During more than one conversation over the January period this year with a few friends, some already established in the PA profession and some transitioning into it, we discussed the resources available to us outside of work and in turn how important those resources have been in our own personal progression. These resources ranged from small networking groups to apps for ‘on the go’ learning and as expected, we all had a different approach when it came to what worked for us best.
I have always been a ferocious reader and should I one day interview myself (erm…) in the PA Diaries, one of five my handbag essentials will always be a book. Buying a Kindle has never really appealed to me and so no matter how heavy a hard back copy of Bleak House is or how large the Encyclopedia may be, you will probably find it in my bag. One very recent edition to my arm candy in the literature department and one which will not be going anywhere fast, is the A-Z Pearls of Wisdom for Executive PAs by the fantastically talented and inspiring Lindsay Taylor.
‘…Lindsay specialises in delivering training and coaching to PAs, EAs, Secretaries and Admin Professionals.’
As a Director of Your Excellency Ltd, a UK based training and coaching organisation, Lindsay specialises in delivering training and coaching to PAs, EAs, Secretaries and Admin Professionals. Her background is as an Assistant with over ten years in organisations based in the UK and USA at CEO level. Through her experience she is able to understand the diverse range of skills that are required of an excellent PA and the day to day challenges that we are all faced with. From a PAs perspective, Lindsay really is a role model and if you’re lucky enough, you may have the opportunity to one day be mentored or coached by her however until then, getting your mitts on this book is high on my recommendations list.
Pearls of wisdom is the perfect way to describe the approach that Lindsay has taken in creating this brilliantly easy to read yet highly informative book. Each chapter is trade marked with a word corresponding to the order of the alphabet beginning with A for ‘Assertiveness’ and continuing throughout with, for example, J for ‘Juggling’ and ending with Z for ‘Zealous; you get the gist! Easy to understand, easy to digest and easy to go back to again and again, this book is an absolute life changer and for £12.99 you really cannot go wrong!
‘…if you’re lucky enough, you may have the opportunity to one day be mentored or coached by her however until then, getting your mitts on this book is high on my recommendations list.’
The phrase pearls of wisdom as per the book’s title extends further in this publication than just Lindsays own writing and also applies to the lovely little quotes that you will find at the end of each chapter adding a quirky edge to the entire experience you will find yourself submersed in as you turn each page. Words of wisdom from well-known members of society past and present, all relevant of course to the word championing the phase you’re at in the book. My favourite has to be ”You have the brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose” – Dr Seuss, appearing at the very end of ‘N is for … Neuro Linguistic Programming’ aka NLP being a very interesting topic and one which Lindsay is trained as a practitioner in.
‘Whether you’re a newbie to the profession or a seasoned pro, there is something for everyone in the A-Z Pearls of Wisdom’
For many of us the idea of taking time out to read can sometimes be a difficult one due to our time constraints however you should feel rest assured that Lindsay has exercised her skills in writing short and concise chapters without compromising the quality of the material produced and more importantly, the supreme talent she has for covering what is only relevant without the jibber jabber you may have come to expect from other similar books. She writes with passion, personality, wit and with a wonderful outlook on every aspect of being a PA making this a must have, bible like book for anyone in an admin role.
Whether you’re a newbie to the profession or a seasoned pro, there is something for everyone in the A-Z Pearls of Wisdom for Executive PAs (AKA now my secret weapon!) and I would personally like to thank Lindsay for putting her time and effort into something which clearly shows her committment to us all in making us the best we can be as individuals. The only negative? I can’t seem to put it down!!
Lot’s of love,
Jess x
You can purchase the A-Z Pearls of Wisdom for Executive PAs from Amazon here