Executive Support Excellence: A Training Program in Office and Secretarial Management
1Summary
A department can have the best strategy in the world and still stall — because no one is managing the calendars, the correspondence, and the flow of information that keep decision-makers moving. That is the role of the modern office professional, and it is far more strategic than the word "secretary" suggests. This training program looks at office and secretarial work through that lens: not as clerical support, but as a function that directly shapes how well an organisation runs.
Participants build the full toolkit an executive assistant needs today — professional communication and etiquette, systematic document and records handling, polished report and correspondence writing, and confident use of digital and electronic office tools. The result is a course that equips secretaries, administrators, and personal assistants to manage the essential functions of a modern office with real command, not just routine.
2Objectives and target group
Course Objectives
- Understand the strategic role of the office manager and executive secretary within the organisation, not just their routine duties.
- Apply professional communication skills and workplace etiquette in daily interactions and phone handling.
- Organise, register, retrieve, and archive documents and records using systematic, technical methods.
- Write clear, well-structured reports and correspondence free of common drafting errors.
- Manage meetings, travel arrangements, and time priorities with confidence.
- Use electronic and digital tools to handle scheduling, records, and communications more efficiently.
Target Audience
- Personal assistants
- Administrators
- Secretaries and office managers
3Course Content
Module 1: The Modern Office Professional: Role, Impact, and Core Skills
- The strategic importance of office and secretarial work
- Duties, responsibilities, and qualities of the office manager and executive secretary
- The contemporary office and workplace technology
Module 2: Workplace Communication and Professional Etiquette
- Elements and types of communication, verbal and nonverbal
- Etiquette in dialogue and phone handling with colleagues and visitors
- Modern methods and technology for stronger workplace relationships
Module 3: Document and Records Management Techniques
- Recording, filing, and retrieving documents systematically
- Access policies, protection, and arrangement of records
- Separation, transfer, and disposal of outdated files
Module 4: Business Writing: Reports and Correspondence
- Types and purposes of business messages and reports
- Rules for clear, professional writing
- Common drafting mistakes and how to avoid them
Module 5: Advanced Administrative Support: Meetings, Travel, and Time
- Organising meetings and arranging travel
- Time management and setting priorities
- Handling phone calls and visitors efficiently
Module 6: Digital Office Skills: Electronic Secretarial Tools
- Electronic filing and records management
- Digital scheduling of appointments and meetings
- Electronic communications: email and internet-based coordination