CareerSuccess Magazine

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Meet PAs who make a difference!

Your important dates for 2013

Toolkit for Green Office Week 2013

PLUS

for administrative & office professionals

Volume 26 Issue 1

R23.88 (incl. VAT)Other Countries R37.50Rediscover

fun at work

FOR UNFORGETTABLE CONFERENCES

T. 011 668 3000 F. 011 668 3060

Plot 69, Dr iefontein Rd, Muldersdr ift

[email protected] www.avianto.co.za

T. 011 668 3000 F. 011 668 3060



FOR UNFORGETTABLE TEAM BUILDING EVENTS

c a r e e r s u c c e s s

2 C o n t r i b u t o r s t o t h i s E d i t i o n

Felicity burnett was Secretary of the Year for 1989/1990 and is a tender and contracts practitioner with a bachelor’s degree in Economics from UNISA. She is also certified as a Competent Toastmaster (CTM) and enjoys facilitating, working with and speaking to groups and individuals about personal growth and leadership.

ruth tearle is an international strategy and change management consultant and author. Visit the Change Designs website on http://www.changedesigns.net for more articles, practical tools and motivation.

SuSan engelbrecht is the Executive Assistant to the CEO of Discovery Health. She joined Discovery in 2001. During her 32 years of working experience she broadened her knowledge and skill. Susan has written three articles for CareerSuccess Magazine and completed her FET certification in Business Administration through Siyanqoba Seminars. Susan was a finalist in the NOPOTY in 2005 and runner-up in 2009. She chairs the PAFSA Presidents Committee and form part of the Academy of Excellence.

colleen ManSoor is the President of the FriendsCup. She holds the position of Marketing Assistant/PA/Office Manager for PSG Asset Management Life, Illovo. Contact her on [email protected]

EditorialDirector Ana-Maria [email protected]

Publication Co-ordinatorQueenie [email protected]

admin/advErtisingDirectorOrnella [email protected]

Advertising/Marketing Marlene Bilewitz & [email protected]

Head: Finance & HRGuida [email protected]

Subscriptions & Client Liaison Thandi [email protected]

Graphic DesignIviwe Masiza

Dictum Design and [email protected]

PrintingUnited Litho, Bert Groenewald, Tel: (011) 402 0571

thE CompanyCareerSuccess is published byDictum Publishers (Pty) LtdGauteng, South Africa Tel: (011) 616 7401

Fax: (011) 616 3244E-mail: [email protected]

www.dictum.co.za

Opinions expressed in any article do not necessarily reflect on the publishers. All submissions to CareerSuccess are subject to editorial change to suit the style of the magazine. The right of reproduction of any article or other matter published in CareerSuccess is expressly reserved.©

CareerSuccess is the official publication of PAFSA.

teri wellS has worked as an Executive PA for the Chairman and CEO of the JD Group for the past 20 years. As the PA of the Year 2012/13, Teri is the Head of the Academy of Excellence Committee of PAFSA

carMen cara is an Executive PA to Finance Director for Old Mutual Service Techonology Administration as well as the Executive PA to CIO for Old Mutual Emerging Markets – Africa. In 2011 she was a finalist of NOPOTY. From 2008-2012 she was the Chairperson to the PA association of Old Mutual. Currently she is actively involved in an initiative started up by herself namely Growing Green. She also an EXCO member of PAFSA.

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CONTENTSFEaturEs

8 Key Feature: Fun at work

28 Career matters: the guts and the glory of my journey!

intErviEw

19 growing green project: Carmen Cara

24 academy of Excellence: susan Engelbrecht

spECial EvEnts

12 green office week: lead the team. Keep it green

20 green heart award: Calling for nominations!

rEgulars

3 Ed's memo: time to shine

4 news,views and reviews: in the driving seat by Brand pretorius/ important dates for you

10 Eyes on the world: let’s play at work

26 Q&a: mumbling!

28 FriendsCup: president’s message

32 Brain Fun: test your wits

TiMe To SHine!

I cannot put into words the true excitement we feel at our offices!

If you saw the 6 March edition of The Star Workplace you will have read that we have just launched 2014 as the international Year of the Secretary and Administrative Assistant. PAFSA (our Professional Association for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants) observed that in 1984 such an international celebration was organised by a US based secretarial body known as PSI (now IAAP) and that 2014 would mark the 30th anniversary of this celebration.

PAFSA decided that this anniversary should be celebrated! So we started by contacting close to 100 secretarial associations worldwide to inform them that PAFSA, from South Africa, would like and intends to organise an international celebration of the profession in 2014. Our second step was to set up a task team to head this initiative and appointed Anel Martin, Charlotte Massey-Hicks and Audetta Skosana to the job – all three are Academy of Excellence members. The Academy is a faculty of PAFSA .

But this is not all…

Another of PAFSA’s committees, the President’s Committee, whose members are all heads in-house PA Forums, has just launched a fully comprehensive toolkit on “How to set up and sustain an in-house PA Forum! The chair of this committee, Susan Engelbrecht says:” Experience has shown that in-house forum heads often feel like lone islands. Sharing problem-solving of running a successful forum will go a long way to increase productivity and efficiency. Our vision is that this Manual will encourage professional administrators to passionately grow the profession by sharing knowledge through resourceful networks. We are passionate about our profession and want to continue promoting it!”

This toolkit is now available online at PAFSA’s website: www.pafsa.co.za

The above initiatives clearly show that South African PAs are ahead of their game, and through PAFSA are showing the marketplace their ability to govern their profession, and that their ‘time has come’.

Have YOU become a PAFSA member yet! If not, you stand to be left out of the most relevant developments to your profession and to your career life!

ED'S MEMOa

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PUBLICATION

Brand Pretorius, leading figure in leadershiP Benchmarking in south africa launches Book.

Many books have been written about leadership, but only a few have been written by business leaders who have personally experienced the highs and lows of the art and the science of leadership. One such book is the recently released “IN THE DrIVING SEAT – my leadership journey” written by the respected business leader and motor industry veteran, Brand Pretorius. He played a pivotal role in establishing Toyota as the market leader in the eighties and was also instrumental during the second part of his career in turning around an insolvent McCarthy Group.

Although the book is not an autobiography, it does contain an overview of his childhood years as well as an account of his career, spanning 38 years. Both business and personal lessons learnt are shared in such a frank and honest manner that the content engages the mind and touches the heart.

In essence though, the book is about leadership. Pretorius amplifies the importance thereof and defines the essence of it. He outlines the attributes and skills required for effective leadership and paints a clear picture of inspirational leadership in action. Based on his own experience, his key conclusion is that servant leadership provides the strongest foundation possible for sustained influence and high level of commitment.

Practical examples and inspirational case studies are used to give meaning and impact

to his advice and recommendations.

The book also contains chapters on leadership in service excellence and successful marketing of products and services. The guidelines given are relevant and useful. A separate chapter is devoted to the role that business leaders can and should play to bring about a better South Africa. A holistic approach is advocated and it concludes with a call to action.

The last part of the book covers the likely challenges leaders are going to face in future and how they need to adapt and deal with it. Thought provoking perspectives and possible solutions are offered.

All aspiring and existing leaders regardless of environment or level of seniority will

benefit from the reading of this book. It covers the philosophical side of leadership as well as the keys to successful execution. No leader, whether of a family, community, public sector or business will leave empty handed.

The anecdotes and case studies have a distinct local flavour but the principles and practices shared have a universal application. The core message is that leadership is all about character, influence and contribution, for the good of all.

More information from [email protected] or 021 918 8811. By ordering directly you get a special discount: 1 – 50 copies at 25% discount, more than 50 copies at 30% discount.

in the recently launched book, In the drIvIng seat, brand Pretoruis shares the lessons he has learnt as a business leader. it is an inspirational and enriching book.

"we should continue to dream about a better future. i have hope and i believe we are slowly but surely on our

way to a better future." Brand pretorius

EVENTS

imPortant datesGReen oFFiCe Week® From Monday 21 April to Friday 26 April 2013

AnnuAL PA SuMMiTCelebrated nationwide on Wednesday 4 September 2013. All details regarding a gala lunch in Gauteng where the annual PA of the Year will be announced will be given in our next issue of CareerSuccess as well as PAFSA’s newsletter: InTouch.

The Summit, organised by PAFSA will take place the morning of SeCReTARieS' DAY on 4 September at a Gauteng venue.

nATionAL BoSSeS DAY:Celebrated nationwide on Wednesday 16 October 2013. The banquet lunch where the annual Boss of the Year is announced will take place at a Gauteng venue.

inTeRnATionAL YeAR oF THe SeCReTARY AnD ADMin ASSiSTAnT 2014: (iYoTSA 2014) We are delighted to inform you that PAFSA has contacted close to 100 secretarial organisations worldwide regarding celebrating 2014 as the International Year of the Secretary and Administrative Assistant.

The first time it was celebrated was in 1984 (29 years ago) and was initiated and organised by PSA in the US. PSI is now known as IAAP.In 2014, it will mark the 30th anniversary of that celebration and will be co-ordinated from South Africa by PAFSA.

ATTenTion ALL PAS WHo WouLD Like To START An in-HouSe PA FoRuM AnD PAS WHo ALReADY HAve one. We are proud to inform you that PAFSA has launched a toolkiton how to set up and run a Forumin-house. Please visit www.pafsa.co.za to access your copy.

This toolkit was compiled by the commiteeconsisting of presidents of in-house forum of various South African companies.

Are You a member of PAFSA yet?

THe PRoFeSSionAL ASSoCiATion FoR SeCReTARieS AnD ADMiniSTRATive ASSiSTAnTS: Invites you to become a member and keep abreast of all exciting development in your profession. Get your memebership application form right away on our website: www.pafsa.co.za or write to us and ask us for a form – email [email protected].

The members of PAFSA's Presidents commitee are: Susan Engelbrecht, Lorna roets, Esmé van der Merwe, Sonja Bohländer, Daisy Padayachee, Carmen Cara, Lee Chapman and Colleen Mansoor.

International Year of the Secretar y and Admin Ass i s t ant 2014 Task Team are Anel Martin, Charlotte Massey-Hicks, and Audetta Skosana.

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8 K e y F e a t u r e

rELATIONSHIPS

fun at Work

have you and your co-workers forgotten how to have fun at work? it’s time to find the joy again in 2013 says ruth tearle!

Being busy doesn't mean

you are achieving any

more than someone who is relaxed and

focused.

Five WAYS To MoTivATe YouRSeLF:

When last did you have fun at work? •

Do you dread going to work?•

Do you hate Monday mornings?•

Are you bored at work?•

Does the thought of work make you feel •stressed, or ill?

If the answer to any of the above is "yes", you need to get the fun back in your working life.

Hating your job adversely affects your health, productivity, creativity, stress levels and your ability to achieve. Since work consumes up to half of your waking hours, it makes sense to develop a plan that will enable you to enjoy your time at work.

You might remember a time when you did have fun at work. A time when things felt easier. When you were able to motivate yourself. When you worked with a wonderful team. When you felt truly alive and powerful. So what happened to change that?

WHeRe DiD THe Fun Go?There are some common reasons why you may have lost your sense of fun at work:

office politics

You may be in a toxic enviroment where you are a victim of a political game. If so, get your power back by learning to play the political game – your own way. http://www.changedesigns.net/public/me/simplify/Political-games-play-it-your-way.html

organizational restructure

You may be the survivor of a organizational restructure. Many of your colleagues may have been retrenched. Not only do you have to take on their work as well as your own, but you also feel resentful of the way the company treated those who were retrenched. You are worried that you could be next. Prepare yourself for your worst fear then turn your focus to enjoying what you have right now.

http://www.changedesigns.net/public/me/apply/I-have-been-retrenched.html

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HoW To GeT THe Fun BACk AT WoRk:Here are five practical ways to motivate yourself and start enjoying your work again:

Stop focusing on what is wrong

"You can focus on what's wrong with your life, or you can focus on what's right." Marianne Williamson.

You may be experiencing a lot wrong with your work. You may be working harder, with less support from the company. You may be angry with your organization for the way in which they treated you and those close to you. You may feel betrayed and want to lash out at the organization that caused you so much pain.

Constantly focusing on how you have been hurt in the past prevents you from enjoying the good you have now.

While you have a right to feel the way you do, you need to ensure you don't get into a habit of only looking at what is wrong with your organization.

Think about what is right with your job. There must be some good reasons why you have chosen not to resign. Perhaps you receive a monthly salary that allows you to maintain a lifestyle? Or your work provides you with a sense of structure. Maybe you enjoy the camaraderie of the people in your team.

Write a list of the positive things that your work gives you. Change your habit to focus on the good side of your job.

Stop doing too much

"Often he who does too much does too little." Italian proverb.

Do you feel you're doing too much? Do you rush from one activity to another? Do you skip breakfast or eat lunch at your desk to fit in everything you need to do? Does your 'to do list' grow longer each day? Are you exhausted by the time you stop work?

Being busy doesn't mean you are achieving any more than someone who is relaxed and focused. Sometimes doing too much simply causes you and those around you unnecessary stress. If your diary controls you, rather than the other way round, you need to get back in control of your life. You can do this by:

Doing a value for time analysis - to determine what •time management habits you need to change;

Setting some personal boundaries;•

Getting the focus back. Create a vision for your job •and identify core focus areas. Then create a time budget to manage your diary better. One that puts you back in control of your job and your life.

By focusing on the 20% of tasks that really matter, you

will find that you achieve more than you did by simply being busy. You will also create more time for yourself and reduce both your stress and the stress of others.

Use the time you have saved by being focused on exercise, laughter, having fun or learning, and you will find yourself becoming more creative, more productive. You will have found a way to motivate yourself.

Ask for, and offer help

Work smarter, not harder by helping each other.

The wonderful thing about working with a team of people is that everyone is different. What you may find difficult to do - may be as natural as breathing to someone else. What you hate doing, may be someone else's passion. Someone else may have already been through the learning curve of something you are struggling to master.

Trade tasks with one another, so you all do more of what you enjoy.

Try this in your team. Have a meeting where everyone makes a list of the tasks they like and hate doing in their jobs. Try to trade a task you hate, with someone who likes doing that type of work. In turn, take over a task that makes someone else feel sick to their stomach, but is something you don't mind doing.

Take time out

Are you struggling to complete a task? Maybe you are wrestling with compiling a report, writing a proposal or preparing a presentation.

When you are motivated and in the zone, difficult tasks become easier.

When you have to force yourself to achieve something, it often has the opposite result. Your creative muse flies out the window. You will struggle to achieve anything at all. Writers call this 'writers block'. The best cure for unblocking your brain is to take a short break. Do something totally different. Play with some fun stuff. Move away from your desk. Walk. Talk to someone who will make you laugh. Listen to some music. Dance. Do something out of the ordinary. Tell people around you what you appreciate about them. Thank them for something they did for you in the past, and what their kind action may have meant to you.

This ten minute investment in time will allow your creative muse to return, and when you go back to work, you will complete your task much faster.

inspire yourself

Many employee satisfaction surveys show that people enjoy their jobs more when they feel they are doing something meaningful, or they are learning new skills that relates to a passion or personal vision they have.

So the starting point is to get back in touch with your passion. Create new horizons for yourself. Look at what inspires you. Once you know what makes you feel happy, excited or inspired, you can think creatively about how to incorporate these elements into your job.

PoSiTive eneRGY CAn Be inFeCTiouS. Which do you prefer to spread - a virus of stress or positive energy?

Get the fun back into your working world. You could make a big difference to those around you, if you and your team start having fun at work.


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A ntonyms for the word “work” include idle, laze and stagnate but not “play”, therefore, there is no reason

why we can’t play at work.

A trend gaining momentum throughout corporations internationally and disproving the old adage of “there’s a time for work and a time for play” is: “let’s play at work, let’s make work fun”.

WHo iS PLAYinG?Candy Black Studio, BrandBase, Google, Pixar, Vodafone Head Office – Portugal, red Bull HQ – London, Facebook, Moving Pictures Co., Twitter and Ogilvy & Mather Guangzhou Office are some of the recognizable names, using colour and form to create creative working environments, providing chill areas, playrooms, exercise stations etc. for their employees. In South Africa, Alexander Forbes has built a new head office following the principles

WHY?There is growing awareness of the necessity

to assist employees in reducing their stress levels, as the major health benefits result in improved productivity. This is ultimately hugely beneficial to the organization as a whole.

research is conducted into employees’ functional needs such as space, surface, light and ventilation as well as emotional needs including tracking various metrics of emotional well-being such as heart-rate variability and levels of stress hormones like cortisol.

A lot has been written about stress in the workplace (see CareerSuccess Volume 25 Issue 4). Whilst companies have a responsibility (in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, No. 85 of 1993) to provide a healthy work environment, you are primarily responsibile for your own personal health.

WHAT CAn You Do?With the price of real estate and the state of the global economy it is understandable that companies do not have surplus space and finances to be used purely for fun. On the bright side, it takes little to improve a work situation entirely lacking in play.

There are a number of basic activities requiring only 15 minute breaks, little or no additional space, and very little capital outlay (spending money you don’t have only adds to stress).

MenTAL exeRCiSeMany Sudoku practitioners will probably say “it’s relaxing” when asked what they enjoy about the puzzles. Focusing

let's Play at Work

teri wells, Pa of the year 2012, trend-spots for us.

E y e s o n t h e W o r l d

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on the puzzle for periods of time produces a meditative-like state. It transports you away from your stresses into a tranquil state.

According to the Social Psychiatry Blog, working on puzzles and solving them provides many benefits. It makes us alert, increases our concentration and expands our creativity. It also affects our physical health by lowering our breathing rate and reducing heart rate and blood pressure. Dopamine, a chemical responsible for learning and memory, increases when you are engaged in solving Sudoku, crossword and jigsaw puzzles. This results in clarity of mind and thought.

In a study conducted from 1998 to 2004, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, memory training was given to participants. results highlighted that those who received training showed significantly higher performance, and reported less difficulty in performing daily tasks. The bottom line is that even with “basic exercise” your mind will remain willing long after your body has given up.

PHYSiCAL exeRCiSeHula hooping may seem rather childish, but there are a surprising number of benefits. These include:

Helping to burn fat.•Toning your body - Working out several •of your body’s core muscles.Increasing your fitness level - It is such a •low impact exercise that just about anyone can use it to increase their endurance and general fitness level. Just ten minutes can provide enough benefit to your body to increase aerobic activity.

Improvement of your mood – it’s fun, and •makes exercising less of a chore.Improvement of your coordination - It •requires timing and rhythm. By practicing, your coordination will improve as your body starts to learn the timing.Improvement of spine flexibility - The motions •of hula hooping require a significant range of motion for your spine. This can help in the prevention of back injuries.

Plastic models available for children will not offer much for adults but you can purchase weighted hula hoops beneficial to both play and exercise. Find a spot where you can do this with a colleague (for a good laugh).

Think about doing puzzles e.g. crosswords in newspapers, and for physical exercise consider walking to a lunch spot - avoid lifts, escalators and driving at all costs. Meet up with people at work and enjoy conversation as opposed to cell-phone keyboarding!

A shift in mind-set regarding play in the workplace is taking place globally with the realisation that having some fun at work isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. The associated benefits have value to individual employees and the company as a whole and are achievable with minimal time and resource outlay.

Many of us stop playing somewhere between childhood and adulthood. We are working longer hours with the belief that this will solve the problem of our ever-increasing workload but the reality is it is not the quantity of work but rather the quality of our output that is indicative of success. Let’s have more fun at work! Did you read this issue's key feature? Let’s be happier!

a shift in mind-set

regarding play in the

workplace is taking place globally with

the realisation that having some fun at work isn’t a luxury, it’s a

necessity.

green office Week® 2013

Lead the Team. Keep it Green

Monday 22 april Lead the team in saving WaTER

TuEsday 23 april Lead the team in reducing CaRBon

emissions

WEdnEsday 24 aprilLead the team in saving ELECTRICITy

ThuRsday 25 aprilLead the team in reducing WasTE

FRIday 26 aprilLead the team in greening your

EVEnTs

THE TOOLKIT FOCUS AREAS FOR 2013 100 Green acts for the office

a national campaign in april annually motivating and inspiring you, and your colleagues, at work to adopt behaviours which REsPECT the environment by living the values of RECyCLInG, REduCInG and RE-usInG as much as possible.

Green Office Week®

recognizes the fact that it is easier to achieve

people‘s participation and buy-in if its call to action provides

the necessary guidelines - hence a Toolkit is made

available every year.

the 2013 theme Lead the Team. Keep it Green

has been created with you in mind!

it invites you to take on the challenge of leading yourself and those around you to make a difference at your workplace!

green office week® is both a campaign and a cause. as a campaign it aims to sensitise as many people as possible about the need to become more eco-friendly and sustain the changed behaviours; as a cause it plays a national role in alerting all people at work to the need of showing more respect to our planet’s survival.

Lead the changeit’s important to focus on what we CAN do for our planet, because if many of us do our BIT, the bit becomes BIG, and before we know it, what we thought was overwhelming becomes manageable; we witness the difference and we feel significant.

It takes one small and significant step: The decision to care!

This in turn, can result in another small and significant step: The decision to get others around us to care too!

Green Office Week® gives us an opportunity to make our workplaces better places of work by making them eco-friendlier and healthier.

c a r e e r s u c c e s s i s s u e 1

how to kickoff

Step one CREATE a GOW Green Behaviours campaign for your office/s

Ideas:Ask your colleagues to do it with you•Talk to your boss about it at the next staff •meetingConsider getting your HR and training •department heads to be part of it .

Step two IMPLEMENT the GOW Campaign

Ideas:

Decide how it should be approached on a •daily basisAre there going to be specified drivers beside •yourself?Does your boss want to be the team leader?•Are there going to be daily emails reminding •everyone of the day’s call to action?

Step three MEASURE Campaign implementation

Ideas:Review progress as you go along•Assess strengths and weaknesses at the end•Where can you all improve in terms of group •and individual behaviours?Can you now set achievable savings target for •those behaviours?

100how to get buy-in easier and faster

Needless to say, your challenge is to have your colleagues join you and make the GOW campaign a success!

Ideas:I• t may be wise to hold a meeting and show the importance of green behaviours and having new values in life.

Show a video if possible or invite a speaker •if budget available, so that people can get a better handle on what eco-friendly behaviours mean in terms of saving for the organisation’s benefit and for the planet’s benefit.

Visual tools like charts and graphs highlighting •importance of saving, recycling and avoiding waste really help in driving the message home.

Use communication tools like emails, •newsletters and to send staff reminders and encouraging words.

Keep informing of ideas submitted, and of •special achievements. Give recognition to those who have really made a difference to the way things are done!

Have hotline numbers of maintenance •personnel or suppliers in public areas e.g.: bathrooms, kitchens, cafeterias, noticeboards, intranet, Forums, so that people can easily report faults, leaks and hazards.

If you are the boss, how about making green •behaviours part of performance reviews!

Green Acts for the Office

tHE 2013 toolkIt

monday 22 april What are GOW's benefits?Reduced operating costs. Your •business can make savings through reductions in water consumption and energy consumption as well as costs associated with wastewater disposal.

Conserving water resources. •Businesses that reduce their water consumption, ensure that they conserve water resources so you know you are doing your bit for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Establish ‘green’ credentials. By acting •in an environmentally responsible manner and reducing the consumption of water, your business will be able to promote itself as an environmentally aware good corporate citizen.

Become a living green hero/heroine!

Accept the challenge to REDUCE, REUSEand RECYCLE Start today and be an insparation!

Lead the team in savingWATER

Determine 1. water requirements for your floor, department, building or unit of production

Someone should be appointed to track 2. water usage and identify strengths and weaknesses

Know where your 3. wasted water is going and try to get it recycled for other areas of your business

Consider implementing rainwater harvesting in tanks and grey 4. water usage (i.e. Reuse rain and storm water)

Speak to maintenance people about installing water efficient 5. taps or fixtures

Introduce the idea of 6. water efficient appliances in canteens or office kitchens. Fill kettles only with as much water as you need

If your offices have indoor plants and outdoor gardens check 7. that there are water efficient systems - irrigation systems use less water than sprinklers. Replace leaking hose nozzles

Avoid having ornamental water features and fountains that 8. lose water to evaporation

See that people know where and how to report significant 9. water losses from broken pipes and hoses

Communicate with the garden service to choose 10. drought-tolerant/indigenous plants and grass

Keep paths to the building clean. Do not allow a hose to 11. be used as a sweeper to remove leaves etc. from them

Encourage people to wash company vehicles at commercial 12. car washers that recycle water

Where relevant 13. reduce the amount of water used in space cooling equipment to the minimum recommended amount

Encourage people to be alert to leaking taps - one leaking tap 14. can waste more than 2,000 litres a month

Suggestions: 15. Reduce leaks by turning taps off lightly and getting washers replaced as soon as they begin to leak

Maintenance must ensure that plugs are available in all wash-16. hand basins and sinks

Encourage upgrading of older toilets/urinals with water 17. efficient ones

Introduce hiring of a 18. ‘green’ plumber who will be updated on practices that use less energy and water

Where possible get management to upgrade production 19. equipment to use recycled water or less water

Know where your master 20. water shut-off valve is located.

Your 100 Green Acts toolkitFrom Monday 22 to Friday 26 April

We start the week with a focus on water because the UN’s sustainability theme for 2013 is water conservation. Water is our most precious asset and so many of us take it for granted that it will always be there!

The reality is that we can no longer take this life-sustaining resource for granted.

Lead the team in reducing CARBON emissions

Get procurement to 12. buy local, seasonal and buy bulk

Give preference to 13. ‘green’ freight carriers

Give preference to14. ‘green’ suppliers – i.e. Vendors who buy local, respect recycling etc. and understand a product’s lifecycle. Green suppliers care about reducing carbon emissions and extending a product’s life

Look at the 15. packaging your office uses – is it recycled? Reusable? Recyclable?

Have policies about stopping motors and 16. equipment being left running when not being used

Inform people to 17. rethink their search engine usage; every time one run’s a search, it increases your carbon footprint. Bookmark often needed pages

Ditto for email. Receiving unnecessary email, 18. time spent sorting it etc.

Avoid connecting flights by taking 19. direct flights wherever possible. Encourage low emissions alternatives when airline travel is required

And to20. offset your carbon when you can’t avoid adding to C02 emissions do plant trees around your office premises to absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.

How does your workplace view 1. carbon emissions and carbon footprint? Try to get some info on this if possible and available

It’s a good suggestion to make people aware of how 2. much they contribute to the carbon footprint through their own travel to-and-from work

Awareness leads to action: Get everyone involved in 3. reducing their own and the company’s carbon footprint

Encourage 4. car sharing schemes. Individuals who live close to one another can start traveling together in the same car whenever possible

Encourage use of 5. public transport, park and ride and cycling to work if your workplace is in a region where such is safe and applicable

Allocate the best parking places to owners of 6. hybrid vehicles

Get fleet managers to progressively replace fleet cars 7. with hybrid cars or cars with low C02 emissions

The person in charge of drivers (deliveries and 8. collections) should introduce weekly schedules where such are bundled to avoid driving duplication to the same area. Use routing software

Ditto for sales people and people who attend a lot of 9. meetings

Stagger working hours so that not everyone travels at 10. peak- hour in heavy and slow traffic

Look at the possibility of some 11. staff telecommuting and

working mostly from home

toolkit for tuesday 23 april

c a r e e r s u c c e s s i s s u e 1

Lead the team in savingELECTRICITY

Learn the difference between 1. energy conservation and energy efficiency. The former is about reducing energy usage; the latter is about using it wisely

The most important thing today, is to have 2. offices in buildings offering natural light or at least with natural light available for a number of workstations

Task light or 3. desktop light is an option for workstations without good natural light

The next best thing is to have 4. sensor-activated lights throughout your office so lights will only turn on when certain rooms or areas are occupied

Persuade the person responsible for buying 5. computers to look at the most energy-efficient ones, and the same goes for all other electronic equipment

Ensure it becomes standard practice for everyone 6. to turn off electronics at the end of each workday

Inform people that during the working day, 7. screen savers on computers and idle modes on equipment will still consume energy when not in use

Reduce 8. heating & cooling in areas that are not often used.

Ditto for after office hours and during weekends 9. – energy can be saved this way

Check that vents are routinely cleaned and 10. repaired

Convince maintenance to insulate ceilings, 11. walls and when next refurbishing your offices, consider installing skylights; glazing on windows or reflective glass to reduce glare and heat

When next refurbishing your offices, consider 12. installing skylights; glazing on windows or reflective glass to reduce glare and heat

Consider solar power for outdoor fixtures or 13. install photo sensors

Start replacing bright bulbs with 14. lower power ones in over lit areas. Opt for energy-efficient lighting only.

Get co-operation from people to 15. unplug equipment that drains energy when not in use (i.e. cell phone chargers, fans, coffeemakers, desktop printers, radios, etc.). Place “switch-off when not in use” stickers.

Try to get the executive suite to relook at your16. production processes and try to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services

If you have refrigeration equipment, please 17. ensure that it is a high efficiency one - such as zero energy doors and anti-sweat heater controls

Have a power outage plan18. in place for everyone

Before you consider taking on a project, check if 19. it’s going to be an energy guzzler!

There is no silver bullet for ensuring a more 20. energy efficient future for your organization, so get your executives to plan now for a mix of approaches.

toolkit for Wednesday 24 april


Lead the team in reducing WASTE

Agree, as a starting point, that creating waste is not just a behavioural problem but an 1. attitude one

Get to understand difference between2. waste reduction and waste elimination

Then get people to develop a re-use and/or recycle mentality to avoid just throwing 3. things away

Have more 4. recycle bins than litter bins

A key development is to get people to calculate needs 5. correctly (avoid guesstimates) and buy what will be used. No excess, no waste

Where possible, buy refills and concentrates - 6. these usually involve less packaging

Refill laser and ink cartridges7. Buy mechanical pencils and refillable pens8. Buy 9. reusable filters for coffee machines

Buy10. refillable tape dispensers

Avoid buying disposable items such as paper 11. plates and foam cups

Ask if it’s possible to install a water cooler to 12. replace individual bottled water

Choose 13. sturdy desk supplies, such as bookends, file holders, and staplers

Don’t waste paper - Reuse it, recycle it! Use all on two 14. sides, whether writing, printing or photocopying

Use 15. durable boxes for shipping between your company’s various branches, warehouses, or stores; reuse and or recycle cardboard boxes and packaging

Use centralized files for hard copies16. Buy or lease durable and repairable equipment, such as photocopiers, fax machines, 17. computers, typewriters, and coffeemakers

Upgrade18. electronic equipment rather than replacing it

Electronic waste 19. (e-waste) such as computers, printers and cell phones can also be recycled. Visit the Electronic e-Waste Association of SA (eWASA) for more information

Set up a 20. give-and-take area and swap-board in your office for employees to use; share magazines, newspapers and books.

toolkit for thursday 25 april

i s s u e 1

Lead the team in greening your EVENTS

Many of the green actions you have come across in the previous focus area of this week apply here too.

Conserve1. energy by looking for an event venue which has natural light; weather permitting, you can even host an event outside

Create a 2. ride-and-share page to encourage attendees to carpool. Organise for a coach to transport all if applicable

Choose a venue and hotel close to the airport, so 3. that attendees and speakers do not have to travel far to reach their destination in the case where they have had to fly in

Try to book as many out-of-towners on same flights 4. or arriving close to one another so that a shuttle service can be used instead of taxis or multiple pick-ups

Avoid paper wastage by having most of your event 5. documents available electronically, including booking forms online

Encourage presenters to send information so 6. that can be put on the flash drive or to have a one-page handout with phone numbers and /or web addresses of materials

Have 7. event programme up on the screen before and after each presentation (instead of paper)

Choose eco-8. banners, gift bags, promotional materials

Choose items that can also be used more than 9. once: name tags, signs with non-event-specific wording; carry bags; boxes; décor items etc

Give10. green gifts

Rent and borrow items that you use 11. infrequently

Go 12. local and seasonal with table centrepieces and use them as giveaways/prizedraws at the end(no waste)

Where possible use local speakers and 13. entertainers

Ask venue manager for 14. pitchers with iced tap water (flavoured with lemons, limes, or other in-season fruits, or fresh herbs) instead of bottled water

Before your event check that there is a recycling 15. bin paired with every litter bin, and that the recycling bin is clearly labeled

Instead of flip charts choose to use 16. dry-erase boards or other reusable visual aids

Opt for17. digital photography

Use CDs for proceedings or18. flash drives to store event proceedings and distribute them to attendees or delegates

Ask that leftover foods be 19. donated to a local charity, or soup kitchen, or to be composted

When suitable consider 20. video and teleconferencing

toolkit for friday 26 april


CS: We heard about your Growing Green Project at old Mutual: Please share with us how this came about?

CC: It all started when one of the PAs came to me and asked if we could not start a vegetable garden at work. Knowingly that Old Mutual (in Pinelands, Cape Town) has such a lot of ground my immediate response was “it’s possible, let me see what i can do!!”

The very next day we had our annual Secretaries Day luncheon and I was seated next to our Corporate Properties Manager. What came to mind at that stage was “this is a divine appointment”. The answer from him was to refer me to some of the grounds-men who were all too willing to help.

CS: But what led you to do this?

CC: When I started as Chairperson of OMAPA (Old Mutual Association for Professional Assistants) in 2009 the association was 17 years old. The following things where in place already : The Quarterly Networking luncheons’; the Monthly Newsletter; the Annual PA Conference; the Annual Secretaries Day Luncheon for all PAs and Managers; the Office and Travel Expo. So in 2009 we launched our internal website and in 2010 we introduced Information Sessions between all our preferred suppliers and the PAs. And when the idea (seed) was planted in my head in September 2010 that the PAs could start a vegetable garden it grew in 2011 to Growing Green as the CSI project of OMAPA.

CS: Take us through the key steps of how you go about it?

CC: Firstly I had to find a vacant piece of land for us to grow our vegetables. Then I had to get someone out to check the soil for me. Things then took a huge turn as the vacant land had pine trees all round. Next option was to grow the vegetables in a hydroponic tunnel. OMAPA did not have the funding available to purchase a tunnel. My next port of call was the Old Mutual Foundation. After writing a motivation to the Board of Directors in January 2011 which was a challenge as I had not done anything like this before! This wasn’t tabled at their meeting. I then decided to go and meet with the Head of OM Foundation. After 2 meetings they agreed and became as excited as I was. In May 2011, OM Foundation Board approved the funding for the tunnel. Then I got volunteers on board who were all PAs. What we do is as follows:

Each PA will plant one seed every 14 days the seed will be nututed

for 14 days by the PA. The seed then goes to our tunnel for a futher 6 weeks. The seed is transfered to the various disadvantage communities identified by the volunteers

CS: What results are you hoping for?

CC: That I can role this out as a CSI project to all Personal Associations at various companies country-wide and to touch as many lives as possible.

CS: How did you get buy-in from others?

CC: The best buy-in you can get from people is to ask them to step on board as volunteer after I explain what Growing Green (GG) is all about. They can feel my passion and see what a project like this can do for others!

CS: How has this changed your life and the life of others?

CC: Something unexplainable happens when you start working in community based projects. It is extremely heart warming when you see that you and your company are feeding hungry children and people. It’s gratifying to know that because of GG you could provide someone with a job. It makes all my hard work and effort worthwhile to know that through this project we are not just giving some food but we are teaching them how to grow sustainable vegetables.

CS: Did it take a lot of courage to take such a step?

CC: Never in my wildest dreams did I think this project would go so big. I have many sleepless nights when I think how the Power of 1 seed can change a life. Every time I had to do something to get the project off the ground I looked at it as challenge and took it as a learning experience. I am a PA – I have never had to write a motivation to the board of directors, nor had to face heads of departments to request for funding, nor had to beg for space so we can plant vegetables. I had never put together a presentation and present at World Ozone day to an audience of Department of Health, Environmentalist, Dept of Socio Economics ect, etc. This has been a huge learning curve for me.

CS: Do you think it is actually quite easy to “Take the lead” which is this year’s Green office Week’s theme?

CC: Without a doubt YES, YES...!!! PASSION, PErSISTENCE, PErSErVErANCE is all you need to take the lead.

the story of carmen cara, a Pa at old Mutual in cape town who is leading a growing green project among Pas and showing how anyone can take action to make a difference! this is how a Pa takes the lead and changes lives!

CAReeRSuCCeSS inTeRvieWS

CARMen CARA

i s s u e 1

1 9

CallIng for nomInatIons!

we believe that EvEry organisation has one individual who stands out when it comes to green behaviours at the office.

YOU can help Us findwho in your department (or organisation as a whole) is the eco-hero/heroine that has inspired and motivated people to become more eco-friendly.

YOU can help Us recOgnise hOw theY have made a differenceby having you tell us what they have done as far as initiating or supporting green behaviours and activities.

YOU can plaY an impOrtant rOle in showing that south african workplaces have eco-rolemodels.

grEEn HEart aWarD

Deadline for nominations: Friday 26 April 2013

recognizing and rewarding workplace eco-champions

WE InvItE yoU

to tell us Who

has a green heart

at your WorkPlace!

Nominate your gree

n heart

candidate right away!

participate in the national search

for green heartsand both you and your nominee

stand to win prizes!please fill in the nomination Form on www.greenofficeweek.co.za

more information on: (011) 616 7401

your nominee must be employed by the •organisation on a full-time or part-time basis; and have worked diligently and long in informing, or creating or providing tools and resources to assist colleagues in his/her department or organisation

your nominee cannot be someone who •works in a sustainability department, or be the allocated green officer i.e. the green heart applies to someone whose job description does not entail implementing green behaviours in the organization but who does it out of their own free will.

twO nOtes On criteria

could it be the

stationery

buyer?

Or could it be the

Ops m

anager?

Or it could even

be the

account executive?

wh

O?

Where are South Africa’s workingeco-champions?

Drivers of green behaviours are not necessarily found in the executive

suite – and it is those people whose designations could be bookeepeer,

store manager, Pa, admin officer, buyer, floor supervisor, who could be the true

motivators of behavioural change.

WE InvItE yoU

to tell us Who

has a green heart

at your WorkPlace!

Nominate your gree

n heart

candidate right away!

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2 4 I n t e r v i e w


amEEt a mEmbEr oF the

acaDeMy oF excellencein every edition of careerSuccess a member of the academy

will answer questions about herself and her work.

pas need to be confident, personable,

dedicated, focused, able to multi-task

and prioritise

Aoe: in which of the national competitions did you reach the finals or win - and in what year?

SuSAn: OPSA Office Professional of the Year 2009 – runner up.

Aoe: What is your current position?

SuSAn: Executive Assistant to the CEO of Discovery Health.

Aoe: How many years of experience do you have in the PA profession?

SuSAn: 31 years.

Aoe: What in your opinion is your personal area of excellence or specialization?

SuSAn: I would say a strong sense of anticipation of what my executive’s needs are and to meet these needs even before he knows he need them – sort of mind reading. At times it is also important to be an observer and let situations play themselves out, while at the same time taking mental snapshots and notes.

Aoe: Who is your role model and why?

SuSAn: Edith Venter – a hard working no nonsense taking woman. She continues to embrace new challenges and looks to the future with excitement, enthusiasm and passion. She also started her career as a PA.

Aoe: What do you do for fun?

SuSAn: Love to read! Amongst others the Stieg Larsson’s millennium trilogy, as well as Edith Venter’s “The Art of Good Living” which she personally signed for me! Also a sucker for books by Danielle Steel.

Aoe: Tell us something interesting about yourself?

SuSAn: You know, I truly love being an EA. My manager is amazing, and I enjoy managing his day-to-day, his personal life, and knowing everything about what makes him tick.

I enjoy being the gatekeeper. I like that people have to get through me in order to get to him. For people to say that I'm "settling" for being an EA is offensive. I have a good job that I enjoy, and I have made many contacts working for my manager that have, and will be valuable, in my professional arsenal.

I know of people who have higher ranks and are decision-

i s s u e 1

makers who absolutely hate their jobs; so tell me, are they really that much better off than I am because they aren't ok with being an "assistant for the rest of their lives?" I find this comment very condescending.

Aoe: What does it mean to you to be a member of the Academy of excellence?

SuSAn: It is an honour to form part of an association that affords its members an unequalled level of interaction, strengthens peer-to-peer relationships and keeps Office Professionals committed to life-long learning for themselves and others!

Aoe: What do you think is the biggest benefit of the national competitions for PAs and office Professionals?

SuSAn: Challenging yourself; meeting new, exciting people and networking with Office Professionals from all walks of life. And I can add this to my CV! But honestly, it helps motivate you to be the best that you can be.

Aoe: What career advice would you give your younger self?

SuSAn: Today, there is much more to being a Secretary or Personal Assistant (PA) than just doing clerical work. Traditionally, Secretaries and PAs typed up the correspondence, answered the phone, and made the coffee, but today’s PAs are highly motivated, skilled assistants who support their managers in a myriad of ways.

A PA will essentially be the 'right-hand' of their manager, and will normally have a considerable workload. This is even more likely if the PA supports a 'management team' or a number of senior Executives where good time

management becomes one of the key essential skills. PAs thus needed to be sharp, confident, personable, dedicated, focused and able to multi-task, prioritise and complete tasks within a required time frame. This means that you need to be able to work well without supervision and have a number of strengths.

The Academy of Excellence is the home of award winning PAs and Office Professionals. Membership is exclusive to PAs who reached the upper echelons of the national awards for the profession in South Africa.

Being invited to join the Academy is a sign that you have achieved a level of excellence in your profession and it is a great honour to form part of this elite group. The ethos of this group is one of humility, professionalism and a sincere dedication to skills development in the profession and within the companies.

For more information on the Academy visit www.pafsa.co.za and click on the Academy button.


2 6

always remember

that it is up to you

to understand the instruction

correctly

Q u e s t i o n & A n s w e r

ADear Caren, with some managers we have to utilise our telepathic powers and become mind readers. On a serious note, the best way though is to sit down with your manager and let him know first of all, what your concerns are from a PA point of view. Let him know

what you are struggling with and why, and then discuss with him how you can both work together on the communication side. Once you both come to an agreement on what will work best, then start putting it into practice. Give it some time. If it does work out, keep on doing the same thing. If not, you would need to eventually sit down and discuss again.

remember there will be times that you will have to run after him to clarify what was actually said – no need to feel awkward at all. For your peace of mind, try and get to know his habits, how he does things, what triggers his moods, how often he “mumbles” instructions, etc. In this way you can start anticipating and be ready and you will eventually get to know what he is going to “mumble” about.

Always remember that it is up to you to understand the instruction correctly and if it means getting clarity and asking him to repeat an instruction or even repeating what you understood he said, then do so – because if you don’t, he will assume you have understood and know what to do.

Don’t feel bad about emailing him and adding to his load. In some cases you can do so. What you need to agree on is when would be the best time for him to look at your emails and respond to them. At the same time, ascertain from him when there is an urgent matter, how and when would he like you to discuss it with him or bring it to his attention.

By Michele Thwaits on behalf of the Academy of Excellence

If you want your question posted please contact us on the Academy of Excellence facebook page.http://www.facebook.com/ExcellencePA or via twitter @excellencepa

By The Academy of Excellence

our question for this edition comes from caren Peres. SMOOTH WRITING PERFORMANCE

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Q dear academy: My manager is a bit of a mumbler. he often comes out of his office mumbles something to me and then walks off. It seems awkward to run after him to ask – sorry what did you say? What should I do? (If you are going to tell me that I should mail him – this is my second question – he is so overwhelmed with all his emails that are business related, that he leaves my emails for last. It seems unfair

and wrong to add to his stress by adding to his inbox)."

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2 8 C a r e e r M a t t e r s

M y year as SA’s Secretary of the Year in 1990 was one of my most exciting years ever. I thrived on all the

speaking engagements where I addressed groups of secretaries and management throughout the country and in neighbouring states. North West Province was still Bophuthatswana at that stage. Of course, representing South Africa at the Association of Certified Admin Professionals (ACAP) in the US was the most unbelievable privilege.

What struck me from that International forum was that South African secretaries can hold their heads high anywhere in the world. We are that good! What we are required to do for our PA of the Year competition is more than the US Certified Admin Professionals have to do to get their qualification. Oh, and they all introduce themselves as “Somebody Someone, CAP”.

When I moved into management at the end of my year, I entered a whole new world. A world in which I thrived! I have always taken responsibility for my actions and my promotion took me to a whole new level. I loved the excitement of initiating something all on my own, of having people working with me who were as excited as I was and the reward of my

team achieving the (seemingly) impossible task of reducing a claims outstanding book from r3 million (huge money in 1990) to less than r200,000 in six months. The way I felt about our team’s achievement that very first time has stayed with me ever since and no matter what I do. I love leading a team to achieve more than is expected.

HoW eASY DiD i FinD MY Move inTo MAnAGeMenT? Despite all the excitement and (yes) pride, I didn’t find the transition from PA to Management an easy one. The first obstacle I had to overcome was my own insecurity in taking that leap of faith to go from taking to giving instructions. This coupled with my colleagues’ perception that I was still ‘only a secretary’ was a bit of a double whammy.

Isn’t it strange how people perceive secretaries? It’s as if there simply isn’t another career available to people who start out as secretaries, as opposed to, say, a clerk who becomes an attorney or a bookkeeper who is fully expected to ‘graduate’ to being an accountant. To be very honest, it was for that reason that for a long time after I left Datakor I didn’t highlight the fact that I had ever been a PA. I now stress the fact with pride but it was not easy in the beginning.

the guts and the glory of my journey!

Felicity burnett takes us on her journey from top Pa to Manager

Something else which has been a bit of challenge over the years is that I have never been much of a manager although, if necessary, I will manage with total resolve. That sounds strange but, in my view, ‘management’ means telling people what to do and, I can honestly now thankfully say, I have always been big on taking people with me and working with them rather than telling them what to do in a top-down approach. For me, personally, of all the growing I’ve done, my evolution from the 80s culture of management to the 20s culture of leadership has been the easiest. There’s a good reason for this. I read vociferously and learn constantly to update my knowledge and improve my skills. This culture of learning is what keeps me ahead of the trend game and has stood me in good stead over the years.

All in all, the excitement and satisfaction of the management roles I’ve been privileged to have during my career have made them supremely fulfilling. I would be lying though, if I said that everything was wonderful and that each step upwards was easier than the former. There were times when I longed to step back into my PA role, when times were extremely difficult and when I suffered from many crises of confidence. Although I wanted to lapse back into a PA role, I found the resolve to continue because I knew that if I ever did go back, the comfort of the rut would have kept me trapped.

Was it worth it, this path I’ve walked from PA to Management? Absolutely!


3 0 F r i e n d s C u p

President's message

D ear friends, we have reached a New Year so here’s wishing you a fabulous 2013 full of great achievements and experiences. New Year does not signify a simple

change in the calendar but is also signifies opportunities for bringing about positive changes to make your life and workplace much better, be the change that you wish to see and be the first to take initiative.

Change your Direction and not your Dates•

Change your Commitments and not the Calendar•

Change your Attitude and not the Actions•

May you live up to the promises you have made for •yourself, your loved ones and colleagues.

Save the following dates for our upcoming events. Do join us for fun–filled events and experiences:

2 March 2013 – Kieviets Kroon (invitations been sent •out to the contacts I already had for our first 2013 get together. If you hadn't received an invite and would like to join us for our next event, please email me on [email protected].)

6 July 2013 – venue to be confirmed •

5 September 2013 – Secretaries' Day – venue and •details to be confirmed

23 November 2013 – Year End Get Together – venue •to be confirmed

The FriendsCup Club Committee is working towards making each event bigger and better and at the same time grow our members. Hope to hear from you!

colleen Mansoor, president of Friendscup, PaFSa's social club for secretaries and Pas in gauteng, gives an update.

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Maped - Greenlogic Advert.pdf 1 30/08/2012 08:03


3 2 L u n c h H o u r

Puzzle 1

What is black and white and read (red) all over? Puzzle 2

What flower has two lips? Puzzle 3 Which animal eats with its ears?

How can you throw a ball so that it goes a short distance, comes to a total stop, reverses its motion, and then goes the opposite way. You are not allowed to bounce it against anything, hit it with anything, or tie it to anything.

Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

test your Wits and have fun

try these brain teasers…

Puzz

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spap

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Tulip•Puzzle3

All

of th

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Source: www.brainbashers.com

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