 years. A new job was posted, and there were a few applicants for the job but the director felt her granddaughter should have the job. The feeling of all the other team members was that she did not have any office experience and did not feel it was fair to have family members be the highest paid in the center. The board of directors interviewed the prospective applicants. I applied for the position having 20 years experience in various office positions. The board members told me that even though I was qualified, there would be “hell to pay if a specific person didn’t get hired”. I was not hired for that position but was offered a much lower paying position that I had no experience in. Everyone feels trapped because all concerns have to go to the director who has made it clear that her granddaughter was the most qualified and any complaints are just jealously.

The Team Doc Says…

Well, I’ve had my share of questions about cruddy places to work and this place needs to be added to the pile.

With a director that feels family is entitled to a job because they are family and a board that has no spine, the best thing you can do is get out of there. Soon.

I know the current economic environment isn’t the best, so make it a priority to dust off your resume and start looking for a new place to work where you are valued and there is a leader at the helm.

Related posts:

1. How To Resolve A One-on-One Team Member Issue
2. How To Maintain Team Morale and Trust When Layoffs Happen
3. Team Member In Field Feels Disconnected From Team