Anyone can be excellent. Even me. Even you.

I had the pleasure of watching this video during a recent managers meeting at work.  The person who showed the video was presenting on Excellence.  It was fitting, because we are right in the middle of creating our 2012 Professional Development Plans at work.  I struggle with that because I suffer from a common, but little-understood syndrome called Just a Secretary Complex.  Where can I go?  How can I grow?  What can I do?  I don't have a degree (almost, but not quite), and all I've ever done for money is serve as someone's administrative assistant.  Of course, I've been lots of things, served lots of roles, played lots of parts ~ but never for money, and that's what seems to count in the business world.  They don't give credit for life lessons, just those taught by a professor.  After watching this video and realizing that even if I'm Just a Secretary I can still be excellent, I dove head first into that Plan, coming up with a couple of 'excellent' goals.  Next year, I will learn more about all of the various areas of my company by meeting with administrative assistants from those departments ~ a meeting of the admin minds.  That will also help me grow by teaching them about my department.  I will also be attending a conference in Las Vegas in June and will earn a World Class Assistant certification.  Sounds fancy, huh?  I'm not too concerned about the certificate, but am excited about the topics they'll be teaching, and about going to Vegas and having a few days to myself.  Hopefully these new goals will help keep me challenged in an otherwise mundane role.  But, I certainly can't complain.  I work for the best company ever, and absolutely love working with my team and for my boss.  That's the biggest reward ~ besides the paycheck, of course.