Ask for the desired outcome, requester, deadline, decision owner
Ask for the desired outcome, requester, deadline, decision owner, background, and consequence of waiting. These fields reveal whether the request is ready or still needs definition.
Mark what support may do independently and what requires approval
Mark what support may do independently and what requires approval. A request should not gain authority simply because it arrived with urgency.
Confirm the next action and review point
Confirm the next action and review point. If the request changes priority, record the tradeoff so the executive team can see what moved.
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Should one assistant support the whole executive team?
Sometimes. It works when priorities are clear and executives share one operating rhythm.
What should happen before a consult?
List the meetings, inbox rules, recurring reports, and decisions that need support.
Ready to define the role?
Use a recent leadership week to scope the support that would make the biggest difference. The consultation is a working conversation, not a generic pitch.
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