Every year, Administrative Professionals Day rolls around with flowers, cards, and kind words—and while those gestures are appreciated, they’re not always enough. Because behind every smoothly running office, every last-minute miracle, and every calm-in-the-storm moment, an administrative professional is making it all happen. And this year, I want to say something bold: stop being humble.
Yes, you heard me right. Humility has its place, but too often, administrative professionals downplay their role, deflect praise, or apologize for taking up space. It’s time to stop. You are not “just” an admin. You are not “behind the scenes.” You are at the heart of it all.
You’re not support—you’re strategic.
Let’s redefine the word “support.” You’re not simply there to assist others with their work. You make their work possible. You manage time, logistics, relationships, crises, and details. You anticipate needs before others even articulate them. That isn’t support—it’s strategy. It’s foresight. It’s leadership in action.
You bring emotional intelligence, discretion, and problem-solving to the table. You know which fires to put out and which to let burn a little longer. You protect your executive’s time, their reputation, and often, their sanity. That’s not a minor role. That’s powerful.
Now that I’ve said that, and I’m hopeful that many of you agree, let me point out a pet peeve I hear when I’m speaking about being strategic. I’ve been guilty, and I guess many here are, too.
We are too polite. That sounds strange, but our politeness isn’t heard as being polite.
How often have you said something like, “Sorry to bother you…” when following up on a task you were asked to manage? How often have you dismissed a compliment with, “Oh, it was nothing,” when you pulled off a tight deadline or managed a high-stress situation gracefully?
Stop apologizing for doing your job well. Stop thinking you need to dismiss the compliment or be overly polite. Stop shrinking your accomplishments to make others more comfortable. Pride in your work is not arrogance—it’s accuracy.
This Administrative Professionals Day, I challenge you to own your value. Speak it, show it, and stand tall in it. Show confidence in your skills and pride in what you do.
Confidence doesn’t mean boasting or telling everyone how great you are. It means knowing your worth and not being afraid to say, “Thank you. Yes, I did that.” It means being clear about your contributions, advocating for your needs, and taking credit when credit is due.
I grew up in the 70s and 80s where it was drilled into us that if we worked hard and did good work, we would be rewarded with raises and promotions. For a very long time, I believed that to be 100% true, and I’ve learned that it is not universally true. If you’re like me and hope your success will be based on how hard you work and how good you are, here’s a painful truth you need to hear: it doesn’t always. People are busy (and too busy to worry about what you are doing). They don’t always notice what’s not on fire, and you often prevent the fire from ever starting in the first place.
That’s why confidence—and a little self-promotion—is not only helpful, it’s necessary.
You’ve worked hard to build your skills. You’ve adapted, evolved, and grown in a constantly changing world. I’m continually talking about how much has changed in this profession. It seems to change daily, yet you keep up with all the tech changes, office politics, and personalities. And now, you have a responsibility to be more visible. You don’t need to be more visible just for you (but I suggest that most of us need to step out of the shadows), but instead, be a role model for the next generation of administrative professionals coming up behind you.
They’re watching to see how to be successful in this role. Show them it’s okay to speak up, take credit, and lead from wherever you sit. Show them what pride looks like in action.
My hope for 2025 is that you don’t wait for someone else to celebrate you with the same old appreciation like flowers, lunch, or a shout-out in a meeting, but instead, celebrate yourself. Reflect on how far you’ve come. Recognize the value you add every single day. Walk into your workplace with your head high and your shoulders back. You earned your place—not because of luck, not because you’re nice, but because you’re skilled, smart, and strategic.
You don’t need to apologize.
You don’t need to be humble.
You need to be proud.
Happy Administrative Professionals Day. Own it. You deserve it.
Article written by Rhonda Scharf and not by artificial intelligence.
