Basic Skill for Secretary/Personal Assistance - Keeping Secret

"Secretary" from the word "Secret", therefore one of the important skill of secretary is keeping a secret.
Nowadays,  secretarial job known as Personal Assistance which means that this skill also still valid.

In my professional life when I am doing the secretarial job, I proud because I am the one who will know about my boss personal & professional life even the team under my boss.

One of my experience was when 1 of the team was being promoted to be a manager which this person was having close relationship with me. I already had the information however I keep this information from her. When she received  the payslip with the additional salary, she ask me and I told her to ask the boss. She surprised that she got promoted when she was being told by the boss.
When she asked me why I didn't told her, I ask her how she feel if the news come from me and not from the boss, she said the impact will be different.
From that experience I could say that it is matter who will deliver the news. The impact from the boss deliver the news compare to me who only just chit chat and inform her that she got promoted is totally different.

In my other experience, I have the experience, which the information about the promotion leak to the person by one of the secretary while this information was not confirmed yet. Suddenly the planning changed and the person who was being promoted is not him/her. The person asked to the boss why not him/her while he/she already have the high expectation.
We can imagine how disappointed for the person and it will impact to the performance or attrition.

This is only small sample.... which impact to the person... can you imagine if this is company top secret and the secretary/PA told friends in the chit chat.

For me this is one of the important skill for the secretary/PA....

However sometimes in your relationship, some "want to know" friends will ask the secretary about some information especially on the people arrangement... How to handle this?

This is my tips based on my experience.

I always answer the question with the following answer :

For the close friends ..... "I am your friend but on this matter, sorry, I could not answer your question... because this is my job and I have to be a professional on this

For other... "Eventhough I could answer your question but this is not my position to answer the question"

This tips are work because they will respect me.... and one day when they are being your boss they could trust on you. We never know what is the future, perhaps one day your friend will be your boss :)

This skill is one of the skill which very useful when I am handling the role as the Benefit Specialist. I am the only one in my company who had the access for all salary review including my boss at that time. My boss report to a boss outside Indonesia therefore I am the one who knows his salary increase proposal. When my boss asked me to give him the information, I said to him, I will inform his boss to inform him the amount and I will not inform him about this information.

I feel that this skill based on my practice when I am doing my secretarial job therefore I could play this role eventhough the person is higher than me.

Because when a Secretary/Personal Assistant is not have this skill, this means is he/she is not suitable for this job.

One of the reason I could sit in my position now because this skill and for me when I could not do this skill anymore it means jeopardize my job.

Friendship

<p><p>Several years ago when BBM booming, I initiate a group of BBM Group with several friends in my department at the office.<br>
Starting with gossipping until we have several times visit to the house of several of us and now we feel that we are the family. Eventhogh some of us has left the company, some of them being promoted (one of them is my big boss now ��), we still maintain our group with move to WAG and we willl meet up every several months.</p>

<p>I think that people need somebody or some friends other than your spouse or family so you will have social live and you will have balance life between your job, your familu and your social friends.</p>

In the digital era like now is rare to have this kind of friendship which you could tease, gossiping, give input with no hard feeling… and I feel blessed that I have that kind of friendship…. Don’t care people think that it is old generation however if you already grown old you would feel that you need this kind of friendship…. that’s why many reunion being held.
And when you meet up you could relieve your workload  for the time being and only laugh, “curhat” and also give advise….

Soooo try to find your friendship…..  it will balance your load at work and family life… this is another me time needed….</p>