Review calendar authority for a new executive assistant

Define what the assistant may change

A new executive assistant may need to move meetings, accept invitations, and protect focus time. The authority to change a calendar is not the same as the authority to make a commitment on the executive's behalf. Write down which actions are routine, which need approval, and which are outside the role. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Routine actions might include accepting a meeting that matches the approved priorities, declining a duplicate invitation, or moving an internal meeting within the same week. Approval may be required for external commitments, travel, board meetings, or anything that changes a customer or partner relationship. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

The rule should name the executive's preferences and the escalation contact. An assistant who cannot reach the executive should know which decisions can wait, which can be delegated, and which require a stop. A calendar emergency is not a reason to invent authority. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Set the working agreement in writing

The working agreement should cover hours, response expectations, meeting prep, travel, confidentiality, and the boundary between personal and professional support. It should also say how the assistant and executive will review priorities when the calendar is full. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Use examples. A request from a board member, a customer, and an internal peer may have different priority rules. The assistant should not have to infer the executive's preference from a job title. The agreement can give a default and an exception path.

Review the agreement after the first month. The assistant will have seen real tradeoffs and can identify rules that are unclear or unrealistic. Update the document with the executive and record the effective date. A working agreement that is never reviewed becomes a stale description of the job.

Protect focus time and meeting quality

Calendar authority includes protecting the conditions for good decisions. The assistant may need to hold preparation time before a board meeting, keep a travel buffer, or decline a meeting that has no agenda. The executive should approve the principles, and the assistant should apply them consistently. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Do not let the assistant become a gatekeeper who hides information. The executive should know which requests were declined and why, especially when the requester is a peer or a customer. A weekly summary can show the volume and the reasons without forwarding every message. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

When a meeting is moved, record the reason and the communication. If a participant was not consulted, the assistant should tell the owner and set a follow-up. A silent calendar change can damage a relationship even when the new time is better for the executive. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Check access and delegation

Calendar access is a privileged role. Use a named account, multi-factor authentication where available, and the least permission needed. Do not share the executive's password or let the assistant sign in as the executive. Delegation should be visible in the calendar system's audit trail.

Review delegated permissions when the role changes or the assistant leaves. The exit check should cover calendar access, email delegation, file shares, and any scheduling tools. A former assistant with lingering access can create a serious confidentiality and scheduling risk. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

If the assistant manages other people's calendars, separate the permission sets. The ability to edit a peer's calendar should not come automatically with the executive's calendar. Each delegation should have an owner and a review date. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Review the arrangement after 30 days

At the end of the first month, review the calendar decisions that required judgment. Which requests were declined, which were escalated, and which were moved without the executive noticing? Use the examples to refine the working agreement and the priority rules. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Ask the assistant what information was missing and what took too long. The answer may point to a better briefing format, a clearer travel policy, or a standing decision meeting. The review should improve the operating system, not just evaluate the individual. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Schedule a second review at 90 days and then at the normal performance cadence. The goal is a delegation that remains clear as the executive's priorities change. Calendar authority should be reviewed like any other access or responsibility, not granted once and forgotten. Record the evidence and the next owner before the case leaves the queue. Keep the note factual enough for a later reviewer to continue.

Frequently asked questions