BOOK REVIEWER BOOK REVIEWER
JOHN APOTSIS NAOMI SPINKS
Real Communication:
How to be you
and lead true The First 2 Hours
by Donna McGeorge
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
This is the crux of Gabrielle Dolan’s book – Real
Communication: How to be you and lead true.
A growing trend in the decline of trust due
to alternative facts and fake news; the evolution
of expectations of working conditions, how we
lead, and how we are communicated to have
changed; the rise of jargon to help us fit in and
sound smarter; and an addiction to acronyms
are all contributing factors in the urgent need to
communicate in a genuine, authentic and real way.
Not to toot our own horn, (but I’ll toot it
anyway), EAs and PAs are at the epicentre of the
industries and organisations they work in. Okay,
so we may not be directly involved in the day-to-
day activities of our organisations, but there is an
expectation that EAs and PAs need to be adaptable
and have that super-human ability to build
relationships quickly.
In this way, we have an opportunity to be
leaders! Building relationships means having a
genuine focus on understanding our people (the
teams and executives we assist) and their needs.
Real Communication helps plot a course
to develop, and refine those skills that make
communication more effective and efficient, and
leadership more authentic. With a grabbing headline like ‘Get more done
with your day’, I was compelled to explore
further. As a busy EA running an exceptionally
fast-paced CEO’s office, I remain open to quick
no-nonsense time management tips to improve
my efficiencies and take back control of my day.
Donna McGeorge’s second book, The First 2 Hours
did not disappoint.
The book recognises that traditional time
management theories haven’t kept pace with
modern workplace demands and non-standard
working hours, and highlights the need to fuel
productivity by working with your natural
rhythms, not against them. By carving up the
average work day into four manageable two-hour
sessions, she structures these sessions according
to our strategic and operational capacity to enable
the greatest intensity and impact returns.
Donna’s practical systems (aided by a Personal
Productivity Quiz) challenged me to contemplate
and recognise my current workday habits and
approach to managing and balancing daily tasks,
and how with a simple structured approach
I can enable greater efficiencies, balance and
productivity in my day-to-day tasks.
Real-life stories, simple diagrams, and a
pragmatic approach with valuable quick tips
makes this book an easy ‘self-reflection’ read with
some back-to-basics reminders on how to reset
your habits to best utilise your most valuable time.
John Apotsis is an EA at Finity Consulting Naomi Spinks is an Executive Assistant at Inland Rail
by Gabrielle Dolan
Issue 2 2019 | Chief of Staff 65