Technology tool or an executive assistant? If you’ve ever found yourself in this position, which did you choose? I’ve encountered many people who believe that automation and technology tools can replace the need for an executive assistant. However, there are a few things to consider before making that decision.
The Pattern
While automation and technology tools are helpful, someone still has to manage them. Even automation requires human input to work, which often means you become the person responsible for handling it. There’s also the time involved in learning the tool, setting it up, and making sure it continues to work as expected on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. When you are the one responsible, it keeps you in the administrative weeds.
The Missing Piece
Here’s the thing: most people don’t take into account what’s involved in managing a technology tool or automation. This is the missing piece: having someone who can take ownership of it for you so that you’re not spending your time managing workflows and tools. If you’re unsure where to begin, I share a simple starting point in What to Delegate First When You Don’t Know Where to Start.
What Changes with Ownership
When an executive assistant manages your workflows and technology tools, that responsibility is no longer on your plate. This allows you to spend your time on other areas of your business and removes the stress of having to learn and manage new tools. The work continues to move forward without your constant input and direction.
More tools aren’t the answer, and they don’t necessarily save you money in the long run. Strong executive assistant support saves you time and removes the burden of having to learn and manage new systems.
If you’ve been adding tools but still feel like everything runs through you, it may not be a tool issue; it may be an ownership issue. The goal isn’t to have more systems in place; it’s to have the right support managing them. If you’re unsure what that could look like in your business, let’s have a conversation. We can help you identify where work is still sitting with you and what can be handed off so you’re no longer in the middle of everything.
