Tracy’s Top 3 Tips For Success As a Virtual Assistant
I was an RN for 11 years before I started Rock Solid Virtual Assistants. Not everyone knows that, and most are usually surprised to learn this odd fact! How I got to where we are now is a long story, but today I want to share some things I learned on the journey…
In the early days of working as a virtual assistant, I had 3 amazing clients who I’ll never forget. I learned SO MUCH from each of them and remain good friends with two of them.
From the day I started working as a VA until now, I have loved seeing what can be accomplished when we come together as a team and tackle goals and objectives. However, working as a VA can be challenging to navigate at times. I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite tips that I learned along the way!
#1. Visualize being in the office together each day
Visualizing the touch points I’d have with my coworkers each day if we were sharing the same space was vital in those beginning days! I quickly learned that if I did my best to try and mimic those relationship qualities and “office mechanics”, things we far easier, and the work relationship grew quickly!
This means I’d say good morning when I got to work each day, possibly check in on their weekend, and ask about the biggest priorities of the day/week. Keep in mind that things are always shifting and priorities change, so checking in on this a couple of times a week makes a big difference.
In an office setting, we may have a little more insight into what has shifted, but working virtually, we’ll need to seek out this information intentionally. Whether you’re checking in on Voxer or by email, be very intentional about simply checking in, letting your teammates know you’re “in,” and tackling all the things!
#2. Create a Collaborative Workspace.
This ties in so closely with number one! Let’s look at some actionable items:
Get a project management system in place, quick! ClickUp, Trello, Asana… find the one that works best for you and your client. These systems allow the entire team to see where each project is, what piece is assigned to who, and what kind of progress is happening. It also helps when follow-up is necessary to complete a project.
Give a daily recap when your time is finished each day. This simply lets your client know what you’ve been working on and what progress has been made. Don’t forget to give a projection for when things will be completed. When our clients don’t hear from us, they assume we’re not working. I know… that CAN be frustrating! You’re working your tail off, but they aren’t seeing it! My favorite teamwork tool is a daily recap on Voxer - or possibly even Slack - so I have some way to “see” what’s going on each day! This will shift the longer you and your client work together, and you’ll find your own perfect rhythm, but a daily recap is a great way to get things kicked off!
It also helps, from the VA perspective, to see what your client is working on, what they may be avoiding, and what they tend to procrastinate on. Those are great things to keep in mind, and they might indicate tasks you can jump in on and help without waiting to be asked. Maybe they need input, feedback on their direction, or a nudge to get out of the rut!
#3. Don’t be afraid to give and receive feedback!
Let’s all agree to stop fearing feedback. If we shudder just at the mention of the word, then we need to talk about this!
First and foremost, please understand that you are a professional, and your client is fortunate to have you on their team. You are a valued piece of their business! Nearly every person I talk to asks for someone who can brainstorm and collaborate with them! Working solo is HARD and not sustainable - especially in times of growth! So, if we have an appropriate view of our skills and what we bring to the table, it makes offering and accepting feedback much easier.
The second thing -- Why does “feedback” leave such a bitter taste in everyone's mouth? I think it has to do with those poor leaders we've observed. I don’t think I’m overstating when I say that we’ve all witnessed “feedback” go wrong. We may have been critiqued in ways that aren’t productive, measurable, and possibly aren’t even representing factual issues.
There is a way to deliver strong feedback -even about a difficult situation- without tearing anyone down or belittling your teammate. Feedback should be efficient and PRODUCTIVE!! It is related to growth. Let that sink in a minute.
Feedback is related to growth.
So, let’s look at 3 things feedback SHOULD be and how we can model this good example.
Productive. Is your comment going to produce good results - growth in project development and better team relationships? If not, perhaps step back a minute until you can see it from a different perspective. Remember that this shouldn’t be a personal attack. This is about work.
Measurable. Can you show where the project is going a bit sideways and what steps can be taken to get it back on track? Be sure to provide an expected outcome with a projected due date!
Solution Oriented! Are you providing a solution to the problem at hand? Coming to the table with a problem only is actually an even bigger problem. Maybe you don’t have a solid solution just yet, but at least present with ideas to brainstorm with the team to resolve the problem!
Also, remember the positive feedback! Everyone loves to hear that they are appreciated! It makes jumping in and tackling the next big project much easier!
