Being stuck behind your desk for hours on end may show your dedication to the job, but PAs need to get out there and network in order to perform their role more effectively, as Abigail Wills finds out.
?I cannot tell you how much I have got out of networking,? says Sue France, a PA and the current UK national Chair of the Association of European Management Assistants. She is also someone who has travelled the world as a speaker, embracing the opportunities that networking has afforded her.
?What is networking? Learning about other people, making connections, finding common links, building and maintaining relationships and working together for mutual benefits,? summarises France, adding that it can be done anywhere, from an organised event to the gym.
Another person who is a firm believer in the benefits of networking is Dana Gornitzki, the founder and mistress of manners at the Charm School. Based in London, the school aims to take the ethos, skills and lessons of old-fashioned finishing schools and bring them into the modern day.
Gornitzki?s workshops include topics such as how to make small talk, and she echoes France?s passion for networking. ?Only good things can come out of meeting people. The biggest changes can come out of the smallest conversations,? she comments.
?We do a lot of communicating behind screens these days, be it texting, emailing or using social networks. We?ve become a little bit casual because virtual communication allows us to do that. So people will put a kiss at the end of an email or use emoticons [the pictorial representation of a facial expression using punctuation marks] and a lot of the face-to-face communication skills have been forgotten,? she explains.
And first impressions really do count, notes France. ?It takes just a few seconds for us to form an opinion on someone, and 93 per cent of that is down to their body language and attitude, while just seven per cent is because of the words they use,? she says.
Before entering a room make sure you are in the right state of mind says France. ?Enter the room with your head up and shoulders back. Have a firm handshake, but not vice-like. Say your first name, pause, first name again and surname.?
Have an ice-breaker ready, advises Gornitzki. ?Perhaps talk about the event you are attending. Do not launch straight into who you are and what you do, let the conversation unfold. Avoid the topics of politics, religion and money,? she says. And France adds that it pays to perfect your ?elevator pitch? ? if you had just a few seconds to describe what you do, could you do it in a succinct and inspiring way?
?What stops us from networking?? asks France. ?Being out of our comfort zone ? our own limiting beliefs and negative gremlins. The fact that we can?t be bothered, other commitments and a lack of confidence. We have three main fears: dying, networking and dying while networking,? she jokes.
The characteristics of a good networker are being confident, brave, courteous, a good listener, kind, approachable, smiling, thoughtful and friendly, she says. People like people who are like them. Match and mirror their language and their actions, something that is known as pacing, elaborates France.
?Steer away from checking mobile devices in company. People obsess over them, but it isn?t polite. Do not drink too much. We live in a country where people like to drink but remember you are representing your company, it?s not a Friday night out with friends,? warns Gornitzki.
?Do not chew gum, make sure you are dressed appropriately for the function and be careful with food so that you are not eating and talking at the same time. It may sound basic, but these are things that people get wrong,? she adds.
It?s also important to know how to listen. Not everyone you meet will be a valuable contact, but if you think they might be then exchange contact details and if you say you are going to follow up then do so.
Networking has many advantages, from business development to self-development, so use it to your advantage says France, concluding: ?There are three types of assistants: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen and those who wonder what happened.?
You, me and EUMA
Still unsure about networking? There are plenty of organisations to give you a head start, such as the ready-made network of European Management Assistants (EUMA)
EUMA has existed as a network for PAs, run by PAs, since 1974. It now has more than 1,400 members and operates across 26 different countries. If there is not a group in your region you can become an individual member of this unique network.
The benefits of this non-profit organisation are obvious: not only do you get to meet lots of other people in your profession, but you can share best practice, stay on top of trends and develop your career. EUMA works on both an international and country basis, allowing informal opportunities to network within each regional group every six to eight weeks, alongside the two annual events of an international conference and European training day.
The conference involves one or two days of discussions, interactive workshops, a trade fair, excellent networking opportunities and some more relaxed socialising and cultural experiences. The day after the conference is dedicated to the Annual General Meeting, to which all members are invited. Conferences have been held in major cities across the globe, from Helsinki to Athens, Madrid to Limassol. Each region goes all out in emphasising local highlights for visiting delegates to enjoy in between the talks and workshops.
EUMA has also introduced the National Training Day to emphasise its focus on development: the focus of the training for each year is chosen at the preceding AGM. Previous issues tackled include Cross-generation Communication in the Workplace and Project Management, and a certificate is given to all attendees.
Alongside the EUMA conference and training, the organisation partners with other PA-centric events, such as the Office Show and Carrefour des Assistantes, to provide access and discounted entry to further exhibitions and conferences. Each country?s group has its own webpage and internal partners that will provide the same, so that the scope goes much further than the organisation itself.
EUMA is primarily about giving PAs a voice and changing the international perception of the role through the strength of the network. Members are encouraged to be as active as possible, not only by attending conferences, but by taking on a position in their local group as a committee member, speaking at or chairing a conference, and bring real influence to bear over the future of the sessions and training they incorporate.
