Reflecting on the Big Moves of Admin+ Month 2021
April. The magical time of year when we get to celebrate — we mean really celebrate — every Administrative and Operations professional around the globe.
And this year, we went extra hard, turning Administrative Professionals Day into an entire MONTH of exciting opportunities for global recognition, actionable learning, and spirited fun.
Has the last year made me dread someone saying, “Let’s hop on a Zoom to chat about this?” Absolutely. But the best part about Admin+ Month events were they all felt like a party. The confetti. The pump-up music. The inspirational tidbits from the Ninja Roundtable Discussion. All of it was so engaging and exciting!
— Ross Greenberg, Workplace Experience Associate
At OfficeNinjas, we’ve never felt one day of professional recognition was enough.
Back in 2012, we launched the first annual OfficeNinjas Admin Week. And every year since, we’ve joyfully packed more and more high-quality programming into those seven short days (the first OfficeNinjas Conference took place during Admin Week in 2019, for example).
That is, until we finally realized something: one week of jam-packed celebration isn’t long enough either. In bringing our Admin+ Month vision to life in 2021, we’re proud to have created more space for meaningful connection, deeper learning, and sustained joy.
The best part? We were able to offer Admin+ Month festivities completely FREE, by reinvesting revenue from our new membership-based career accelerator program OfficeNinjas Collective.
Celebrate the Global Community
Designing this year’s celebration as a completely virtual experience meant the entire Admin+ community could engage, learn, and connect LIVE throughout the month — no matter where in the world they’re planted.
Ninjas participated in Admin+ Month from a staggering 34 countries, representing dozens of Admin+ roles, including:
- Executive Assistants
- Administrative Assistants
- Office Managers
- People Ops / HR Pros
- Chief Administrative Officers
- Directors of Operations
- Chiefs of Staff
- Executive Business Partners
- Virtual Assistants
- Facilities Coordinators
- And many, many more
That kind of representation deserves a little fanfare! 🎉 We incorporated a digital Pop Confetti button into this year’s live events for moments just like THIS.
The confetti was amazing… I just sat there popping confetti and it put a smile on my face.
— Stacey Anker, Executive Assistant
Revisit the Actionable Learnings
We planned our Admin+ Month experiences to be interactive and actionable — where the learning and networking taking place could become mastered skills over time. But we also wanted to make sure Ninjas came away from our learning events with plans for immediate action.
Enter the HYPEBOOK…
Every great adventure needs a trusted guide. We created the 70-page HYPEBOOK to usher Admin+ Month All-Access Pass holders through all twelve of our events and experiences.
Not only a helpful info guide — the HYPEBOOK acted as a dedicated workspace for the introspection, analysis, and action-planning done in each event.
It made showing up more intentional; the learnings, more meaningful. And the best part? It contains powerful frameworks that can be used again and again.
A quick scroll through the Admin+ Month HYPEBOOK
April 5 // Admin+ Month Kickoff: Ninja Networking
We started our celebration with a special Ninja Networking event, wherein OfficeNinjas played matchmaker to hundreds of Admin+ professionals eager to learn from each other and nurture their network.
Connecting awesome Ninjas to each other has always been an important part of our Admin+ celebrations, year after year. Only, this time we did it with a twist.
Instead of introducing Ninjas at random, we taught our AI robots to match participants based on two factors: the career knowledge they were seeking and the expertise they wanted to share. The result? Every participant received a list of ten Ninjas specially curated just for them.
Then, we shared our step-by-step Ninja Networking Framework for how to confidently initiate and conduct an impactful first meeting, virtually. And we challenged everyone to put themselves out there and meet at least one of their matches during Admin+ Month. Many meaningful connections were made as a result.
Admin+ Month really helped reinforce the value I bring to my company. The Ninja Networking matchup was great. I learned something from each person that I spoke with. It really helped me get out of the “imposter syndrome” mindset that I felt like I was in, since I only have one executive and one person that I spoke with had to manage 5 executives. They reminded me that while I only have one executive, I’ve been taking on more responsibilities since other coworkers have left and that makes me more valuable.
— Mary Standiford, Operations Administrator
April 12 // Your Move: A Ninja Roundtable Discussion
We brought together five dynamic Admin+ professionals from diverse industries for candid conversation inspired by our Admin+ Month theme: It’s Your Move.
Roundtable members gave the audience an insightful look into their personal strategies and mindsets — as well as the calculated risks they’ve taken to create careers they love. The Roundtable included:
- Angela Schauf, EA + Business Partner in Seattle, WA
- Kaitlan Norrod, Executive Assistant in San Francisco, CA
- Kellie Edwards, Chief of Staff in Salt Lake City, UT
- Lacretia Caldwell Adamski, Senior EA in Washington, DC
- Reggie Cajayon, Executive Assistant in Austin, TX
OfficeNinjas Co-Founder Nancy Chen-Salgado and the Ninja Roundtable say hello.
A common theme heard from many Ninjas who attended? They saw a lot of themselves in the Roundtable members, and appreciated hearing their honest and inspiring stories.
Admin+ Month was a powerful reminder that I am part of an enormous community that relates to me and that I can relate to. While participating in the Roundtable was a humbling opportunity, reading through the chat afterwards and seeing people respond to what we were saying was gratifying to say the least. To know that something we shared resonated with someone else is all we can ask for.
— Reggie Cajayon, Roundtable Host + Admin+ Month Advocate
April 19 // OfficeNinjas Studio: Problem Solving with Systems Thinking
In this guided session — hosted by Hilary Phillips (Director of Field Marketing and Events and a 2020 OfficeNinjas All-Star) and Kristin Sgroi (Director of Education, OfficeNinjas) — participants were treated to a rigorous brain workout as they untangled one of their workplace problems using a powerful business skill called systems thinking.
Studio hosts Kristin Sgroi and Hilary Phillips guide participants through a rigorous brain-training exercise in systems thinking.
We set our sights on one systems thinking strategy in particular: the Iceberg Model, a key tool for analyzing the underlying issues impacting a situation you want to improve. Take a look at our Iceberg Model Worksheet for an approachable layer-by-layer framework that’ll help you reframe a problem, understand it differently, and suss out possible intervention points.
I love systems thinking and the framework that was used. It helped me tackle a few looming challenges in some projects.
— Kaitlan Norrod, Executive Assistant
At OfficeNinjas, we are huge believers in the power of frameworks — for nearly everything!
We know that complex opportunities and challenges become more approachable with intentional processes and structure. That’s why the courses we teach in OfficeNinjas Collective each offer a step-by-step framework that can be followed in a variety of professional (and personal) situations, again and again.
Ready to advance your career?
Then you belong in OfficeNinjas Collective, a modern career accelerator for Admin+ professionals who want to grow their business acumen and make higher-value contributions.
Join OfficeNinjas Collective
There’s more relevant learning, inspiring peers, and actionable takeaways happening inside.
Get Inspired by the 2021 OfficeNinjas All-Stars
OfficeNinjas All-Star Awards is an online search for the best and brightest Admin+ professionals in the United States and Canada. From thousands of nominations, we select five outstanding individuals and one stellar team to publicly recognize with an engraved award plaque, a lavish prize package and an in-depth feature interview.
This year, we honored five fascinating career Ninjas, each with their own unique superpower:
- Amy Spellman, aka the Director of Fun. Amy’s life goal is making sure everyone around her feels joy and connection.
- Sherrisse-Lee Lewis, aka the Barrier-Breaker. When Sherrisse-Lee is on a mission, she will not be stopped by old ways of thinking.
- Tonya Carter, aka the Entrepreneur. Tonya is a dedicated self-starter that empowers other Ninjas to approach their roles with total ownership.
- Nicole Godinez, aka the Exuberant Empath. Nicole is so dialed in to the emotions of others, she is the go-to person in her organization for help with tough conversations.
- Culley Stine, aka the Bravehearted. No challenge is too tough for Culley to take on. She turns obstacles into opportunities.
And we crowned one stellar 2021 All-Star TEAM: The six-person Global Office Operations Leadership Team, aka “GOOLT” at Slalom, headquartered in Seattle, WA.
Together, Jill Kinison, Whitney Bowie, Mollie Edwards, Jennifer Klemme, Lindsay Butterfield, Karen Moloney manage, support, and oversee more than 120 Ninjas across more than 36 global locations.
The Avengers got nothing on GOOLT!
We highly recommend reading each winner’s candid interview to learn more about the inspiration behind their nominations and glean insight into their successes. While you’re there, please show them some big love in the comments of those articles!
This has truly been a life-changing experience for me. A fellow Ninja took the time to nominate me and get this glorious ball rolling. And now my boss is more educated on the Admin+ world. I feel so special and so loved right now. I’m so proud to be part of the OfficeNinjas community, and to be sharing this week with Nicole, Tonya, Amy, Sherrisse-Lee, and Jill and the GOOLT team at Slalom. I thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone’s All-Star stories. I feel like there is so much more I can learn and do. Thank you, fellow All-Stars, for keeping me motivated!
— Culley Stine, 2021 OfficeNinjas All-Star
A massive shout out to Onyx, our #1 choice for corporate gifting and swag. Onyx did what they do best and provided a lavish congratulations gift package for each 2021 All-Star.
Onyx is a true champion of the Admin+ Community! Enhance your corporate gifting experience with these simple steps:
- View a preview of Onyx’s capabilities.
- Submit an interest form if you have a specific need in mind.
- Schedule an exploratory call to learn more about Onyx.
Get 10% off your order! 💫 This Admin+ Month special is for new clients until 7/2021.
Relive the High-Energy Giveaways
It wouldn’t be an OfficeNinjas celebration without a flurry of giveaways. This year, we spoiled Admin+ Month participants with 39 hand-picked prizes!
- During the Admin+ Month Kickoff, one lucky Ninja won a 6-month membership to OfficeNinjas Collective.
- At our Lux Raffle presented by Onyx, Ninjas won an assortment of 15 premium gifts curated by Onyx’s Owner Matt David.
- In our silly and joyful Mega Raffle (on Admin Day!), Ninjas enjoyed some friendly competition and won 20 decadent prizes we lovingly sourced from Black-, Asian-, and female-owned small businesses including Yuzu Soap, Blk + Grn, Spoonful of Comfort, Keki Modern Cakes, The Fruit Guys, and more.
- And we ended Admin+ Month on a high note in our Grande Finale Raffle where three Ninjas won prizes, and all participants gave themselves the gift of meaningful reflection and next steps on their next career move.
At the Lux Raffle, presented by Onyx, we asked participants to share the best gift they ever received and what makes it so special.
Feel the Love from Your Admin+ Month Advocates
We absolutely couldn’t have done it all without the help of one passionate group of Ninjas: our 2021 Admin+ Month Advocates.
This 34-Ninja squad from around the U.S. worked together harmoniously to spread the word about each of the month’s offerings, while also getting other Ninjas pumped to join the celebration. They acted as both creative collaborators and sounding boards in the festivities’ programming development (including the HYPEBOOK).
A few of them even stepped into the spotlight to share their experience and insights as guests of our Ninja Roundtable. AND they created amazing camaraderie in every chat they entered.
Members of the OfficeNinjas 2021 Admin+ Month Ninja Advocate Team.
When I was given the opportunity to be an Advocate, I didn’t know what it would entail, but it helped me realize that I am not just an administrative assistant, but also a leader and strategic partner in my department, and that I have so much more to offer than I initially realized.
— Erica Bednarski, Administrative Assistant
Your Admin+ Month just wouldn’t have been the same without these devoted Advocates. They were tasked with A LOT, and they took this leadership opportunity and ran with it. In doing so, they validated everything we do and why we do it.
We could not be more honored by their partnership, or inspired by their talent, commitment, and ingenuity.
Thank you to our 2021 Admin+ Month Advocates: Allison Zincke-Robles, Amy Spellman, Angela Schauf, Barb Grealish, Clarisa Valdez, Constanze Fuger, Corina Terrell, Danielle Mack, Danielle Hill, Erica Bednarski, Erica Kelley, Helen Ma, Hilary Phillips, Jill Connaway, Kati Norrod, Kellie Edwards, Kim Baker, Krista Burkart, Lacretia Adamski, Mary Standiford, Melissa Belda, Michelle Trevitt, Moji Oladimeji, Nicki Bartels, Nicki Cave, Nicole Godinez, Reggie Cajayon, Renae Hardy, Ross Greenberg, Sarah Dunbar, Stacey Anker, Tricia Kalchbrenner, Tyler Travis, Zoila Primo
We hope that a full month of interactive learning and joyful camaraderie left you feeling recharged and ready to make some moves of your own.
Want a sublime soundtrack to enliven your journey ahead? 🎶
DJ Edwin (and OfficeNinjas Co-Founder) more than passed the vibe check with our Admin+ Month Pumped Playlist. We got A TON of requests for this one — check it out!
Share Your Admin+ Month Experience
In the Comments section of this article, share your thoughts on your Admin+ Month experience: What were your “aha” moments and unexpected delights of Admin+ Month?
Elizabeth Albee, Executive Coordinator
It was good to take a few pauses and be reminded that while I might be dealing with situations that seem impossible or insurmountable, they aren’t, and others within this community likely have had similar experiences so I should tap in as needed to get insights and lessons learned from this group of talented and experienced brains!
Reluctantly I work for an accounting firm and with the extended tax deadline I didn’t get to participate, but I did appreciate the play list and have listened to it several times now. I always love the content ON provides, it’s relevant, well worded, short and to the point. Keep up the great work
While I like the in-person events, we gotta do what we gotta do this year. The online event was great because I could participate where ever I was…some days I am in the office and others I am at home.
I loved the Hype book and the references to it in the classes, participant shares, and the thought-provoking responses. I can refer to it and add more thoughts.
My ninja coffee mug (from years past) makes me smile for my days at the office.
I look forward to your yearly event..This year a WHOLE month! Great job Ninja Team.
My aha moment was that I need to plan better for next year as I was too busy to participate and should have carved out the time!
My unexpected delights of Admin+ Month is that is was an entire month of celebration. This has been a tough year for many & having a feeling of celebration in the events felt really good.
The AHA for 2021 is how much the “role” has adapted during the last year! People NEED our help to be successful and grow! Business is booming!! Such a blessing, stressful.. but blessing!
I loved getting to Network and to be able to share in everything! I LOVED the enthusiasm from all of the hosts!! THANK YOU!!!
During Admin Month festivities, I was on pins and needles in anticipation of the context for each session. I printed out my planning workbook, filed in the blanks, took notes, and continue to refer to it. The bonus was the team enthusiasm in presenting and the great tunes.
Thrilled to be an advocate of Admin+ month! Learned so much during the Admin+ month and really got to put that “imposter” syndrome in perspective. Aha moments were plentiful. The networking framework will be used again and again! The fun raffles and supportive community were such a joy. So thankful to be a part of the ONC.
Admin+ Month experience: I enjoyed the whole month! The “aha” moments for me was listening to other Admin Professionals and realizing we are not alone. I belong to the Staff Advisory Senate here at my University and I cannot wait to share tips with them. I look forward to next year’s Admin Month. You all have made it so interactive and interesting.
The HYPE BOOK was a monthly “aha” moment for me. The webinars and sampling of the Office Ninja Collective were informative and inspirational. During this unprecidented time you suceeded in helping thousands of ON feel like a commmunity and valued.
Loved reading about others in my field and the admin that were recognized. It made me remember that what I do day in, day out is valuable, recognized and appreciated. The tips and tricks, articles and sharing is amazing.
I really enjoyed Admin month this year. I have a team of 30 admins on my campus and tried to do some fun things with them virtually. I sent daily Quotes or Tips/tricks emails. I did scavenger hunt and trivia games with them. We held a fun Admin Day virtual face to face on Teams and to finish the month off we did a virtual Paint and Sip activity. Most of the time we just do one activity on Admins Day, so it was great being able to find other ways to celebrate this year since we could not be together. I really enjoyed to Office Ninja activities and sessions. Great Admin Month this year!!!
I realized the importance of “managing UP” and the ability I have to help my executive AND myself in doing so!
The ideas are so simple and easy to implement. There are a lot of times I just sit back and relax my shoulders because the tips were so helpful and I am able to say “I’ve got this! It’s not a big deal” Thank you
I truly enjoyed attending all the ON events during Admin week, so many pointers/ ideas/ new trends/ useful tip I heard. Planning to stay tuned and maximize my efforts and be an awesome Chaos coordinator.
Always love reading the stories about the All Stars! I always find “aha’s” in there as well as from the comments from the participating Ninjas throughout the activities. I get inspiration, motivation and an overall feeling of comradery from participating in Admin+Month, and how could I forget the confetti button, it was so fun!
I loved that the celebration was all month! Also, the HypeBook was such a phenomenal resource to have and to look at throughout the month AND to keep track of the next upcoming event so I could block out the time and reduce or eliminate distractions during those events.
My ‘aha’ moment during Admin+ Month was the realization that I am not alone, and that there are dozens of wonderful resources utilize!
An entire month of OfficeNinja celebration was a much-needed emotional boost at the end of a very long pandemical year.
Thank you for hosting Admin Month! It was an amazing opportunity to connect with peers in different industries and sectors.
My aha moment was realizing that I’m simply not alone in this industry. OffiNinjas has proved that there is a community of like minded individuals who carry similar values, interests and goals.
It was a fantastic event and I can’t wait to join next years session!
I loved watching the interaction between the generations of Office Ninja’s. This has been a tough year for everyone and the new skills along with refreshers was extremely helpful.
Admin month was full of connections, concrete learning, and fun! My best a-ha moment and unexpected delight was getting to connect with other Ninjas through the Ninja Networking event. How cool! I’ve made a couple of great connections. Thank you!
My ‘aha’ moment during Admin+ Month was the eye-opening realization that I have wonderful resources and networks to collaborate with and that I should be utilizing them more! Very grateful to have opportunities like this to participate with like-minded admin professionals. I just wish these events were recorded as I wasn’t able to attend as many as I’d hoped (I’m on the East Coast and my work schedule is heavy supporting my executive). While it’s wonderful to attend live as the event is intended for – I can’t always because of my work commitments (meetings scheduled). THANK YOU for offering these programs.
Absolutely wonderful month of career reflection and opportunities to better myself and become more useful to those I support. Aha moment was to remind myself that through everything a positive attitude not only changes how people look at you but also how they react! Always stay positive
It was an awesome month long opportunity to network, commiserate, celebrate, learn and embrace our profession. My aha moment was a reminder… Remove the word JUST form your vocabulary. There is no ‘just’ anything or anyone.
Being an EA comes with a lot of responsibilities and expectations, I think at times it becomes a thankless job. Being able to appreciated collectively has been my “aha” moment. My unexpected delights for Admin+ Month was although it was virtual our profession always finds a way. I loved every minute of it.
I was fortunate to be a part of the advocate team and learned so much from all of the interactions and programming throughout Admin+ month!! Excited to keep this momentum and fun into the remainder of the year! Thanks OfficeNinjas!!
Great to hear new ideas!
My best “aha” moment is that I realized I am smarter than I give myself credit for! Learning and listening to all of the amazing OfficeNinjas during Admin+ 2021 has given me additional confidence in my day-to-day and future work! One of the unexpected delights was the casual and comedic delivery of Nancy, Kristin and others! They made each event fun and informative! Keep up the great work OfficeNinjas!
Wonderful and inspiring put together favorite time of year but had some issues navigating through this.
Administrative Professionals Day is easily my favorite holiday of the year. I really enjoyed hearing from such a diverse group of admins. My “AHA” moment was when I realized how global the support team is! Thank You
It was wonderful to see all the admin professionals coming together to celebrate one another. This was my first Admin Month series and whatever bits and pieces of advice that I received from other admins added to my Aha moments :)
OfficeNinja shows that our profession is valued and provides info and tools to stay current. I enjoyed the events I could participate in!
I loved the combination of the Hypebook (practical learning) intermingled with the fun activities. I liked clicking the confetti button :) It was also good to hear from the various leaders in each session. An aha moment for me was a comment made about imposter syndrome — “I was chosen/hired for the position for a reason”. I hear about it all the time, but this comment seemed to spark some confidence for me. Thank you for all the work you did making Admin month so fun!
My Admin+ Month “aha” moment was being reminded of the breadth and depth of value I can, and actively do, contribute to my company! The roundtable discussion helped me remember that. :) An unexpected (well, somewhat expected) delight came when I picked up SO many nuggets of wisdom from the All-Stars’ interviews! The All-Stars demonstrate unflinching dedication to their teams, which includes having a lot of fun in the process! Love that!
Thanks for such wonderful recognition and the hard work that was behind ON month. Loved the Hypebook, though I could not attend every session, reviewing the notes in my book reminded me of my ah-ha moment! When I realized my voice and presence is valued by my team. It’s taken time, but from when I arrived at my job 6 years ago to now, I’m proud of the changes in me to stand up, speak up, be confident, and watch the fruits of my labor in my current relationships. Thanks ON for all your support!
Comment – correcting my entry!
I love Admin Week / Month! I enjoy reading about others in my field and how powerful and resourceful they are. Their stories really lift me up and I feel revitalized in my work. Thanks to everyone for sharing their story and resources with us! I am an Office Ninja!!
My Aha moment is how strong, diverse, and giving this Admin Group is and admins in general. We play the role of support for our leaders, but are a major part in the success of the organization. As strategic partners, we need to stay on top of what is happening both through their inbox and around the office. Thank you for being the gurus and cheerleaders for this most dynamic group! Much love to all. <3 :)
I didn’t get to participate as much as I wanted to but so happy that the replays are still available. (That was my Aha moment — I need more space in my schedule for growth and training opportunities.) Looking forward to binging some of what I didn’t get to see before it’s gone. :)
I love being a part of such an energetic group. You made Admin week very special for a lot of people. I learned about a lot of resources that are available to us.
This Admin Month was such a great stress reliever. Meeting everyone in this amazing group of people helped keep me sane. I did not have an “Aha” moment, I had an Aha month! I got to learn valuable tools and resources while having fun and connecting with so many wonderful people.
This community you have created helps in so many ways – there are like-minded professionals who understand your role, the unique challenges and the awesome rewards that come with being in a support role!
It is really helpful to have Admin+ month, as it wasn’t just celebration and fanfare (which we love and is APPRECIATED) but also learning opportunities that help build skill sets – really beneficial this year!
So many times admin support staff is an afterthought or invisible or even not considered professional team members and that is archaic thinking. Office Ninjas is slaying that archaic thinking one positive, professional, purpose filled event at a time! Aha moment for me was networking with other Support superheros and gaining insight from them !
So many times admin support staff is an afterthought or invisible or even not considered professional team members and that is archaic thinking. Office Ninjas is slaying that archaic thinking one positive, professional, purpose filled event at a time! Aha moment for me was networking with other Support superheros and gaining insight from them !
My Aha moment was when I realized that we are a community, and we all want to help each other succeed, that we are not alone. I absolutely that the admin community is growing and becoming acknowledged professionally.
My favorite part was seeing all the Ninjas cheer for the prize winners! So refreshing to see people supporting others and being happy for them! The world needs more of this kind of attitude.
It was a fabulous month with fabulous opportunities to learn and grow with my fellow OfficeNinjas! I am so thankful that OfficeNinjas connected me with other admins. Being able to hold a phone call/zoom call with these lovely ladies was inspirational and motivational! I am looking forward to continuing a relationship with those I met with.
Learned that even through a pandemic the support is there for administrative specialists.
I loved the hype team! Really made admin day into a whole month long flurry of events and activities! I met two really great women from the networking activity, thank you for the introduction. And I really loved the iceberg activity – systems problems are everywhere!
I loved the hype team! Really made admin day into a whole month long flurry of events and activities! I met two really great women from the networking activity, thank you for the introduction. And I really loved the iceberg activity – systems problems are everywhere!
Learned to understand some challenging behaviours and what seemed to be constant critique from a co-worker and accepted to not take it personally as it is their style of working. Once I realized and accepted that, I no longer spent time ruminating on my ability to do my job.
I look forward to this event each year and this year did not disappoint. My AHA moment came during the Problem Solving with Systems Thinking session. Looking at a problem a new way and reframing it for a different solution was mind blowing! Love this community and all the Ninjas and their expertise.
Very appreciative of how OfficeNinjas supports the admin community! The sessions I was able to attend were informative. My AHA moment was more of a reminder – ON is a wonderful resource, community, tribe, where others really KNOW what I’m going through. Thank you!
Admin month was a great experience. My favorite aha moment was hearing everyone’s’ super creative superpower names and thinking “well that is me also”.
Honestly it was refreshing to be “surrounded” by individuals just like me! We all have many of the same battles and stresses. We’re not alone!!
Meetings were a breath of fresh air and reminded me that I am an important part of the team!
My Aha moment was when I realized I should have joined the office Ninja community a long time ago! I’ve learned so much from you in the past month and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us.
My Aha moment was when I realized I should have joined the office Ninja community a long time ago! I’ve learned so much from you in the past month and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us.
My big “aha” moment was when I was able to voice my goal of becoming the first partner of our firm that is an EA. Just putting that goal out into the universe is a big step in the right direction! It helped me to start making a list of small goals and small steps to get there.
I truly enjoyed the celebration! I found the time and took part in this year’s festivities more than I have previous, and I’m so glad I did!
It was great to hear what other people in the same position had to say. Can’t wait for more!
There were SO many moments that really turned on that proverbial light bulb and forced me to say, “Aha!” or “Whoa,” or “YES!!!!” Each event resonated and brought me to a new realization, the next one even better than the last. As Advocates after it was “over” we were asked what our Aha moment was, and I couldn’t put a finger on it, being overwhelmed with so many feels and tears!! BUT just now as I was scrolling through all the amazing things that ON brought to us in April, I just had the most dawning “Aha” of them all. Just NOW!!!
OfficeNinjas is my community, my inspiration, my avenue of professional growth. I am not an all star yet, but I am determined to surround myself with like-minded, resourceful, intelligent, OfficeNinjas who geek out about office supplies and techy gadgets, wearing capes and solving all the problems of our administrative worlds. I am inspired by each and every one of you-all to persevere, remain energized and positive, and be the best me I can be. I think my aha is… I really, really LOVE OfficeNinjas. Did I make it awkward? ❤❤❤❤
My top “aha” moment was the deep recognition of how much access I have through OfficeNinjas to incredible experience and expertise and the motivation to tap into it. An unexpected delight was how much I both enjoyed and appreciated learning about flower arranging with many of the Admin+ Month Advocates and being able to put it to use for Mother’s Day!
As usual, the OfficeNinjas community provided me with a breath of fresh air and new perspectives – sometimes hard to imagine when you live and breathe admin items! I loved hearing from others and being pushed to focus on myself and development for a moment. Keep up the amazing work!
It was so inspiring to be surrounded by like minded peers. There are so many takeaways, but one that keeps coming back to me is the passion and love for this role. Thanks again for a thoughtful, organized and collaborative admin month :)
My “aha” moment was realizing I can make myself more valuable to my organization by introducing my personal passion of mindfulness and mental health awareness to my colleagues. Although this has nothing to do with my direct work duties, I see the value of cultivating this in the university I work at. This “initiative” has already been positively received by many at the university, which has made me more passionate about my day to day duties.
The unexpected delight was Kristin Sgroi and Susette Solorzano hosted the Admin Day Mega Raffle! OMG, what a delight!
I love all the Admin ENERGY!
There is always so many aha moments with this group! The energy given by them is fantastic, makes me love my job even more. OfficeNinjas is such an outlet for me. My company does not pay for training for me. I attended a conference a few years ago and won an OfficeNinjas tote bag, I still use it! OfficeNinja for life! This group is amazing! Thank you for everything!
For me the biggest aha is the Iceberg Model – I have been using descission making matrix, but the Iceberg Model – is so much better! Thank you for sharing!
The best part of admin month was getting to know other ninjas via the AI robot assignment. It was great to share knowledge with one another. The hype book was a great tool to be able to follow along with the new tools and teachings. Plus the music playlist by DJ Edwin was amazing.
Just when I thought Office Ninjas was already top notch, they go even further. The online experience has been phenomenal. The exercises and tools offered made me dig in a little deeper and get to the root of my admin world and challenged me to think differently, to seek answers, to rely on my awesome network, and to see the bigger picture in my organization. There were so many ‘aha’ moments during this journey, I can’t focus on just one because Office Ninjas has been an ‘aha’ movement for me.
I just loved how energetic and enthusiastic everyone was! I had never heard of OfficeNinjas until April and I’m loving it! Everything feels so young and fresh!
It was so great to receive cards, flowers, and a couple bottles of wine.
The best part of the Admin Professional Day was getting together to celebrate at a luncheon with 18 Executive Assistants.
Loved the section on challenging imposter syndrome: realize that you’d never think that of someone else, you’d build them up, empower them to do more, so do it for yourself; call someone who will build you up; remember you were CHOSEN for your position out of huge pool of candidates for a reason, believe in that reason, it’s because you were the best!
Yes!!! So happy that this message resonates with you!
I loved how everything was organized, the content of all sessions, and the speakers were great. It was so much fun! I got to make new wonderful connections and the feeling of “we are not alone as we are all in same boat” makes work easier in every aspect.
I enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm from everyone – the hosts and everyone participating through the chats! It really made it feel like we were a part of a big event. It’s also so inspiring to hear of different ways to tackle challenges that so many of us face in our roles.
The Systems Thinking workshop was really good – and I appreciated being able to access it as a recording as I couldn’t make the live session.
I loved Admin Day Mega Raffle. I loved how Kristin and Susette made it such a fun and wonderful day for us.
I loved seeing people I’ve seen before – it’s like meeting up with friends at the water cooler, something not many of us have been able to do in a LOOOONG time! And the confetti was out of this world. Thank you for bringing us back together!
My Admin+ Month experience is what I look forward to each year. There are so many awesome Office Ninjas in our community that I know I can turn to, if I need any answers. One of my “aha” moment is knowing that we are all experiencing some of the same effects in our, “new norm world”. This pandemic has really made us closer and I feel so relieved know that I am not alone and that we are all in the same boat working with our executives.
I loved the events ALL MONTH! It made it much easier to be able to attend more. The confetti machine was delightful. The energy and resonating information was fabulous!!!
Loved the confetti machine.
Thanks for a fun April celebration.
My unexpected delights from the event were how much energy and joy for their work that the hosts and panelist all brought about their work! I felt so livened and refreshed after being in the virtual presence of everyone and have been so motivated in my own day-to-day operations since! The confetti was such a bright moment and I loved clicking that button and seeing the bright colors; it really brought up the mood during the days with a huge smile on my face!
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to join a lot of the admin month events, but the one’s I did were nice. It was exciting to see all of the comments scrolling during the giveaways and exciting to see so many admins online. It lets you know you are definitely not alone. :)
I looked forward to the energy in each session as a break from my normal day. It also made me start focusing and planning on my path forward. Thank you!
I enjoyed just having a break in the day and something to look forward to.
I’ve never been to the in-person conference, so it was nice to get to see what I’ve been missing out on!
I received an Edible Arrangement filled with goodies. I love chocolate and anything that is dipped with chocolate.
However, I found the week to be “ok.” It was “the covid factor” and most days I am in the office alone although Boston College has many, many employees I would be lying if I told you it felt kind of lonely around here.
I really enjoyed the excitement for each event. There was a lot of great information. I actually referred a lot of people and they loved it as well. thank you!
I truly enjoyed the hosts of the Mega Raffle. The feeling was fun and light hearted, and don’t forget the confetti!! Thank you!!
I work for a small community bank with only 2 EA’s in the company. We don’t get the pleasure of attending any outside conferences BUT this year was so awesome!
I appreciate all that OfficeNinjas provide and especially the support. (I’m not alone)
Discovering the Office Ninja community was the aha moment for me. Knowing I am not alone in the challenges and surprises of my role. And this community is so open and welcoming and willing to share their knowledge, tips, tricks, and flat out emotional support. It is super inspiring and motivating!
Admin + Month has been amazing! The Ninjas did an awesome job making a remote event so fun and interactive. For me one of the biggest take always was brushing up and learning about networking and how to follow up & take action. The Ninjas Networking Framework is super helpful and easy to follow!
I was inspired and invigorated by the energy and program delivery from the OfficeNinjas staff. Great group and outstanding program content each and every time. How could an attendee not learn something?!!! Delighted by the fun and creativity and level of execution by ON. Great job all!
I often work in an office alone so having the comradery is amazing for me! I feel understood and heard in this community. Thank you all so much!
It is so interesting that what tips and tricks you can get from sharing. Love these Administrative articles. No matter what level you are you still can learn something new.
The admin+ month experience was amazing! Not only did I learn a lot about networking, but I now feel so much more comfortable talking to new people. All of the admin+ month events were flawless and fun! Now I want a confetti button, so I can pop confetti all the time!
My AHA moment is that I’m a strong decision maker, and I love my organizational culture. My unexpected delight-is getting to grow with people in this community, and knowing that “I do matter”. Thanks, Office Ninjas :)
My unexpected delight – having someone care! It was fun to have options and opportunities to enrich myself, even if the boss was totally oblivious to the Admin day/month.
This month I learned the value of continuing to build my network and skills when I found myself without a job halfway through Admin+ Month! The Ninjas gave me tools, confidence, and enough appointments on my calendar that I could keep my schedule. I can’t tell you how much that helped me!!
Unfortunately I was unable to attend any of the live events due to my work schedule. I’m working in the office 5 days a week and we’re so busy.
It was awesome that we still got to experience so much even thought Admin+ month was virtual. I love all of the resources that ON provides and how they help facilitate so many connections! A fun “aha” moment – always keep confetti at your desk!
What were your “aha” moments and unexpected delights of Admin+ Month?
Getting a special month dedicated to focus on Admin+ Month has been spectacular to be a part of. I appreciate the shout outs to a industry that works behind-the-scenes to make sure things run smoothly. I really loved the studio and hearing different methods of problem solving. The giveaways and confetti were such a fun touch!
Thank you Ninjas for keeping me motivated!
All of the 2021 Office Ninja All-Stars were inspiring. I especially enjoyed reading about the All-Star Team – GOOLT at Slalom.
It always feel so good to hear from others who can validate my work experiences and inspire new ways of thinking about everyday issues. Thanks, Ninjas!
Admin+ Month was amazing. My favorite part was the confetti button, but I also learned a lot and made some good connections. An unexpected delight was how fun everything was and how empowered I felt after each session.
There were so many “aha” moments for me this past month! I loved everyone’s energy and how positively every one participated in the chats and supported each other. The hypebook was amazing, speakers were awesome and there were so many great insights shared and even though we knew most of the stuff but it was good to get the refreshed perspective on them. Networking with so many amazing ninjas has been great.
I really liked the Admin Day give away day as it was so much fun and loved costumes . I was a little disappointed that (only US admins came out as winners) but I being from Canada I was not picked for any of the giveaways so hoping that I get a fair chance this time 😉
It was an extra busy month for me, so I didn’t get to participate in Admin Month as much as I had hoped to, but my unexpected delight was how connected I was still able to feel to my fellow Ninjas. My “aha” moment was when I took a moment to reflect & see how far I’ve grown in my role, compared to my first Office Manager position, and how much OfficeNinjas has been a huge support.
Unlike other on-line events, they are all so scripted and flat, two dimensional. Whereas Office Ninjas interacted with us, had fun with us in addition to sharing all kinds of great relevant and real information – not that pull it out of a box that I can order from Amazon. Their approach reminded me of the way Southwest Airlines used to give you the safety briefs when you boarded the plane – you never knew if they were going to sing it to you, or give you a comedy show – but you knew it was going to be fun (and informative)
Thank you
This year’s Admin+ Month was pretty groundbreaking in being able to quickly dive deep into some new challenges that OfficeNinjas from all over have been encountering. The workshops and discussion leaders helped me to re-view my personal strengths and reframe the approach to my wide range of work projects and tasks. Plus, I can’t believe (well actually of course I can!) how much fun everything was even though interaction was really only through chat. WOW! I have a bunch of confetti within reach for all of my videoconferences now! The force is strong in the OfficeNinjas community!
Thank you OfficeNinjas’s for not only another great Admin celebration but for making us all feel so appreciated! My aha moments are when I hear others having to deal with the same issues that I do and how they resolve them. It is great having a group of your peers cheering you and giving advice and tips. Such a great community here!
An unexpected delight of Admin+ Month was seeing just how many of us there are and being able to conversate with like-minded individuals from all over the world. It was a great experience and allowed me to look into other opportunities at work and beyond.
The entire experience was an unexpected delight as many other events I’ve attended for admin professionals have seemed outdated and not useful at all. I left every session feeling empowered in my non-traditional EA role and like for the first time, someone recognized that many of us in these roles don’t spend our days as executive gatekeepers.
The Iceberg model helped me to figure out the gap on improving our All Hands prep process.
I was able to utilize the guidelines for networking to complete a homework assignment where I had to interview someone in a field that I would like to work in. It was great information that was extremely useful.
My aha moment was enjoying the chat as they flew by while listening into the sessions and feeling community. It was so great to be reminded how many like-minded, fun, smart people are plugging away along side me, which you can forget, especially in the online world we’ve all had this past year.
Thanks for being out there and celebrating our special community.
Seeing admins from all over USA, of all races, both male and female … yet sharing similar struggles, celebrating similar successes, and everyone very knowledgeable in a variety of topics
I loved the camaraderie of all the admins and how everyone showed so much support to one another during all of the events. I always enjoy participating in the OfficeNinjas events because I get to meet and network with such amazing people!
I enjoyed reading the chats… seeing all the comments and how happy everyone was. Nice break from the everyday work load. Also, the prizes… so many cool ones!!
I love seeing stories of other Ninjas who lead from within – we are all leaders!
My “aha” moment this month was when I realized Microsoft Teams is so much better than WebEx and am so gratefully my company is switching over.
Looking forward to Killin’ It with OfficeNinjas!!!!
I think the biggest “aha” moment for me was realizing that yes – I can network, and I’m not half bad at it! I jumped over that initial hump of fear of putting myself out there, and once I did, I was able to meet 4 amazing ninjas! Participating in Admin Month (!!) really helped me get myself into gear and make my move towards blazing my own path. The playlists and confetti didn’t hurt either! 😉
Cassie C., Executive Assistant
I did not get to participate as much as I would have liked to, but the events I was able to be on during the live session were AMAZING! It was so great to be engaging with others who are in the same field and have experienced the same things I have. I have been in my role with my company for almost 9 years now with no upward movement available to me. Now, I feel like I have a lot more to offer because I was able to learn more about my abilities and my goals for myself, allowing me to put my biggest assets at the forefront of my journey to moving up in the world. Thank you to all the other Ninja’s who share their experiences, and to the ON team for being amazing!
The “aha” moment was the realization of other colleagues who understood what it took to set up meetings, agendas, etc on a timely basis. Zoom made it much more flexible with everyone having the ability to set up their own meetings…