Executive Leadership Support Forum: Assistant of the Week: Silicon Valley

Rosemary Butler
Sr. Executive Assistant
SAP

Rosemary is a Senior Level Executive Assistant with over 20 years of experience. She has worked all levels of support from development organizations to the CEO’s office. She enjoys being a strategic partner with her executives. Rosemary has seen a lot of change during her career, as she started before personal computers and mobile phones were invented. She enjoys mentoring other executive assistants and learning from them in the process.

Rosemary will be one of the executive assistant contributors at the Executive Leadership Support Forum: Silicon Valley on July 11-12, 2018.

Why is the Executive Leadership Support Forum important for Executive Assistants?

I believe that it is important that Executive Assistants get together to learn from each other and from leaders in our industry. No matter how much experience an Executive Assistant has, there is always something that they can learn from everyone they meet.

Independently, what have you done to work towards professional development in the past?

I have learned a lot from Vickie Sokol Evans’ presentations and books. Setting up lunches with other Executive Assistants and sharing best practices has been very helpful.

Name one thing you hope to learn or discuss with your peers at the ELS Forum?

My desire would be to feel even more inspired to be and do my best. Perhaps a good topic would be the future of our profession as technology progresses and takes over some of our tasks, and how we can continue to provide great value to our executives and organizations.

Tell us about a career accomplishment of which you’re particularly proud.

I stepped up to a leadership position within the administrative assistant community at SAP, and organized volunteers to hold “Lunch and Learns” and a yearly “Administrative Professionals Conference”.

In your mind, what is one tool you can’t live without or find especially helpful in your position?

My laptop, in particular “OneNote” and “Quick Parts” in Outlook.

Looking back, what advice would you give yourself when you were first starting your career?

Have confidence and ask questions when needed. No one can know everything, and no question is dumb if you don’t know the answer.

Are there any blogs, books, articles or online forums you recommend reading?

Executive Secretary Magazine and “100 Tips using Microsoft” by Vickie Sokol Evans.

How do you define success within your role as an Executive Assistant?

Staying one step ahead of my boss is a successful day.