The conference program
The full summit program for 2010 is listed below. Click on a speaker's name for their full bio and photo.
8.30 Registration and welcome coffee
9.00 Opening remarks from the chair, Samantha Armytage, Channel 7 news
9.10 Keynote Address
Creating and reaching your goals in life
Deborah Thomas is Editorial Director of The Australian Women’s Weekly, the iconic magazine that boasts the highest readership in Australian publishing and, per capita, in the world. She has been at the helm of ‘The Weekly’ – now in its 75th year – for ten years. Kerry Packer appointed her Editor in 1999 before promoting her to Editor-in Chief in 2000 and Editorial Director in 2005.
She appears regularly on the Today Show, A Current Affair and Radio 2UE and is considered an intelligent and informed commentator on many subjects for radio and newspapers. She is actively involved in community fundraising projects including the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, the YWCA, the Starlight Foundation and the Taronga Zoo Foundation.
Deborah is also a board member of The National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, The Queensland Food Fibre and Science Innovation Council and a councilor of The National Library of Australia. For three years she was a member of the Walkley Foundation Advisory Board, the caretakers of the most prestigious awards in news journalism.
This inspirational session will discuss:
- Deborah’s drive for success; setting goals and ways of reaching them
- Balancing a hectic work and home life successfully; tips from a professional!
- The importance of self belief when stepping out of your comfort zone
Deborah Thomas, Editorial Director, Australian Women’s Weekly
10.00 Speed networking
Back by popular demand - this session will allow you to meet many of your fellow delegates in a relaxed and informal session. Moderated by our chairperson, the session will be facilitated to enable you to meet as many of your peers as possible, share contact details with them, and form the basis of your networking throughout the event.
10.30 Morning coffee
11.00 International Keynote Address: Secrets of how to become the ultimate PA / EA
- How to make the boss PA relationship work
- Tips on communication skills from body language to questioning skills
- Strategies for gaining mutual respect
- How to make empowerment work for you
- Conflict management and dealing with boss’s most difficult characteristics
- Time management and multi tasking – without stress
- Why is networking important?
Sue France, UK National Chairman, European Management Assistants (EUMA) and Author of ‘The Definitive Personal Assistant & Secretarial Handbook’
12.00 30 ideas in 30 minutes: Reaching your full potential as an Executive Assistant
Sue France, our international speaker will be joined by three senior Australian EAs in this informative, interactive and fast-paced session. The session will aim to create 30 unique ideas in as many minutes – these ideas will be recorded and distributed to all participants immediately after the summit. Many of the ideas will come from the speakers, but also audience members will be actively encouraged to contribute.
Areas for discussion will include:
- Taking control of your own personal and professional development
- Building strong professional relationships with your entire sphere of influence
- Communicating your ideas and initiatives to the management in a way that gains you respect
- Getting what you need from people when you need it, in order to do your job as effectively as possible
- Developing the skills to deal with workplaces that are continually changing and growing
- Looking to the future: changes, challenges and the opportunities
Panelists will include:
Liana Clift, PA to CEO, Colonial First State
Sue France, UK National Chairman, European Management Assistants (EUMA)
Maxine McKendrick, EA to CEO, Tennis Australia
WINNER - Executive PA Magazine 'PA of the Year' Category
Narrelle Matthey, Executive Assistant to
CEO Asia Pacific Europe & America, ANZ
12.30 Lunch
13.45 Increasing your health, resilience, quality of performance and effectiveness through health and wellbeing fundamentals
Executive Assistant roles are well recognised as being hard work, with management responsibilities as well as individual, and team targets to meet. Health and wellbeing are often the first things to slip when the going gets tough. This session will ensure you are looking after yourself, your colleagues, and your manager's expectations.
Susie Burrell is one of Australia’s most respected dieticians. In addition to her work at Westmead Children’s Hospital developing and evaluating programs aimed at managing and preventing child and adolescent obesity, Susie has a weekly column in The Daily Telegraph's Simply Food lift out as well as columns in Good Health & Medicine, ALPHA and Dolly magazine. Susie is also a regular guest on FRESH television and The Today Show.
Susie is a prominent sports dietitian and has consulted to a number of elite sporting teams including the Super 14 winning 2007 South African Blue Bulls, St George Illawarra Dragons and Sydney University Rugby. Susie is currently consulting to the Parramatta Eels to maintain her sports nutrition skills.
Susie understands that while good quality food nurtures optimally functioning bodies; the vast majority of people need their nutrition and fitness advice to be delivered via a supportive nutrition program that fits each person's lifestyle.
Susie’s presentation will include:
- Creating your personal nutrition plan
- Your food, your body, your life
- Mixing good food with good health
- Think positive, feel positive, be positive
- Eating for optimal energy
- Challenging yourself, goal setting and motivation
- Establishing a health and wellbeing program at work
14.15 Communication & Negotiation skills – a mini masterclass
Effective communication skills are your keys to success, regardless of the company your work for. This session will fine-tune your communication skills so you can affect change, command respect, get your voice heard and improve your leadership skills.
- Learning to “sell” your ideas and concepts to your boss and your peers
- Tips for communicating with busy, big-picture executives
- Increasing your ability to influence others and affect change
- Interpretation of others - vital to communication
- How to interpret body language
- The benefits of reflective listening and questioning techniques
- Using communication skills to gain feedback from your boss or your peers
- Tips and tricks for being prepared and projecting a powerful and persuasive argument
Barbara Warren, Head Corporate Performance, NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art)
14.45 The PA/EA industry in 2010 – a recruitment perspective
The PA/EA industry has evolved in recent years, with employers and organisations demanding more and more from their administrative staff, often whilst squeezing wages. This presentation focuses on the future direction of the industry, and how you can get on top and stay there for years to come. It will present updated research collected from a variety of sources and discuss contemporary Australian case studies and show you how to master this new employment landscape.
Specific topics to be addressed include:
- How the role of PA/EA has changed and what Australia’s top companies are now looking for
- Managing your own career so you stay on top
- Working with challenging people and turning difficult situations to your advantage
- Challenges in the profession such as corporate downsizing and cost reduction
- Opportunities for upskilling in areas such as technology and business skills
- The recruitment industry in 2010 and beyond
Marianna Mood, Operations Director, Randstad Australia & New Zealand
15.15 Afternoon tea
15.40 Interactive hot topic roundtable discussions
This session will give you the opportunity to discuss the following ‘hot topics’ in detail with your fellow attendees. Each session will be facilitated by an industry expert. Key learnings from each session will be recorded, and distributed to attendees immediately following the summit. The topics for discussion will be:
Roundtable 1: Event Management
This session will discuss the logistics around organising corporate events for your company: planning the event, working with suppliers, logistics in the lead-up to the event, running the event on the day and of course fitting all of this in around your already hectic PA/EA schedule!
Roundtable facilitator
Nicole Smith, Executive Assistant and Event Manager, Sinclair Knight Merz
WINNER - Executive PA Magazine 'Best Organised Event' Category, 2009
Roundtable 2: Work/Life Balance, time management and stress management
How can you juggle it all without sacrificing aspects of your home or work life? How do you keep stress at bay and work at your most efficient all of the time? This session will explore these all-important aspects of the EA role, to ensure your priorities are always managed and your life is balanced and sustainable!
Roundtable facilitator
Janelle Wilson, Executive Assistant to the CEO, AUSCOAL Superannuation
WINNER - AIOP NSW 2009 Office Professional of the Year
Roundtable 3: Career development
This session will examine the various aspects of career development to help you make informed and effective career decisions at every stage of your EA career. This will include the training and development opportunities available to PAs and EAs, it will include hints and tips for securing promotion whenever possible, and how to future-proof your job and career. It will also include some discussion on dealing with change and surviving corporate downsizing.
Roundtable facilitator:
Kathy Thomas, Swinburne University of Technology
16.40 Inspirational Keynote Address: Positive career moves
Channel Seven sports host and former elite swimmer, Johanna Griggs has become one of Australia’s most popular and loved personalities. She has clocked up over 15 years satiating Australia’s desire for sports news, and counts the Sydney and Beijing Olympics in her stable of achievements.
Host of Seven’s House & Garden, Auction Squad and regular guest on several panel programs, Johanna’s adaptability and energy make her an in-demand presenter and keynote speaker. Joanna’s inspirational presentation at the Corporate PA Summit will be uplifting, empowering and full of life lessons and tips that can be easily applied. Her presentation will focus on the following:
- Setting your sights high and remaining determined, particularly during difficult times
- Learning to back yourself and present your ideas and perspectives with conviction
- Prioritising your professional and personal responsibilities
- Transforming negativity into positive action
- Dealing with stress and pressure
- How to keep your energy levels high
- Creating opportunities for yourself professionally and personally – making it a habit!
17.20 Closing remarks from the chair
17.30 Networking drinks with special guest speaker from the USA, President Clinton's former Director of Events, Laura Schwartz
18.30 Close of summit
