Do you find yourself constantly interrupted throughout the day? There are times when you feel like you haven’t accomplished a thing. Even the best-laid plans can fall short if you don’t have an effective gatekeeping system in place. While emergencies and unexpected problems will always arise that require immediate attention, having the right gate keeping strategy can significantly impact your productivity.
Whether you have an open-door policy or not, use your Executive Assistant, aka “Gatekeeper” to actively manage your schedule and incorporate non-interruption time into your daily or weekly routine. Every Mayor, Town Administrator or Executive deals with their fair share of unplanned visits. In these roles, you may find that you have more “friends” and “acquaintances” than you realized. It’s also essential to balance and manage your department heads and Board Chairs effectively. Make sure to establish clear boundaries and set a precedent for managing these interactions. Strong trust and communication between you and your staff are crucial for success.
Daily one-on-one meetings with your Executive Assistant: these are essential for discussing issues, priorities, and scheduling conflicts. Encourage open communication about motives and concerns to help you prioritize effectively and make informed decisions.
Prioritize each day: let your Executive Assistant shield you from non-urgent, unimportant interruptions so that significant matters are given priority.
Effective Time Management: Schedule, prioritize, plan effectively, and focus on what is truly important. Avoid setting aside time to placate the frequent flyers. Remember the adage from renowned German writer and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “The things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least.”
Minimize online distractions: it is essential to disable notifications that are not crucial to your tasks. These alerts, whether from social media, emails, or messaging apps, can significantly disrupt your focus and derail your thought process. By creating a more controlled digital environment, you can enhance your concentration, allowing for deeper engagement with your work and more productive outcomes.
Delegate: It’s impossible to meet with everyone who wants to, but it’s essential that all senior-level management is heard. Provide autonomy to those who are capable and aligned with your mission and goals.
The key to a successful partnership is effective communication, empathy, mutual respect, trust, and loyalty.
At Capital Strategic Solutions, we recognize the challenges and pressures you may be experiencing. We can help by providing training or interim staff who have previously excelled in these roles.
If you have any needs, please contact us today at (508) 690-0046 or email us at [email protected].
About the Author
Patricia “Trish” Bernard, former Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Marlborough, brings over a decade of public service leadership to Capital Strategic Solutions. Renowned for strategic planning and community engagement, she led initiatives like the Marlborough Public Service Internship Program and Municipal Government Academy, boosting transparency and youth participation. At Capital Strategic Solutions, Trish enhances policy coordination, program development, and internal processes—making government more accessible, especially for young people. Her strong work ethic, adaptability, and problem-solving skills are invaluable to our team and clients.