Thank God it's MAN FRIDAY

ANALYSE THIS

Strategy issues seen through cartoons.

The only man getting his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe." Some resentful executive first scribbled that graffito on a wall somewhere in the 1960s, but it appears even more relevant now, in a world where bosses impose unrealistic deadlines and every project was due yesterday.

And unlike Hambone, few real-life executives can get away with recommending their superior pass the work to Crusoe or rather, the shipwrecked sailor's loyal attendant, Man Friday.

Their bosses are luckier: most CEOs have an invaluable business tool, an executive assistant. In The New Executive Assistant: Advice for Succeeding in Your Career, business consultant and author Melba J Duncan writes, "Executive assistants compensate for the weaknesses of their bosses."

The executive assistant to one of India's top industrialists takes a more positive view. "The executive assistant has to aid the effectiveness of his boss," he says.

Chief executives of most organisations spend a substantial portion of their working day in meetings "" and a considerable part of the month travelling. Someone needs to be in charge of the CEO's office while he's away "" and provide him support to do his job whether he's in office or out of it. And that's where the EA steps in.

In large business houses such as Reliance Industries, the Aditya Birla group and the Tata group, an EA's role is a significant one. The EA has significant authority, is high up in the hierarchy and is usually on the fast track to independently head a business unit.

Another large steel company usually appoints a senior executive to the role of CEO's EA. "The next step for that person is to take over as a CEO of any of the subsidiaries. The subsidiaries are anywhere in the range of Rs 700 crore to more than Rs 1,000 crore," points out the company's HR manager.

That's because an EA is also a CEO in the making, points out Purvi Sheth, vice-president of HR consultancy Shilputsi. "The role is good as a developmental tool as the EA is close to the seat of power and has a finger on the pulse of the business."

Not that all CEOs expect their EAs to perform the role of a shadow CEO. Depending on what the CEO needs, the role of an executive assistant can span the spectrum from being a reasonably more educated secretarial role to the other end where the EA is an extremely senior person who is empowered to act as a shadow boss.

"I would expect a good executive assistant to pre-empt the needs of the boss and take the initiative to communicate and co-ordinate them much in advance," says the head of a multinational consumer goods company.

He does not envisage a larger strategic role for the EA, but that's because of the nature of his business: the CEO's role is a focused one, concentrated in one region. "If this were a more diversified business that was also considering international expansion, the EA's role would be much larger," he adds.

In any case, in most cases, EAs increasingly take away some of the load from their boss's shoulders. Their mandate goes far beyond communication and facilitation on behalf of the CEO and includes areas like monitoring performance management, project reviews, strategic planning and so on.

"As bosses begin to delegate more downwards, their effectiveness also improves," points out an executive assistant working for a diversified business enterprise. He adds, "The role is defined by the boss. Whatever functions he would like to retain control of, but does not have time for, are usually delegated to the executive assistant," he says.

All EAs may not be groomed for the corner office, but more is expected of them than of the typical secretary/ stenographer. "Executive assistants are expected to be available to the CEO at all times with an ability to multi-task," says Sheth.

She adds that executive assistants are looked upon as facilitators by their bosses. As the decision-making bandwidth of the CEO is under intense pressure with businesses gaining in size and scale, the EA is filling into gaps that are left uncovered by the CEO.

So what makes for a great EA? Exceptional interpersonal skills are a must, of course. You also need to be organised and reliable, and be willing to work flexible "" and long "" hours.

But perhaps the key qualification is also the toughest to match "" you need to vibe really well with your boss, be able to anticipate his needs and think like him. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.