Clark Was Drowning In The Details

Clark was drowning in the details

He was advised by many he needed an assistant. Not knowing where to start, he held off. With EA, Clark was able to gain clarity of what he wanted, what was possible, and what was his right hire.

Executive Backstory:

Clark’s story includes 14 years (and counting) with the same company, with a promotion to President 5-years ago. Clark would self describe as highly efficient and organized, yet, the thought of an administrative partner continued to take space in his thoughts. Long days and working on the weekends were becoming too frequent. While talking with a trusted friend, he expressed his challenges. At the end of the discussion that friend highly encouraged Clark to hire an executive assistant, leaning in he said ‘You need to call Hilani’. 

First Touch Point:

Open to exploring what life would be like with a strong administrative partner, Clark requested the introduction. During that first call with Hilani, Clark expressed his pain points: scheduling, meeting preparation, and email management, among other things, were keeping him highly distracted from bigger objectives. He talked about his vision of daily life with an exceptional admin and how this person would also make a positive contribution to company culture goals. After a long monologue, he asked, “Am I asking for too much?”

Hilani, “Your partner is out there. We need to identify the negotiable and non-negotiable traits, and build a rich job description that covers the work of today and the future. Identifying these elements and more will set me up for success.”

The Decision:

The 30-minute conversation was enlightening and productive. Clark left the call with homework, something he didn't expect, but embraced it as he knew it was a thoughtful contribution to the hiring objective. The homework included a leadership questionnaire and a short exercise to think deeply about the tasks that keep him on purpose and those that move him off purpose.

The Results:

One week later, the search kicked off. The search spanned over 7 weeks and interviews included five compelling candidates. The process included many learning moments and rich conversations with Hilani. After making an offer and onboarding his new administrative professional, Clark can report that his new partner is saving him time, helping bridge gaps, and moving light towards blind spots.