Something you probably haven’t given much thought to if your vehicle is humming down the road as you expect. This isn’t a story about vehicle maintenance but about management and morale.
Have you ever considered how your team is similar to a vehicle?
- Your team requires a reliable source of energy to propel it forward – the Manager/Leader
- Your team requires a navigator to keep the destination in sight and find efficient ways around detours to keep the project on track
- Your team requires all four wheels to move in the same direction to ensure forward movement toward the goal
But what happens when one of the wheels on your team goes flat?
Attrition. Staffing Shortage. Career Redirection. Illness.
Any number of reasons can unexpectedly put your team on the side of the road, seemingly stranded. Unless, of course, you have given proper attention to maintaining the spare tire in the trunk. Spare tire in the trunk, you ask?
The spare tire is that employee at your organization who is often called upon to “fill in the gaps” when a role is vacated, takes on an additional workload to cover an illness or vacation, or is a reliable resource to balance heavy workloads. They are the Emergency Response Team of one – The Executive Assistant. Whether this employee holds the title of Executive Assistant or not, their tool belt has knowledge and skills in technology, conflict mediation, time management, event coordination, sensitivity to delays and decisions’ economic impact, and many more.
How can we keep this employee motivated and ready to get the team off the side of the road and onward to the destination? Let’s consider the recommended steps for maintaining a spare tire and see how those principles can be applied to have the Emergency Response Team of one, motivated, nurtured, and road-ready at a moment’s notice.
- Check Pressure Monthly
The tire experts know that it’s easy to remember the four tires on the road, but the spare is out of sight, out of mind. In winter months, gasses compress, and tire pressures can go down. In the summer months, pressures expand.
Similarly, it’s common to maintain engagement with the core team to ensure communications are open and morale is high when operations are running smoothly. I challenge you to consider the employee who is always on call, ready to jump in. Are they included in strategy meetings so they maintain knowledge of a project they need when asked to step in? Are they included in social interactions to keep the relationship and nurture a cooperative alliance when they are called upon to get the team off the side of the road? How is their morale? Are they overwhelmed in their standard duties? Are they navigating a personal crisis for which they need understanding and a little support themselves? How often do they hear “Good morning” or “Thank you”?
- Check the spare tire with the others
When you check in on the core team members, include the spare tire as a matter of habit. They ARE a team member; give them the same respect and attention as the rest of the core team.
- Check the tread – checking the tire itself is sufficient for the job
Ensure your “spare tire” is afforded the same training opportunities as the core team members. Doing so contributes to their personal growth and maintains the sharpness they need to step in to cover an emergency or balance out the load.
- Tire Rotation
Vehicles with a full-size spare should include the spare in the routine tire rotation. Likewise, include your organization’s “spare tire” in a standard rotation of shadowing different roles. They will be better equipped to offer balance to the team no matter which position they are appointed. When your “spare tire” is rotated, they are afforded the opportunity to see where the tires meet the road from a variety of perspectives. When called upon to keep the team moving forward, they have experienced what is required to keep the project moving forward from multiple points of view.
- The Right Jack
Make sure the jack is the proper one to lift the car. Ensure that your “spare tire” is given the proper tools for the job. If they are left out of training or equipment upgrades, they are less prepared to get the car out of the ditch when called upon.
In conclusion, maintaining the “spare tire” at your organization is simply a matter of seeing them as a part of the moving parts of your organization and giving them the care and respect they deserve.
When your team finds themselves stranded on the side of the road, you don’t want to find yourself unloading all the passengers and presentation materials, with 30 minutes from the big sale to find that the last tool that would carry you over the finish line to success has degraded from neglect in the dark, dusty trunk.
Take your spare tire out to lunch today. Check their pressure and tread. Schedule a rotation plan and set them up for success. Your organization depends on it!
Patrice Hoerster, amateur writer, and chalk artist. Seasoned Administrative Professional writing to share the joys and challenges of the exciting and variety of experiences found in the journey of the administrative profession. My motto is,”There is always a way to ‘yes’, you just have to find it.” I find joy in shining a light on the path to assist others along the way.
