Executive Office Insights

208: In this episode, I sit down with Rebecca Afful to explore how the Executive Assistant profession is evolving. We discuss how Executive Assistants can take ownership of their careers, develop a powerful mindset, and build the skills needed to thrive in the future of work. In this episode, you'll discover: - How professional communities accelerate career growth - Why mindset is the foundation o...

207: What does it take to move beyond managing calendars and become a trusted business partner? In this episode, we explore the future of the Executive Assistant profession and the mindset shift required to create strategic impact. Debbie shares powerful lessons on executive presence, communication, leadership, and why soft skills remain essential in the age of AI. From building trust with leaders...

206: Wird KI die Assistenz ersetzen, oder ihre Rolle sogar stärken? In dieser Podcast-Folge sprechen wir über die praktische Nutzung von Microsoft Copilot, den Einsatz von KI im Arbeitsalltag und die Veränderungen, die aktuell in Unternehmen stattfinden. Warum haben manche Organisationen KI bereits fest in ihrer Arbeitsweise verankert, während andere noch ganz am Anfang stehen? Welche Aufgaben las...

205: What does a Chief of Staff actually do — and why are more CEOs hiring them than ever before? In this episode, Clara Ma breaks down the real role of a Chief of Staff inside fast-growing startups and modern leadership teams. From executive strategy and hiring to AI, remote work, and scaling companies, this conversation explores why the Chief of Staff role is evolving so quickly. We talk about:...

204: Eine internationale Geschäftsreise. Ein gesperrter Luftraum. Und plötzlich werden aus wenigen Stunden ganze elf Tage im Ausnahmezustand. In dieser Podcastfolge erzählt Tanja Donislreiter von einer Reise, die völlig anders endete als geplant: Nach einem Meeting in Indien strandet sie gemeinsam mit einem Kollegen in Doha – mitten in einer geopolitischen Krisensituation. Was folgt, sind Tage vol...

203: Was passiert, wenn man eine erfolgreiche Konzernkarriere hinter sich lässt – und komplett neu anfängt? In dieser Folge spricht Annika Tringali über ihren Weg in die Selbstständigkeit als virtuelle Executive Assistant und die Entscheidungen, die sie dorthin geführt haben. Du erfährst, wie sich Arbeiten im internationalen Umfeld wirklich anfühlt, welche Herausforderungen hinter einem scheinbar...

202: She built a global business for assistants, starting with a simple blog. In this episode, Nicky Christmas shares how she went from Executive Assistant to founder of The EA Campus and what it really takes to turn a side project into an international platform. Instead of following a traditional career path, Nicky created something that didn't exist at the time: a space for assistants to learn,...

201: In this episode, we break down why decisions inside companies often stall, even when everyone seems aligned. Tina Ramamurthy shares her experience from working inside a CEO Office and explains what happens between strategy and execution as companies grow. Tina Ramamurthy has built a career in the space between decisions and execution, where good intentions drift and effort quietly replaces st...

200: What is it really like to work at the highest levels of American politics? In this episode of the Executive Office Insights Podcast, Opal Vadhan shares her extraordinary journey from an intern in the Obama White House to becoming the personal aide to Vice President Kamala Harris. As a first-generation Indian American raised in Queens, New York, Opal offers a powerful perspective on leadership...

199: Moderne Assistenz, smarte Tools und Microlearning, so sieht erfolgreiche Zusammenarbeit 2026 aus! In dieser Podcastfolge sprechen Florian Sandmann-Reetz und Dorothea Steinmetz über moderne Führung, Assistenz auf Augenhöhe und den strategischen Einsatz von Microsoft 365, Copilot und dem neuen Outlook. Du erfährst: - Warum Vertrauen wichtiger ist als Mikromanagement - Wie Aufgabenmanagement mit...

198: What if you stopped thinking like an assistant and started thinking like a CEO? What does it really take to move from task manager to strategic partner? In this episode of The Leader Assistant Podcast, Jeremy Burrows speaks with Elle Tyra in a powerful conversation about executive operations, career growth, and redefining the modern executive assistant role. Elle shares her journey from the a...

197: What if the most underrated role in leadership is actually the one that makes everything run? In this episode of Executive Office Insights, Joe Davis (Senior Advisor, former Managing Director & Senior Partner, and North America Regional Chair Emeritus, BCG) and Mary Kate Steincke (Administrative Services Manager, former Senior EA) unpack what real executive support looks like when it evolves...

196: You think assistants just "support" leaders? Think again; they're the reason everything works. We are doing something special! I have partnered with my friend Jeremy Burrows, host of The Leader Assistant Podcast, to exchange some of your favorite episodes. Together, we are bringing you conversations with incredible guests who share insights, stories, and strategies to empower assistants and l...

195: Celebrating six years of Executive Office Insights, Diana welcomes Helen Monument for a special anniversary conversation that looks back at the podcast's remarkable journey. Together they revisit the very first moments that sparked this series, recalling the energy of launching a platform dedicated to executive excellence and support leadership. From those early recordings to the diverse line...

194: How Executive Assistants can turn daily support work into hard numbers that lead to real raises. In this conversation, Elizabeth Sutkowska (based in Gdańsk, Poland) breaks down a practical way to negotiate your EA salary with data, using an EA ROI Calculator that tracks time saved, cost avoided, and the business impact leaders actually understand. If you've ever heard "your salary is fair," t...

193: Was braucht es wirklich für eine erfolgreiche Karriere in der Assistenz? In dieser Folge spricht Evelyne Moser über ihren persönlichen Karriereweg als Executive Assistant mit Führungsverantwortung. Sie teilt Erfahrungen aus ihrer beruflichen Entwicklung, zentrale Entscheidungen und die Kompetenzen, die sie auf diesem Weg geprägt haben. Evelyne erzählt, wie sich die Rolle der Assistenz im Lauf...

192:  How a Technician Became a Top Executive Assistant at Tetra Pak!  In this inspiring and honest conversation, we meet  Niklas , a former technician who made an unconventional leap into the world of  executive assistance . From managing machines to managing people, he shares how his  technical background ,  team leadership , and passion for connection made him thrive in his new role at  Tetra P...

191: What if the key to growth isn't working harder — but working together? In this inspiring long-form conversation, Working Out Loud founder John Stepper reveals how peer-to-peer development, shared learning, and authentic human connection can transform not only careers but entire organizational cultures. John shares the origin story of Working Out Loud (WOL), now used in more than 100 global or...

190: What does Formula One teach us about being an exceptional executive assistant and strategic partner at the top level? In this inspiring episode, Nicole Bearne shares her journey from supporting one of Formula One's most respected leaders to becoming a communications expert and business founder. She takes us behind the paddock doors to reveal what it's really like to work alongside Ross Brawn,...

189: Assistenz ist keine Nebenrolle, sie ist das Rückgrat moderner Unternehmensführung. In dieser inspirierenden Podcastfolge sprechen wir mit Nadine Götz von der DVAG (Deutsche Vermögensberatung) über das neue Berufsbild Assistenz – zwischen Digitalisierung, Künstlicher Intelligenz und Netzwerkkompetenz . Nadine gibt uns spannende Einblicke in ihre Rolle, ihren Weg in der Assistenzwelt und wie si...

188: What if your biggest distraction could become your greatest productivity superpower? 💡 In this inspiring and practical talk,  Lauren Bradley , founder of The Officials, reveals how AI, tech, and ADHD can combine to help executive assistants, office managers, and admin professionals not just survive—but  thrive  in today's fast-changing digital world. Discover how to harness AI tools like Not...

187:  What does it really take to be Chief of Staff at Harvard Business Publishing? I sit down with  Concetta Green, Chief of Staff at Harvard Business Publishing , for an inspiring deep dive into leadership, career growth, and purpose-driven success. From her journey as an assistant to becoming a trusted executive partner, Concetta reveals why  purpose matters more than titles , how  mentorship a...

186: Wie führt man Chefs durch den Tag – ohne Mikromanagement? Mit Klartext, Mut und System.  Stephanie Rockenbach , erfahrene Vorstandsassistentin, zeigt, wie  Kommunikation auf Augenhöhe ,  Hartnäckigkeit  und smarte  Team-Routinen  den  Executive-Office-Alltag  strukturieren: vom Kalender über Meetings bis Reise- und Unterlagenmanagement – mit Vertrauen statt Klein-Klein. Ihr Weg führt  von Köl...

185: Go behind the scenes of Microsoft Germany's CEO Office with two inspiring women: Andrea (Executive Assistant) and Svetlana (Chief of Staff). In this candid conversation, they share what it really takes to support a top executive, manage complex schedules, and keep leadership moving at full speed. Discover: ✅ The difference between an Executive Assistant and a Chief of Staff ✅ How to manage...

184: Wie schafft man es, mit Ende 50 noch einmal beruflich neu durchzustarten? In dieser Folge erfährst du, wie Cornelia Bahr den Mut gefunden hat, einen kompletten Jobwechsel anzugehen – und welche Strategien, Netzwerke und Weiterbildungen ihr geholfen haben. ✨ Du bekommst praxisnahe Tipps für berufliche Veränderung im Alter, erfährst, wie man den eigenen Marktwert erkennt, neue Chancen nutzt un...