What I’m Seeing Across High-Performing EAs Right Now

I’ve been in a lot of conversations lately.

Webinars. Coaching sessions. Fireside chats. DMs at odd hours from people doom-scrolling LinkedIn advice about their careers.

Different industries. Different countries. Same pattern.

Some EAs are quietly becoming impossible to replace.

Others… just as smart, just as experienced… are starting to feel a bit exposed.

Same role.

Very different outcome.

Some of you are playing chess. Others are still updating the calendar.

It’s not education, or experience.

It’s not work ethic (if anything, the ones burning out are usually the most capable!)

The difference is much less glamorous than that.

Some EAs understand the impact of their role.

Others are still stuck explaining what they do.

“I manage the diary” is doing you absolutely no favours

I still hear it constantly.

“I manage the diary” “I support the team” “I help keep things organised”

All true.

Also completely useless when it comes to how people perceive your value.

Because when you look at what’s actually happening…

• Your executive can think clearly because you exist

• Decisions don’t drag

• Meetings don’t spiral into chaos

• Problems get handled before they become visible

That is not just admin.

That is you quietly stabilising an entire business.

The ones moving ahead have stopped narrating their to-do list

They’re not doing completely different work.

They’ve just stopped describing it like it’s small.

They don’t say: “I manage a complex calendar”

They say: “I keep a laser focus on priorities so my exec can focus on what matters.”

They don’t say: “I organise meetings”

They say: “I make sure the right conversations happen early so decisions don’t stall”

Same job.

Very different signal.

There’s a shift happening. It’s not subtle. And it’s not waiting for you.

Things are moving faster.

Budgets are tight.

Leaders are under pressure.

There’s less tolerance for drift, confusion, or things running off scope in the background.

So the value of the role is changing.

It’s no longer about how much you can handle.

It’s about what changes because you’re there.

The EAs who are rising aren’t just keeping things running.

They’re shaping how things run.

The ones pulling ahead aren’t just thinking differently… they’re building differently

This is where it gets interesting.

They’re not just better at explaining their value, they’re actively increasing it.

They’re not “using AI”… they’re redesigning how work happens

There’s a big gap here.

Some people are using AI to write emails faster.

The ones pulling ahead are looking at broken workflows and thinking: “Why are we still doing it like this?”

Then they fix it.

They:

• introduce tools that reduce unnecessary back-and-forth

• simplify reporting so leaders get clarity faster

• build systems that remove friction no one else had time to question

• become the go-to person when something needs to run better

They’re not waiting to be told to “be more strategic”.

They’re redesigning the environment.

They’re not just supporting leaders… they’re influencing how leaders operate

This part is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.

But once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

They:

• shape how priorities are set

• step in early when something’s about to go sideways

• guide how information is presented so better decisions get made

• protect time, focus, and energy like it actually matters

They’re not loud about it.

But remove them, and everything gets noticeably harder.

They understand that culture isn’t a department… it’s a ripple effect

This is the invisible layer that makes a massive difference.

High-performing EAs are incredibly aware of how they show up.

They:

• build strong relationships across the business

• create trust with people at every level

• know who to connect, when, and why

• keep things human when everything else is moving too fast

And they don’t stop there.

They’re out in the world as well.

At events. In conversations. Building networks beyond their immediate role.

This isn't a vanity project.

It's a strategic move for awareness. Opportunity. Perspective.

They understand that proximity changes what’s possible.

Some of you are still playing it safe… and it’s starting to cost you

Here’s the uncomfortable bit.

The ones feeling stuck aren’t less capable.

They’re just still:

• downplaying their work

• waiting to be told instead of stepping in early

• calling judgement “admin” because it feels safer

And most importantly… They’re still describing complex work like it’s simple.

Businesses don’t protect work that sounds simple.

They optimise it. Streamline it. Replace it.

You don’t need another course. You need a different lens

You’re not missing some magical qualification.

You’re already doing the work.

You’re just not owning the level of it.

Try this:

What doesn't fall apart because I’m here? What moves faster because I’m here? What would break if I disappeared for a week?

If your answers involve:

• clarity

• speed

• decision-making

• risk

• keeping things (and people) from unravelling

You’re not operating at a task level.

You’re operating at a business level.

There’s a gap opening up. And it’s getting wider.

Not between good EAs and bad ones.

Between the ones who understand their impact… And the ones still politely listing duties like it’s a job description from 2010.

That gap is starting to show up in:

• Who gets hired

• Who gets paid properly

• Who gets pulled into real conversations

• Who gets left out of them

Final thought (and I say this with love, but also urgency)

You don’t need to become louder.

You don’t need to become someone else.

But you do need to stop packaging high-level work like it’s basic admin just to stay likeable.

Because while you’re doing that… Someone else is describing work at the level it actually operates.

And they’re being recognised for it.

If you’ve been feeling this shift but haven’t quite had the words for it yet, this is exactly what I help people work through.

You can book a free 20-minute chat with me here. We’ll look at how you’re currently positioning yourself and what needs to change. You can also find upcoming EA How To sessions and join the conversation.

Looking forward to hearing your comments on this!

Trinity