About the author Acknowledgements 1. Relationship management Understand yourself before you try to understand others What the boss-assistant relationship means to your health and well-being Image, perception and first impressions Managing your state of mind The handshake Professional image The beginning of a business relationship What is expected of each other: setting down the parameters Working styles Constant communication Assumptions Be proactive, anticipate needs, be prepared and exceed expectations Be accountable: take pride in a high standard of work Empathy Honesty and integrity Trust Office politics How to manage your boss 2. Communication skills Body language Visual, auditory and kinesthetic Matching and mirroring (reflecting) Eye contact Use of space The "influential" right side Hands Posture How to influence the "chemistry" between you and your boss E-mail communication Listening skills Questioning skills Gossip Telephone etiquette Understanding and communicating with different cultures 3. Confidence, self-belief and goal setting What is confidence? The feeling of confidence Act as if you are confident Think positive thoughts Focus on your strengths and boost your confidence Self-esteem, self-awareness and self-belief Conscious and subconscious minds Internal "negative gremlins" and internal "positive coach" Fear Tools to change/eliminate negative gremlin voices The law of attraction The power of experiential learning Continual learning Methods of learning Appraisals and feedback Tips on how to receive constructive criticism Personal development plan (PDP) Goal setting Steps to help you achieve your goals 4. Dealing with difficult people and managing conflict A problem-solving technique Assertiveness Ground rules for discussions Strategies to help you deal with conflict and difficult characteristics of bosses Change the way you react by using affirmations E-mail rage Real-life case studies on how to deal with difficult bosses/conflict Different types of management style 5. Time, organizing and stress management Time/task management Prioritizing the workload "Time thieves" Organizational skills Top tips for managing deadlines Top 10 ways to save time dealing with e-mail Stress management Time management and lowering stress levels Advice on stress from around the world 6. Organizing meetings and events Before the meeting: prepare and plan! During the meeting/event After the meeting: evaluate 7. Presentations Exercises to reduce tension Principles for preparing your presentation During the presentation Ending the presentation 8.

Ergonomics: your health and safety The work station A tidy desk leads to a tidy mind Principles of posture Ergonomic health breaks 9. Networking What is networking? The benefits of networking Where to network The secrets of good networking Remembering people''s names Some general points What to talk about while networking 10. A chapter to share with your boss Communication What bosses should know to work effectively with their assistants The law of expectations: communicate your expectations clearly How to motivate your assistant Focus on the development of your assistant 11. Confident minute-taking Definition Personal benefits of taking the minutes Preparation During the meeting After the meeting 12. Harnessing the power of social media The first step to using social media is to sign up Social media time management Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Other useful tools Apps What you can use social media for 13. The future of the assistant The future of the personal assistant/executive assistant/secretary Appendices Personal strengths and assessment form Personal development plan (PDP) Preferred communication style Pro forma for goal setting Problem-solving master Positive adjectives/action verbs Index.