Joan Burge

Elevate your administrative skills with this comprehensive eBook that teaches strategic thinking, problem-solving, and thought leadership to help you become a top-tier administrative assistant. Learn from industry expert Joan Burge as she shares actionable steps and strategies to transform you into a valuable, high-performing team member who makes informed decisions and impactful contributions.

In this groundbreaking book, The Executive's Competitive Edge, written for both newly-appointed and seasoned Executives, managers, and business owners, Joan Burge, Founder and CEO, Office Dynamics International, and James Bristow, Managing Partner, Universal Engineering Services, share a fusion of enduring success practices with new-world thought about why you need an Executive Assistant. They share what makes that position both powerful and significant, how to exponentially increase your… Show more

In this groundbreaking book, The Executive's Competitive Edge, written for both newly-appointed and seasoned Executives, managers, and business owners, Joan Burge, Founder and CEO, Office Dynamics International, and James Bristow, Managing Partner, Universal Engineering Services, share a fusion of enduring success practices with new-world thought about why you need an Executive Assistant. They share what makes that position both powerful and significant, how to exponentially increase your sphere of influence through your Executive Assistant, and real-world strategies for building a strategic business partnership through trust, goal alignment, and delegation.

You will gain successful leadership strategies from Joan (69) and James (37) as they share multi-generational views and comprehensive insights, best practices, stories, visuals, and step-by-step processes to help you develop a winning strategic business partnership with your Executive Assistant. In six sections of highly engaging and thought-provoking material, the book presents a wealth of thoroughly researched, workable solutions for the issues you face daily.

Joan and James approached the writing of this book as a conversation, sharing their thought leadership as CEOs about how to get more done by leveraging their Executive Assistants as strategic partners. You will read their direct thoughts and best practices, along with stories, examples, how-to instructions, and visuals to highlight major points.

SIX PARTS:
• Why You Need an Executive Assistant
• Tectonic Shifts
• Building a Strategic Partnership
• How to Maximize the Time and Talents of an Executive Assistant
• Why You Need to Invest in Professional Development
• Looking for a Star Performer Show less

Executives across the globe consistently identify ineffective calendar management as their number one pain point. Assistants too tell me they’re fed up and frustrated and just don’t know how to make things run more smoothly. Why is everyone so unsatisfied? Because calendar management is not only an incredibly nuanced and difficult task to get right, it’s also a huge part of a successful working relationship between leaders and assistants.


Successfully managing a calendar is so much… Show more

Executives across the globe consistently identify ineffective calendar management as their number one pain point. Assistants too tell me they’re fed up and frustrated and just don’t know how to make things run more smoothly. Why is everyone so unsatisfied? Because calendar management is not only an incredibly nuanced and difficult task to get right, it’s also a huge part of a successful working relationship between leaders and assistants.


Successfully managing a calendar is so much more than just throwing appointments into a software program. In-the-know assistants understand that calendar management also means considering the needs of your leader, balancing a variety of priorities, and juggling your own workday with that of your executive. It’s a monumental undertaking! But failure is, of course, never an option. There’s no need to struggle anymore. In this eBook, Joan will teach you how to focus on what’s really important.

You will learn:
What factors to consider before you ever schedule an appointment
How to tackle calendar management by employing a holistic approach
How powerful good communication really is
How to protect your leader
Why it’s important to get all the facts
How to implement healthy habits that will make you better
How to approach every phase of a meeting
Show less

Business owners and executives are leaving the home office more and more frequently to go on business trips around the world. It’s simply a part of modern professional life. What does that mean for you as an assistant?

More trips for your leader means more trip planning for you. Planning for business travel is a layered and difficult task. So many assistants leave out critical elements and many more make the mistake of planning only for trips where everything goes right. The reality of… Show more

Business owners and executives are leaving the home office more and more frequently to go on business trips around the world. It’s simply a part of modern professional life. What does that mean for you as an assistant?

More trips for your leader means more trip planning for you. Planning for business travel is a layered and difficult task. So many assistants leave out critical elements and many more make the mistake of planning only for trips where everything goes right. The reality of travel dictates that you, as the business travel planner, understand the nuances, account for the unexpected, and prepare long before the flight starts boarding.

Embracing your role as the primary support for your leader before, during, and after their work trips will equate to a better working relationship and respect for the effort you put into mitigating their stress.

This eBook is one of our most versatile ever. You’re going to become a better assistant who’s capable of planning stellar travel for your leader, there’s no doubt about that. But you’ll also become a better, savvier traveler yourself. This groundbreaking eBook has you covered whether you’re in the air or on the ground!
Show less

Joan Burge consistently hears the same complaint, year after year, from the many administrative assistants with whom she works: there’s simply not enough time in the day to get everything done. Communication in the modern workplace is compounding the problem. With days dominated by e-mail, website chat, and a variety of other immediate, click-and-send platforms, assistants are constantly inundated with assignments, information, and tasks. One assistant likened their typical day to, “standing on… Show more

Joan Burge consistently hears the same complaint, year after year, from the many administrative assistants with whom she works: there’s simply not enough time in the day to get everything done. Communication in the modern workplace is compounding the problem. With days dominated by e-mail, website chat, and a variety of other immediate, click-and-send platforms, assistants are constantly inundated with assignments, information, and tasks. One assistant likened their typical day to, “standing on the green at a busy driving range”. Days like that leave you feeling weary, self-conscious, and hopeless. If you can’t handle being bombarded with communication, you may feel like the whole day was a failure. That’s no way to work.

In this one-of-a-kind eBook, Joan will teach you how to reclaim your days. Time Management for the Modern Assistant: Proven Tactics for Taming Your Day is jam-packed with effective tactics, innovative ideas, and engaging activities so what you learn is retained. You’ll finish the book feeling prepared, excited, and passionate about conquering the chaos and controlling your day!

You will learn:
What factors suck the vitality and time from your day
How to start and complete a project the right way
How powerful a positive mindset really is
Tried and true methods for organizing your environment and your to-do list
How to handle the information overload
Effective communication techniques to make your life easier
How understanding your habits can make you more effective

Show less

Real. Raw. Uncompromising. Authentic Joan.

You were not born to be ordinary. Far from it! But to succeed in business you need to do more than show up and work. You need to learn how to demonstrate your worth in ways that matter. You must stand out from the crowd by being future-focused and grounded today.

In this book, Joan Burge, the red-lipstick-wearing Rock Star, and pioneer of administrative excellence exposes the game-changing truths and unwritten rules you need to know in… Show more

Real. Raw. Uncompromising. Authentic Joan.

You were not born to be ordinary. Far from it! But to succeed in business you need to do more than show up and work. You need to learn how to demonstrate your worth in ways that matter. You must stand out from the crowd by being future-focused and grounded today.

In this book, Joan Burge, the red-lipstick-wearing Rock Star, and pioneer of administrative excellence exposes the game-changing truths and unwritten rules you need to know in order to maximize your potential. In an unapologetic, uncompromising, no-holds-barred style, Joan shares never before revealed career stories and life lessons in a tell-all book that will challenge your perspective and teach you how to master your craft and triumph in today’s business environment. What are you waiting for? The world is waiting for you.

Joan’s Greatest Administrative Secrets Revealed sets the gold star standard of what it critically takes to be a stellar Executive Assistant. This is no ordinary, run of the mill how-to book. Joan’s tell it like it is style is raw, powerful and poignant. Her “white gloves off” approach finally fills in the mysterious gaps of what it really takes to not only develop ourselves personally to shatter our own glass ceilings, but to obtain and sustain that elusive brass ring of a true strategic partnership with our Executives that even the most seasoned Executive Assistant is searching for, but that all levels of Assistants must truly know, live and practice to succeed and thrive. -- Wende Morrow Senior Executive Assistant to Billy Vassiliadis/R&R Partners Show less

This brand new tool provides the formula for success between an executive and assistant: People + Process = Success. Based on Joan's 25+ years of personally coaching and training executives and assistants, the Guide provides comprehensive and flexible solutions addressing the most pressing and common challenges facing Executives and Assistants. Filled with time-tested proven solutions that work in nearly any professional environment, this Guide is incredibly easy to use—it’s concise, well… Show more

This brand new tool provides the formula for success between an executive and assistant: People + Process = Success. Based on Joan's 25+ years of personally coaching and training executives and assistants, the Guide provides comprehensive and flexible solutions addressing the most pressing and common challenges facing Executives and Assistants. Filled with time-tested proven solutions that work in nearly any professional environment, this Guide is incredibly easy to use—it’s concise, well organized, and practical. Its design is both elegant and functional. Executives and Assistants use it together collaboratively and interactively. Specific “conversation points” facilitate open communication between Executives and Assistants, helping you to create your own unique partnership with clearly defined operating procedures.Joan collaborated with Chrissy Scivicque, fellow trainer, career coach and former executive secretary. Show less

Administrative professionals of all walks of life, levels of experience, and titles need this valuable asset every day—the ability to be resilient. While this may sound simple and you feel you have done a good job of being resilient, it actually is quite complex. And the higher up the career ladder you go, the deeper levels of resiliency are needed because the game gets tougher for the executives you support.

If you can develop being resilient you will be able to:
• Bounce back… Show more

Administrative professionals of all walks of life, levels of experience, and titles need this valuable asset every day—the ability to be resilient. While this may sound simple and you feel you have done a good job of being resilient, it actually is quite complex. And the higher up the career ladder you go, the deeper levels of resiliency are needed because the game gets tougher for the executives you support.

If you can develop being resilient you will be able to:
• Bounce back faster after a setback
• Take daily workplace changes in stride
• Use resources effectively especially when faced with a problem• Move in tandem with your executive
• Learn the lessons you need to learn
• Exhibit nimbleness as you adapt to change
• Generate innovative solutions to problems
• Find ways to effectively share your ideas with others

Learn what resilience means and the 10 elements of being resilient as an assistant.
Show less

A vital resource for Assistants, Business Travelers and Planners--this 13 page guide is written in very simple, basic terms. Author, Joan Burge, has experienced the challenges of travel and travel planning from being on both sides of the desk: For 20 years, as an assistant, Joan arranged hundreds of trips for numerous executives. Joan thought she understood how hard travel could be on the traveler, but did not fully grasp the complexity of traveling and the stress for the traveler until Joan… Show more

A vital resource for Assistants, Business Travelers and Planners--this 13 page guide is written in very simple, basic terms. Author, Joan Burge, has experienced the challenges of travel and travel planning from being on both sides of the desk: For 20 years, as an assistant, Joan arranged hundreds of trips for numerous executives. Joan thought she understood how hard travel could be on the traveler, but did not fully grasp the complexity of traveling and the stress for the traveler until Joan began traveling on a regular basis after starting her administrative training company, Office Dynamics.

Joan Burge has been coaching executives and assistants for more than 23 years. Travel is a part of their conversations. The executives wished his or her assistant would do a better job in that arena. Thus, leading Joan to writing a comprehensive solution-oriented booklet. Show less

Turbocharge Your Career is a unique eBook. It is a compilation of popular published articles written by Joan Burge, administrative expert, author, corporate trainer and coach since 1990. Joan wrote the articles for administrative and executive assistants who desire reaching the top of their game and continuing to strive for their personal best--day after day. Topics include: Be Results-Driven; Creating a Career Portfolio; Living Through Leadership; Set Healthy Boundaries At Work; Getting Into… Show more

Turbocharge Your Career is a unique eBook. It is a compilation of popular published articles written by Joan Burge, administrative expert, author, corporate trainer and coach since 1990. Joan wrote the articles for administrative and executive assistants who desire reaching the top of their game and continuing to strive for their personal best--day after day. Topics include: Be Results-Driven; Creating a Career Portfolio; Living Through Leadership; Set Healthy Boundaries At Work; Getting Into the Executive Suite; Coping With Conflicting Priorities and more!

Show less

Support staff are the foundation and glue holding the busy workplace together; they basically run their executives’ lives; carry the burden to make sure nothing falls through the cracks; must quickly shift gears to respond to immediate needs or requests; they need to constantly ‘morph’ themselves to be able to do anything, at any time, with skill and excellence.

The administrative professional is the one who supports the management team. Many support the highest level executives who… Show more

Support staff are the foundation and glue holding the busy workplace together; they basically run their executives’ lives; carry the burden to make sure nothing falls through the cracks; must quickly shift gears to respond to immediate needs or requests; they need to constantly ‘morph’ themselves to be able to do anything, at any time, with skill and excellence.

The administrative professional is the one who supports the management team. Many support the highest level executives who drive the business in a company. Yet, these administrators are overlooked when it comes to serious training focused on their profession. They are not visibly recognized for their contributions in the workplace. Their profession continues to be misunderstood with an attitude by the public that “Anyone can be an admin.” Conversely, Office Dynamics International has worked with top corporations such as Cisco Systems, Humana Inc., Procter & Gamble, The Boeing Company, Chevron Corporation, Kindred Healthcare, Nationwide Insurance and many others. These Fortune 500 organizations realized the importance of their administrative staff to their management teams’ success and overall company success. These companies made a tremendous commitment to providing the highest quality ongoing training for their administrative staff and as a result, are reaping huge rewards.
Show less

In this memoir, Joan Burge speaks with wisdom and clarity to every woman in every walk of life, tackling the multi-faceted ever-changing roles of today's woman with candor, wit and straight talk. Her stories will inspire you to "hang on" no matter what, to see the light in the darkest night and to know you are stronger than you imagine so you can remove whatever holds you back from becoming all you were created to be: fully invigorated in every aspect of life.

Wherever you are in life… Show more

In this memoir, Joan Burge speaks with wisdom and clarity to every woman in every walk of life, tackling the multi-faceted ever-changing roles of today's woman with candor, wit and straight talk. Her stories will inspire you to "hang on" no matter what, to see the light in the darkest night and to know you are stronger than you imagine so you can remove whatever holds you back from becoming all you were created to be: fully invigorated in every aspect of life.

Wherever you are in life, whatever your age or marital status, Joan's story will lift your spirit and motivate you to reach for your dreams despite any obstacle or barrier.

In Live a BIG Life Joan Burge speaks to women on courage, faith, and red lipstick! Show less

Are you ready to rise to the top of your game and become your very best, gaining new insights and reaching the highest heights? Whether you've been in the field for 20 minutes or 20 years, this book is a "must' resource you will refer to again and again.

Who Took My Pen...Again? offers practical, creative strategies for achieving success and building leadership attributes, compiled from the diverse experiences of high-achieving administrative professionals in a wide variety of businesses… Show more

Are you ready to rise to the top of your game and become your very best, gaining new insights and reaching the highest heights? Whether you've been in the field for 20 minutes or 20 years, this book is a "must' resource you will refer to again and again.

Who Took My Pen...Again? offers practical, creative strategies for achieving success and building leadership attributes, compiled from the diverse experiences of high-achieving administrative professionals in a wide variety of businesses and industries.

Inspired by the 18th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence themed The Path Forward: Adding Value Every Day, the authors drew on the attendees' knowledge as well as their own years of experience to develop the content for this book.

This book overlows with secrets, tips, and tools of the profession and is a ready resource created by those who "walk the walk and talk the talk" of the complex administrative professionals' role. They really "get it." Show less

Joan Burge spotlights the true value that administrative professionals have in terms of their relationship with their principals, their organizations, and the companies for which they work.

You'll read why it's essential to maintain your competitive advantage and how continual improvement makes it possible. You will explore key points with Joan that lead to success and you're likely to wonder who switched on the lights?

Once you "See" what is underneath it all, you will become a… Show more

Joan Burge spotlights the true value that administrative professionals have in terms of their relationship with their principals, their organizations, and the companies for which they work.

You'll read why it's essential to maintain your competitive advantage and how continual improvement makes it possible. You will explore key points with Joan that lead to success and you're likely to wonder who switched on the lights?

Once you "See" what is underneath it all, you will become a more effective person--in your personal life as well as in your business life. Burge truly speaks from experience when she shares her philosophies and her stories because she has been an executive assistant herself. As a corporate trainer, speaker, consultant, and the CEO of her own company for 22 years, she brings a wealth of knowledge from both sides of the desk.

Underneath It All presents new ideas and ambitious ways to approach the challenge of rising to the top in a field that is exciting and rewarding. Show less

Become An Inner Circle Assistant outlines the steps to earn the Inner Circle status as well as thrive in the position. It is a book of strategy and workplace philosophy that will help administrative professionals become top perfomers in work and in their careers.

Joan Burge brings 35 years of experience in the administrative field to this groundbreaking book! Everyone who plays a vital role in an organization should read this book. They will increase their impact on the company's… Show more

Become An Inner Circle Assistant outlines the steps to earn the Inner Circle status as well as thrive in the position. It is a book of strategy and workplace philosophy that will help administrative professionals become top perfomers in work and in their careers.

Joan Burge brings 35 years of experience in the administrative field to this groundbreaking book! Everyone who plays a vital role in an organization should read this book. They will increase their impact on the company's results, be visible and recognized as a star performer, prepare for future positions, increase self-esteem and levels of confidence, and ultimately achieve Inner Circle status. Show less

When it comes to essential topics like communication, businesses all across America are looking for relevant, cutting-edge, "real world" solutions to help them succeed. Real World Communication Strategies showcases the strategies, insights, and inspiration from 13 experts whose client lists read like a "who's who" in American business.

This is a power-packed collection addressing topics such as: Effective Communication, Making Connections, Professional Assertiveness, Communicating With… Show more

When it comes to essential topics like communication, businesses all across America are looking for relevant, cutting-edge, "real world" solutions to help them succeed. Real World Communication Strategies showcases the strategies, insights, and inspiration from 13 experts whose client lists read like a "who's who" in American business.

This is a power-packed collection addressing topics such as: Effective Communication, Making Connections, Professional Assertiveness, Communicating With Humor, Listen Your Way to the Top, Discovering and Developing Your Own Communication Style and more.

This book is ripe with "good stuff." You will find ideas and strategies that are working with real people, in real companies and under real circumstances. Show less

Star Savers tips are taken from Joan Burge's highly-acclaimed flagship training program for executive and administrative assistants called the Star Achievement Series. Star Savers are quick tips, tricks and techniques to help you become a star-performing employee. This free e-book provides tips for: Leveraging Criticism, Maintaining a Star Attitude, Transcending Difficult Personalities, Increasing Team Productivity, Preparing for the Future, Letting Off Steam, Cultivating Business Networks… Show more

Star Savers tips are taken from Joan Burge's highly-acclaimed flagship training program for executive and administrative assistants called the Star Achievement Series. Star Savers are quick tips, tricks and techniques to help you become a star-performing employee. This free e-book provides tips for: Leveraging Criticism, Maintaining a Star Attitude, Transcending Difficult Personalities, Increasing Team Productivity, Preparing for the Future, Letting Off Steam, Cultivating Business Networks, Presenting a Powerful Professional Image and more. Show less