- EA-Pros
- Posts
- You’re Doing More Than Ever, Why Does It Still Feel Like You’re Falling Behind?
You’re Doing More Than Ever, Why Does It Still Feel Like You’re Falling Behind?
The Strategic Assistant Revolution Continues
Joshua Washington
July 31, 2025
💬 Quote of the Week
You can be doing everything right and still be invisible if you’re not aligned with what the business truly values.
💼 A Personal Note from Joshua
Hey EA-Pros Community,
Let’s get real.
Most senior assistants I coach are doing more than they ever have; more responsibility, more decisions, more leadership. Yet many feel this unsettling gap:
“Why am I still not being seen as a true strategic partner?”
This week, we’re unpacking a hidden trap that’s holding too many high-performing assistants back:
The Performance-to-Recognition Gap.
You’re performing.
But the recognition, advancement, and trust you deserve aren’t keeping pace.
This isn’t your fault.
But it is your responsibility to shift.
Let’s fix that starting today.
🧠 Feature Insight
The Invisible Work Trap (and How to Escape It)
The trap goes like this:
You take ownership.
You anticipate needs.
You keep things moving without drama.
But because you make it look easy, leadership overlooks the strategic complexity behind your work.
And when your value is invisible, recognition doesn’t show up either.
Here’s how to start flipping the script:
1. Shift from “I handled it” to “Here’s the value I protected.”
Your updates should sound less like a task list and more like a value narrative.
❌ Instead of: “I rescheduled the board meeting.”
✅ Try: “I rescheduled the board meeting to preserve alignment with our investor comms timeline—ensuring we don’t compromise the quarterly message strategy.”
Every task is a strategic lever. Communicate it like one.
2. Move from being the ‘fixer’ to being the ‘forecaster.’
When you constantly solve fires behind the scenes, you get labeled as “efficient”, but not necessarily strategic.
Strategic partners don’t just react. They notice patterns, connect dots, and bring foresight to the table.
Start pointing out potential issues before they occur, and recommend solutions in advance.
“I’ve noticed three rescheduled client check-ins this month. Here’s what I’m seeing, and here’s a process fix to restore trust and consistency.”
3. Turn status updates into micro-case studies.
Don’t just report what you did, report why it mattered.
This is not about bragging. It’s about translating impact into executive language.
Task: “Finalized the quarterly planning retreat agenda.”
Strategic Flip: “Delivered an agenda that realigns the leadership team around our FY25 priorities and avoids last year’s $180K misfire in resource allocation.”
That’s not an assistant update.
That’s a strategic operator report.
🔁 Consistency is Key
It might feel awkward at first. But the more consistently you reframe your work in terms of strategic impact, the more leadership begins to see you in that light.
Not just as the person who gets things done, but as the person whose presence moves the business forward.
🧠 Executive Coaching Corner
Three Reflection Prompts
This week, take 10 minutes and ask yourself:
What am I currently doing that’s high impact but low visibility?
Where am I making things look easy—and therefore undervalued?
What one sentence can I add to my updates that translates effort into business value?
✍️ Want help drafting those sentences?
Bring them to Book Club. We’ll refine them together.
After Surveying 275+ Executives, We Finally Know What They Look for in a Strategic Partner — 99% of EAs Still Don’t Know!
It’s a little embarrassing to admit… but once upon a time, I thought I was going to be the next Usher. 😂
(Yes… music videos, R&B tracks, the whole thing, ask me during the training.)
Back then, I believed my purpose was to inspire people through songwriting. And in a way… I still do. Just not with a mic in my hand.
Fast forward to today, after training 1,275+ executive leaders and helping 275+ organizations unlock their team’s full potential, I now use my voice to help Senior Executive Assistants step into their true strategic power.
And what we discovered recently changed everything.
🎯 After surveying over 275 executives, we found out exactly what leaders look for in a high-value strategic partner, and most EAs have never been told.
That’s why I’m bringing back our free live training as part of the Summer Series: Breaking the Senior EA Career Ladder.
📆 Next Session: Wednesday, August 6 at 2:00 PM ET
No degree. No more guessing. Just the step-by-step strategy that’s helping assistants elevate their value, fast.
There’s no replay, so if you’re ready to shift your trajectory, this is your moment.
✉️ P.S.
It’s not about doing more.
It’s about being seen for what you already bring to the table.
Let’s make your value unignorable.
Joshua