So you've just been handed the administrative reins to an office. Or maybe you're a wily veteran and your duties include a little bit of everything, from managing the budget to making travel reservations and arranging catering. Whatever your experience and the scope of your duties, there is one thing that all office managers need:
A good psychiatrist
Or so says an office manager working in Boston. Though tongue–in–cheek, her comment grows from real experience: in most offices, all stress converges on the office manager. It rises from below and crashes down from above.
How can you cope? Begin by imagining that you're packing a backpack, one that can only fit the essential items of office management. What would they be?
The ability to deal with difficult people
This is a big one. How many times, after all, have you had to handle irate phone calls or step in to referee between two squabbling employees?
"You've definitely got to have patience," says Candy Mixter, a 30–year veteran of office management. Mixter, who works with senior executives, stresses the importance of answering difficult people with maturity instead of passive aggressiveness. "Count to ten," she says. "And remember to treat everyone, the difficult and the easy–going ones, the same."
However difficult the behavior of your boss or colleague, just remember that venting is best done in moments of calm (if you're setting down ground rules with your boss, for instance) or during breaks or after work with your friends. Speaking of which, you'll also need:
A network of friends
A buddy system, either at work or, if you're in a small office, with OMs at other offices, will contribute to both your emotional and professional health. If you have close friends at the office, Candy Mixter suggests taking snack or walking breaks with them.
Know what you're worth
Of course, you and your friends know that your worth can't be measured by money alone. But you should still make sure that you're being paid fairly. What should an office manager working in your part of the country make? Go to Salary.com and find out. If you find that you're at the top of your field in salary, then one way to negotiate a raise is to...
Expand your skills
It seems like every time we turn around there's another gadget that promises to make our lives easier, but instead succeeds in complicating it.
But some of these gadgets — especially new software applications — are job opportunities in disguise. PowerPoint, accounting software, and basic programming languages are relatively easy to learn. Once you get beyond the resistance to acquiring them, new skills training can not only be painless, but fun.
The great part is that you may be able to get your current employer to foot the bill. Employers have come to realize that it's better to pay for employee training than to risk burnout and, eventually, a hasty departure for greener pastures. So don't be bashful, just ask.
While learning new skills is fun, you also have to remember to fill your survival kit with the less exotic tools of the office–manager trade. For instance, you'll always have the need for:
Courier and express services
As your business makes contact with customers and vendors — both in the immediate area and across the globe — you'll need to send documents and packages quickly. Courier services deliver documents, packages, and gifts to nearby customers and vendors. To find a reliable courier, ask friends and counterparts at other businesses.
I don't know about you, but all this delivery talk is making me hungry. Speaking of which, you'll need to know the name of...
A few good caterers
Even if you don't anticipate needing a caterer in the near future, it's not a bad idea to know the name of two to three good ones. Ask your friends for local referrals and, as Sharon Billings of Corcoran Havlin Insurance in Boston recommends, have a few upscale and downscale options at the ready. Also have at least one for different kinds of foods, from simple sandwiches and breakfast to more elegant, hot meals.
Restaurant referrals
When out–of–town guests or clients come for a meeting, it's always kind to protect them from a sub–par meal. If you've been living near where you work for some time, then you probably already have a list of favorites. If so, store them under "R" in your Rolodex, along with driving instructions. To print up driving instructions on demand, just plug the restaurant address into Mapquest.
New to the area where you work? Or live in a big city where visitors may want to venture to faraway neighborhoods and other places outside your area of dining expertise? Try Zagat's for recommendations and customer ratings.
