Confirm the desired outcome, requester, deadline, decision owner, background
Confirm the desired outcome, requester, deadline, decision owner, background, and consequence of waiting. Missing fields are a signal to clarify rather than guess.
Check the authority, access, dependencies, and expected output
Check the authority, access, dependencies, and expected output. A request can be urgent while still lacking the information needed for safe execution.
Record the accepted scope and the first review point
Record the accepted scope and the first review point. If the request changes another priority, make the tradeoff visible to the accountable executive.
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.
Book a consultation