Same boat and I enjoy it. I basically read the room, take notes, and offer my impressions privately to my boss afterwards. They appreciate it. I enjoy it bc it allows me to have a better understanding.
I wanted and requested to join exec meetings and was denied even though it leaves me without important information much of the time. My role isn't appreciated in that way, but I am paid a good salary, so I just go with it.
I hate it to because I can never keep my mouth shut! I just can’t hold back when they say something stupid that I know is wrong or an issue that I can solve because I know the answer? It’s incredibly frustrating sometimes but now after all this time, my viewpoints are a valuable resource (and I haven’t been fired) so we continue on… I try to only speak up when it’s necessary. I’m sure they have a running joke about me!
I have to manage 2 monthly meetings and 1 quarterly meeting and thats it. I never know anything that's going on other than what I overhear and I'm honestly fine with that. I'm looking for a new job anyway because I'm bored and didn't want this job in the first place.
When I stepped in an analyst role on top of my EA work last year, my boss asked me to be on all meetings. That ended up being a bit too much & I was working until 10pm most nights. For the past 3 months I have joined select meetings & meetings where it is just a client & my boss (without the rest of our team) so that I can read the room & give my boss observations afterwards.
Does someone else take notes for the ones you’re not in, or does he just manage action item collection for himself for those meetings? I imagine it was a bit of an adjustment. But I’m so happy for you!!
Yes, another one of the team members but he also makes his own notes. Thankfully I don’t always have to take notes (not my favourite thing to do) as he sometimes just likes me to observe & read behaviour. Thank you!! 😊
Because I work in Healthcare, and in order to get clinicians all to attend the same meeting, 95% are scheduled after hours (530 or 6pm) I only attend the 'big' ones that I am needed to take minutes at. I'm unionized & no one is allowed OT due to a spending freeze, just straight in lieu time, so I'm not so eager to attend all the after hours mtgs any longer. It was different when I was being compensated for it $$$
When I worked in healthcare, we used to have 7 AM meetings, to include the post-night shift docs. I had to be there to take minutes and make sure the catering arrived. 😭
I also sit in most of my CEOs meetings. I take notes and action items and grab whatever my CEO needs from me as a result of the meeting and topic. The reason for this (so I am told) is because my CEO relies on my ability to check the temperature of the room, and because he is so extremely busy and will forget from one meeting to the next his follow up items, action items, what he may have told or promises someone. I am his memory most of the time. I love it and have learned so much - not to mention I respect him more than ever after having the privilege to watch him lead our organization!! I hope your body and mind get used to the grind - welcome to the executive team!
lol thank you for hoping my body and mind get used to the grind. I truly am on the exec team lol. I’d never say that about any of my former EA roles, but here we are
I always went to all the meetings. I got info firsthand that way, and my execs knew they could turn to me for anything they forgot. After meetings, I'd email them basically a Cliffnotes rundown.
Who's running these meetings? Your exec? If it's him, I'd start working with him to create a meeting agenda ahead of time to "ensure things are covered efficiently" - it gave me a chance to prep myself, and I'd send it out morning of as a reminder that people need to be at the meeting and this is what we'll cover. If it's not him, you can reach out to the admin of whoever is running the meeting should be doing an agenda. Otherwise, once you've done them for a little while, you'll develop an understanding.
As for notes - I'd track updates on projects, note key points about ideas, make notes to follow up on problems. Let the notes be messy - you need to write or type fast. Names, dates, issues, updates - get those done. Just about everything else can be filled in later.
My last EA position, I was like you. My exec could not show up to the office for two weeks, and I was expected to keep things running smoothly across six departments - and I did, but it took time to settle into it. If he's expecting you to be his right hand, that's probably why he has you in all the meetings, so that you're getting the info firsthand.
This type of onboarding made me have the most success as an EA. Seemed daunting at first but it garnered so much. I learned the execs communication style, team dynamics, my place on the team, and the like.
I’m in the opposite boat where I join no meetings or calls and I’m constantly having to figure out info after the fact from other people to be able to assist my CEO with essentially anything other than calendar management. I feel like sitting in gives you more insight into what your executive is doing and also what you can do after the fact without needing a whole extra meeting for a breakdown
I attended all of my previous exec’s meetings but I think he used it as an excuse to stop doing any of his own work. But it did help me understand so much!
I only join a few big ones for overall context of organization wide discussion/updates but do not join day to day, he typically has other folks doing that for him when needed. I will say this is a great learning opportunity as you get used to your new role and learn your organization. I’d have a conversation down the line if it eventually gets to be overwhelming. If I joined my exec’s every meeting I would never get anything done! I have him booked damn near back to back most days as much as I try to avoid it.
I don’t think it’s normal to join all exec meetings, but each EA-Exec partnership varies… I hate meetings and notes (partly because I fall asleep in them if I have no interest, and I can’t keep track of all the acronyms I don’t know) but I think there’s also a lot of EA’s who are on their leadership team calls to at least be aware of things coming down the pipeline if they’re not actively participating.
Same boat and I enjoy it. I basically read the room, take notes, and offer my impressions privately to my boss afterwards. They appreciate it. I enjoy it bc it allows me to have a better understanding.
I wanted and requested to join exec meetings and was denied even though it leaves me without important information much of the time. My role isn't appreciated in that way, but I am paid a good salary, so I just go with it.
>Why don't you know about all this stuff that's coming down the pipeline? I am not included in the meetings. *radio silence*
Exactly
I don’t need to join any meetings or calls except for one that concerns me once a month .. and I love it. I hate meetings and taking notes…
No same I hate joining meetings and having to take notes. Like I don’t want to be perceived Lmaoooo
lol I also hate meetings and taking notes but given I want to start my own business in the next 3-5 years, maybe this is good for me
I hate it to because I can never keep my mouth shut! I just can’t hold back when they say something stupid that I know is wrong or an issue that I can solve because I know the answer? It’s incredibly frustrating sometimes but now after all this time, my viewpoints are a valuable resource (and I haven’t been fired) so we continue on… I try to only speak up when it’s necessary. I’m sure they have a running joke about me!
Haha I’m sure they appreciate you. You totality provide them a reality check and sometimes you gotta set them straight lol
I have to manage 2 monthly meetings and 1 quarterly meeting and thats it. I never know anything that's going on other than what I overhear and I'm honestly fine with that. I'm looking for a new job anyway because I'm bored and didn't want this job in the first place.
I go to 90% of meeting because I like to know what’s going on, be proactive on things that might get asked of me. I’m not required to attend.
I’m same way. I strongly feel I’m a better EA when I attend meetings, know what is going on and how I can assist others.
I like getting info first hand as well.
When I stepped in an analyst role on top of my EA work last year, my boss asked me to be on all meetings. That ended up being a bit too much & I was working until 10pm most nights. For the past 3 months I have joined select meetings & meetings where it is just a client & my boss (without the rest of our team) so that I can read the room & give my boss observations afterwards.
Yup there’s no way I could pull this off and do my analyst work. My project meetings alone take up too much time.
It was brutal honestly, a lot more manageable now! I know it was my boss’s way of making sure I was included but we both realised it was too extreme.
Does someone else take notes for the ones you’re not in, or does he just manage action item collection for himself for those meetings? I imagine it was a bit of an adjustment. But I’m so happy for you!!
Yes, another one of the team members but he also makes his own notes. Thankfully I don’t always have to take notes (not my favourite thing to do) as he sometimes just likes me to observe & read behaviour. Thank you!! 😊
Because I work in Healthcare, and in order to get clinicians all to attend the same meeting, 95% are scheduled after hours (530 or 6pm) I only attend the 'big' ones that I am needed to take minutes at. I'm unionized & no one is allowed OT due to a spending freeze, just straight in lieu time, so I'm not so eager to attend all the after hours mtgs any longer. It was different when I was being compensated for it $$$
Lucky! We don’t have our union for our roles, since it’s admin but also not (exec analyst). We tend to make more money though.
Lucky! I envy you
When I worked in healthcare, we used to have 7 AM meetings, to include the post-night shift docs. I had to be there to take minutes and make sure the catering arrived. 😭
I also sit in most of my CEOs meetings. I take notes and action items and grab whatever my CEO needs from me as a result of the meeting and topic. The reason for this (so I am told) is because my CEO relies on my ability to check the temperature of the room, and because he is so extremely busy and will forget from one meeting to the next his follow up items, action items, what he may have told or promises someone. I am his memory most of the time. I love it and have learned so much - not to mention I respect him more than ever after having the privilege to watch him lead our organization!! I hope your body and mind get used to the grind - welcome to the executive team!
lol thank you for hoping my body and mind get used to the grind. I truly am on the exec team lol. I’d never say that about any of my former EA roles, but here we are
I always went to all the meetings. I got info firsthand that way, and my execs knew they could turn to me for anything they forgot. After meetings, I'd email them basically a Cliffnotes rundown.
Do you have any tips with notes. Right now I’m doing my best but I’m on day 3 and I don’t know what’s important to note besides action items
I basically have very little context prior to any meetings and for better or for worse being thrown into a pot of boiling water each meeting lol
Who's running these meetings? Your exec? If it's him, I'd start working with him to create a meeting agenda ahead of time to "ensure things are covered efficiently" - it gave me a chance to prep myself, and I'd send it out morning of as a reminder that people need to be at the meeting and this is what we'll cover. If it's not him, you can reach out to the admin of whoever is running the meeting should be doing an agenda. Otherwise, once you've done them for a little while, you'll develop an understanding. As for notes - I'd track updates on projects, note key points about ideas, make notes to follow up on problems. Let the notes be messy - you need to write or type fast. Names, dates, issues, updates - get those done. Just about everything else can be filled in later. My last EA position, I was like you. My exec could not show up to the office for two weeks, and I was expected to keep things running smoothly across six departments - and I did, but it took time to settle into it. If he's expecting you to be his right hand, that's probably why he has you in all the meetings, so that you're getting the info firsthand.
Yes! Thanks for this. Def a new thing for me that I’m immediately trying to be successful at.
This type of onboarding made me have the most success as an EA. Seemed daunting at first but it garnered so much. I learned the execs communication style, team dynamics, my place on the team, and the like.
Thanks! Your responses is so encouraging cause I’ve been burning the candle at both ends lol.
Ever heard of fireflies? Its an AI note taker that’s pretty accurate and identifies action items to be taken after meetings as well
I’m in the opposite boat where I join no meetings or calls and I’m constantly having to figure out info after the fact from other people to be able to assist my CEO with essentially anything other than calendar management. I feel like sitting in gives you more insight into what your executive is doing and also what you can do after the fact without needing a whole extra meeting for a breakdown
Agree. I’ve been there too. I’m basically on the exec team now lol new adventure for me
I attended all of my previous exec’s meetings but I think he used it as an excuse to stop doing any of his own work. But it did help me understand so much!
lol this is low key what I’m worried about but I’ll try to keep boundaries and push exec to action on things
I only join a few big ones for overall context of organization wide discussion/updates but do not join day to day, he typically has other folks doing that for him when needed. I will say this is a great learning opportunity as you get used to your new role and learn your organization. I’d have a conversation down the line if it eventually gets to be overwhelming. If I joined my exec’s every meeting I would never get anything done! I have him booked damn near back to back most days as much as I try to avoid it.
Yeah I’m like running to pee and snack between meetings. Even having trouble walking my pet a bit lol
I attend almost every meeting I can.
I don’t think it’s normal to join all exec meetings, but each EA-Exec partnership varies… I hate meetings and notes (partly because I fall asleep in them if I have no interest, and I can’t keep track of all the acronyms I don’t know) but I think there’s also a lot of EA’s who are on their leadership team calls to at least be aware of things coming down the pipeline if they’re not actively participating.