As an EA, one of your core responsibilities is to manage your executive’s calendar. What do you do when an executive won’t turn over control of their calendar? You are feeling frustrated and that you’re failing in one of your primary responsibilities. In this blog post, I’ll discuss some strategies to manage the situation and keep your leader organized.
At the heart of this issue is trust: they’ve been burned by a bad EA in the past, you haven’t earned their trust yet or they can’t trust anyone (aka, The Control Freak). You need to find out what you’re dealing with then find solutions together.
Communicate Clearly
The first step in managing a situation where your executive won’t give up control of their calendar is to communicate clearly. At your next sync meeting, discuss your concerns and provide them with feedback on how the situation is affecting your ability to do your job effectively. Your leader’s reputation reflects on you and vice versa.
Be specific about the challenges you are facing and use concrete examples to illustrate your points. How many meetings have they missed because you were not allowed to reschedule conflicts proactively? What comments have you received from the team because they can’t count on your leader to attend meetings? How many hours did the team spend preparing for these missed meetings?
Make it clear that the purpose of you managing their calendar is to work together and develop a system that will help them work more effectively and regain the trust of the team. Come prepared with solutions. Don’t just whine about it. Have a plan and be prepared to present it.
Find Common Ground
Once you’ve communicated your concerns, it’s essential to find common ground with your executive. Ask them what is preventing them from turning over their calendar to you. Work together to create a mechanism that accommodates both of your needs.
It’s important to approach the situation with a collaborative mindset and be willing to compromise. You may need to adjust your suggestions to accommodate their priorities, but in return, they should be willing to do the same for you. You’re a team of two and need to develop your working style. It may take time but persistence will pay off.
For example, I worked with a leader who gave me control of his calendar but he asked that I give him a 5 minute warning before every meeting. He was in a new, more complex role and I had 3 other leaders to support. It took us a few weeks to develop a new system. Over time, we knocked the 5 minute warnings down to the very important meetings so I didn’t have to jump up every 30 – 60 minutes and tell him to go to his next meeting.
Seek Support from other EAs
If you’ve tried several methods and failed, seek support from other EAs. Ask how they managed to get control of their executive’s calendar. We’ve all been there. EAs are happy to provide guidance, tips or suggestions you hadn’t considered.
The last resort
If you have done your best and I mean you have TRIED IT ALL and still can’t get your executive to turn over their calendar, then it’s time to move on. Some leaders never give up control. That is on them for not fully appreciating the value you provide. Chances are, you are facing other barriers with this executive. You’re probably not the first EA to beat their skull against this wall.
By staying in a frustrating role, your performance, attitude and reputation will suffer. Take your time finding your next role if you must. You have now learned a variety of calendar management techniques, ways to earn trust with your executive and have questions to ask in future job interviews.
Managing a situation where an executive won’t hand over management of their calendar can be challenging, but is not impossible. By communicating clearly, finding common ground, being creative, and seeking support from other EAs, you can earn your leader’s trust. As a by-product, you’ll also earn respect from their team and the other EAs you work with. Remember, it’s essential to approach the situation with a positive mindset and be willing to work together to find a solution that fits both of your needs.
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