Are You Getting Hidden Feedback?
Your weekly round up of what's going on in the Admin world
Hello and happy Friday.
It’s been a hot one over here in the UK and I’ve been trying to enjoy as much of the sunshine as I can (whilst shivering in the air conditioned office!).
This week I’ve been seeing how our AI habits have been changing, learning how to be less nice at work, and wondering how much hidden feedback I’ve received (and given!) over the years..
We’ve got another bank holiday this weekend so enjoy the short week next week!
Yvette
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Thank you to everyone who has signed up for a free account already. It means the world to me as every sign up has generated a little commission for me and helps keep the Admin Wrap lights on 🙏🏼
NewsWrap
Are you receiving hidden feedback and would you know what to do with it if you are? This article from HBR gives a couple of really interesting examples of behaviour which you might be seeing but aren’t viewing as hidden feedback. We all know that actions speak louder than words - what is your exec not saying about you?
This week saw a major power outage across Spain and Portugal which impacted everything from trains to air conditioning to traffic lights. We also heard about a cyber attack at the Co-Op where staff were asked to keep their cameras on to check that attendees were all supposed to be there. I hope none of you were adversely affected in either of these. I’ll use this as another reminder that you should have backup plans in place in the event of someone being stranded, or unable to access systems. The “what happens if…” scenarios happen all the time, so don’t think that it won’t happen to you.
Are you “too nice” at work? This can mask how you are really feeling and could result in people walking over you, or continuing with behaviour you don’t like. Remember, you can push back and call someone out whilst still being nice about it. Being nice doesn’t mean losing sight of your morals, and it can often be nicer in the long run to call people out and stand up for yourself.
AI with a memory? What if your trusty AI sidekick could remember your preferences, your hobbies and even your important dates? That’s what Microsoft announced earlier this month with their personalised version of Copilot. What will this do to the EA role if our execs have a personalised version of AI? Well, as long as you are continually upskilling and keeping up to date with what’s going on in your company’s industry, you probably have very little to worry about.
Any idea what is the number one reason why people use Generative AI in 2025? Last year “Generate Ideas” was at the top spot, and 2025 bring nine new uses into the top 30. I found it fascinating to see how our usage has changed over just one year. What do you think might hit the top spot next year?
Looking for a Mentor?
I’ve teamed up with three fabulous mentors to offer mentorship across a range of specialities. You can book in for an hour, or a block of three hours, to get expert advice and guidance from one of four women who all have vastly different backgrounds and experiences. Take a look here
By referring your friends and colleagues to The Admin Wrap, you can earn yourself free access to The Extra Wrap - our in depth thought leadership pieces which are sent out every Monday. Can you make it to the top of the leader board?
💻 TechWrap
Each month we’re going to be deep diving into a software platform or piece of tech that you might use, and we’ll give you a Top Tip each week for it.
For April we are looking at Google Calendar
Utilise Google Calendar’s “suggested times” or “find a time” feature to quickly find a suitable time for all attendees of the meeting. It will save you having to trawl through all the calendars - just add all the attendees and Google will find an available slot (of course, you might still need your EA wizardry for deciding which meetings could be moved to make way for the one you are scheduling).
Add in all the relevant information wherever possible. This applies to all calendar applications, not just Google, but Google has several different fields for different information. ALWAYS add some kind of comment in the Description, and you can add files or links to aid attendees. It’s also useful to know where you can find this information should you need it in the future.
EventWrap
If you’re a VA in/near London, you can spend the day co-working alongside your peers and the awesome Zoe Hill at co working space, Orega on The Strand. It’s just £25 to join, and there will be opportunities to meet, learn and work. Join them on 1st July - buy your ticket here
On 7th May, ASAP are hosting a webinar for their premium members to elevate communication skills and “express ideas with authority and poise”. Communication is severely underrated in most companies, so if you can join this session, I’d highly recommend that you do. You can get all the information here.
If you are running an event aimed at administrative professionals, please send me an email and let me know all about it - hello@theadminwrap.com