A Great Day's Work

Advice for Admins

Wise or Foolish—What Do You Choose?

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I’m not going to lie to you.  After living through seven winters in Maryland, Idaho, and Utah, I am thankful to now spend my winters in California.  I love the sunshine and warmth of California winters.  However, I am mindful of the mandatory water conservation regulations and know California needs rain.

Rain 3

Over the last few weeks, Northern California has welcomed much needed rain and with that rain I am reminded of a song that I learned as a child entitled “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.”  Are you familiar with this song?  The lyrics go something like this: [Read more…] about Wise or Foolish—What Do You Choose?

Gearing Up for 2016

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Me AgainOver the last couple of weeks, I have had the opportunity to spend a generous amount of time with my two sisters—Michele and Jennifer. They are two of my best friends and absolutely hilarious. If you haven’t met them yet, I hope you do someday.

My sisters and I reunited for the holidays a bit earlier than expected this year to honor the life of my Aunt Charlotte Taylor, who passed away this month at the age of 81 years old. My aunt, my mom’s sister, was a regular visitor in the Leitner household while I was growing up, and we will miss her. [Read more…] about Gearing Up for 2016

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016!!

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36004742_sWith the popularity of pop star singer Adele’s hit song “Hello” topping the charts, I am pretty sure I have heard the word “hello” more times this year than any other year in my life. Are you ready to say “Hello!” to 2016?

What do you look forward to saying goodbye to, and what do you look forward to welcoming in the new year ahead?

As I prepare for the upcoming year, I am ready to put my best foot forward with a renewed commitment, excitement, and wonder for what is ahead. How about you?  How are you gearing up for the New Year?  As I reflect upon this past year, I appreciate all the good (and yucky stuff!) that impacted my life. However, it will not define 2016.  What will define 2016 will be up to me.  What I do to plan, and how I choose to react to the future ahead is up to me.  I am ready to move beyond 2015 and embrace 2016 with enthusiasm! [Read more…] about Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016!!

There’s A First Time for Everything

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TurkeyWhen was the last time you did something for the very first time? Was it today? Yesterday? Last week?

A couple of weeks ago I called my sister, Michele, and asked if she would participate with me in the 10th Annual Run for Food on Thanksgiving Day.  This popular event is a 5K run/walk through Chico, California’s beautiful Bidwell Park.  Michele agreed, and we registered online.  Upon registering, I had 96 hours to train before the big event. Yikes! I had never registered or participated in a 5K run/walk EVER! [Read more…] about There’s A First Time for Everything

What Is Your Dream Job?

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47553316_sIt took 42 years, but on Saturday, November 21, 2015,  I was sent to high school detention (AKA Saturday School.)  And for what?  To share my insights into career development for 1 ½ – 2 hours with high school students.

During our morning instruction and discussion, I provided each student with a worksheet and asked the students to identify their dream job.  I also asked each student to write answers to the questions on the worksheet.  Some of those questions included: [Read more…] about What Is Your Dream Job?

When Working Harder Goes Wrong: PowerPoint Edition

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Horizontal Portrait Neil MalekA couple of months ago, Neil Malek contributed to A Great Day’s Work with the blog post When Working Harder Goes Wrong: Microsoft Word Troubles.  There is almost an identical situation that happens in PowerPoint, and Neil wants to share this with you.

You open a slideshow that was built over the last few weeks, months, or years, and for some reason, half the slides have slide numbers, but the other half don’t. And for some reason, a couple of the slides have slightly different font sizes. And the logo isn’t in the corner of the last ten slides…this is weird. Now, you can roll up your sleeves for hours of frustration, or you can work the way Microsoft intended, with Slide Masters and Slide Layouts. [Read more…] about When Working Harder Goes Wrong: PowerPoint Edition

Imagine Your Life Story on the Big Screen

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12512923_sTake a moment to imagine yourself in the audience watching your life story on the big screen.  When and where does your story begin?  What are the highlights?  What are the bumps and rough patches along the way?  What is next on the horizon?  What is your legacy?

My story began a few decades ago in Chico, California, on June 29.  I was the first of four children raised by my parents Mike and Susan.  I have fond memories growing up and am thankful every day for my upbringing.  Let’s now fast forward to age 18.  I moved out of state to attend college and from that point on it was up to me to direct and oversee the rest of “My Life.” [Read more…] about Imagine Your Life Story on the Big Screen

How Is Your Relationship With Work?

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Work RelationshipHow is your relationship with the work you do each day? Are you simply collecting a paycheck or are you working with a purpose and enjoying a satisfying career?

The majority of us must work outside our homes to make a living to pay for the temporal things we need or want to enjoy (e.g. a home, transportation, food, vacations, entertainment, clothing, retirement, etc.). When we secure employment, the reward for our time and effort is usually a paycheck.

I love pay day! It’s marked on my calendar, and I look forward to receiving the monetary incentive for the work I perform. More importantly, what I have collectively earned on each of these pay days is not what has brought me long-term career satisfaction. I am motivated to get out of bed each morning by a compelling desire to make a difference in the world. [Read more…] about How Is Your Relationship With Work?

How Confident Are You Talking About Money?

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MoneyAs men and women, we all have a different level of understanding and comfort when it comes to talking about money. In some families, money is rarely discussed.  In some college majors, money is rarely studied or learned.

As administrative professionals, we carry a responsibility to help businesses and governments succeed. I believe businesses and governments will be better served by having administrative professionals who can confidently talk about money.

To partner with executives and managers, administrative professionals should want to become more money savvy. This knowledge will help administrative professionals become more confident in having business-related conversations, offering recommendations, and catching errors.  [Read more…] about How Confident Are You Talking About Money?

Dear Future Administrative Professionals

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Administrative ProfessionalDear Future Administrative Professionals,

You are about to embark on what could be one of the most exciting careers in your lifetime—the career of the administrative professional.

As you prepare for the road ahead, remember to never lose who you are in the months and years to come. Be mindful of your values, and don’t lose sight of who you hope to become. Be a friend to everyone around you by creating and nurturing relationships as people will be your greatest asset. Be confident and thoughtful in your speech. Support and build up your fellow administrative professional colleagues. Choose to be happy each day at work, and you will radiate a passion for the important work you do. [Read more…] about Dear Future Administrative Professionals