At the heart of every successful business are talented, hard-working administrative professionals. Angel Horn, Platinum Rule Advisors’ executive assistant, makes PRA’s day-to-day operations seamless. In honor of Administrative Professionals Day, we sat down with Angel to learn more about the woman behind the magic.
Continue reading to learn more about Angel:
What is a typical day for you?
My typical day begins and ends with checking email. Although my role with PRA is not full-time, being present is important. Since email is the primary form of communication between myself and most of PRA’s clients, I strive for timely responses during normal business hours. As for the in-between hours, one thing COVID has given us is the knowledge and tools to perform meaningful work outside the traditional brick and mortar offices in which we were so accustomed. That has been very liberating for me in my worklife, as 95% of my work is completed in my home office. My typical day involves managing my work-related tasks and other obligations. By properly scheduling my time, I can achieve a harmonious work-life balance.
What hard or soft skills do you believe make you successful?
Hard skills are important, but my soft skills are in greater demand. Anyone can learn the programs we use, but it’s my communication skills, reliability, and relationships that are most important. When the rubber meets the road, life is all about people; the relationships and connections we share with others are what matters most. It’s no wonder my soft skills align so well with roles related to customer support. If PRA’s clients are reaching out to me, there is a need that must be met, and I have the opportunity to share the PRA experience with each person.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
I enjoy the flexibility of my role. I have found previous jobs to be inflexible and unyielding. There wasn’t space to allow me to meet the demands of my role and the needs of my family. I felt like I was just a number, a cog in the machine. They say you don’t know what you have till it’s gone. In this case, that life is happily gone forever! I don’t have any of those same experiences working at Platinum Rule Advisors.
Professionally, I thrive on doing work that matters. I have no grand illusions that I’m making a difference in a multitude of lives, but it is my hope that my work makes Leonora’s life easier and more productive. Knowing that I help take tasks off her plate so that she has the availability and capacity to work with another client and/or company is fulfilling because her work is impactful.
What is your approach to staying organized?
Early in my career, I attended a leadership seminar on Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” The story of the Big Rocks was a game changer. I have always been a list maker, but moving from making a list to scheduling tasks was mind blowing. I now find myself chunking out blocks of time on my calendar to focus on specific tasks. I have an innate need to plan things. I’m also fairly good at keeping my commitments once scheduled. Typically, if it’s on a calendar, it gets completed. To my husband’s chagrin, this ‘habit’ has flowed over to my personal life, and therefore to his “honey-do” list as well!
What is your favorite memory working at PRA?
My favorite PRA memory happened very recently after my family and I tested positive for COVID. My family is the most important thing to me, and nothing surpasseses them. My husband and I have been together since we were just kids ourselves. Several weeks ago, we all tested positive for COVID. This was round two for my family. Since I primarily work from home, I knew that as long as I was still feeling ok, my life wouldn’t be changing much with the exception of sharing the wifi bandwidth with the rest of my family. However, this time our COVID experience was much different, and we all became extremely ill, especially my husband. After a terrible night, we were all rushed by ambulance to the emergency room. My husband was intubated and stayed in the ICU on a ventilator for several days. It was difficult to focus my time and attention on my kids during the scariest days of each of our lives. It was literally touch and go with my husband, the anchor of our family. He wasn’t just illl, but mentally not part of this world. The hardest part was that I couldn’t even hold his hand.
During these days, Leonora, unlike any boss I’ve ever had, texted daily with encouraging words and prayers. She didn’t press me to continue to push through and fill my days with work tasks. If I didn’t know she was different and special before, I certainly learned it during that time. My love language is quality time, so my favorite PRA memory was literally a time that I didn’t work at all! It almost seems odd to say, but at my core, I’m all about people, connections, and relationships, and Leonora’s goal wasn’t making sure I made headway with my tasklist, but was ensuring my family was supported. That is a gift I cherish.
I don’t want to leave you hanging… to finish the tale, my husband is back home, back to work, and doing well.
Describe Angel after hours
I’m afraid you’ll find Angel after-hours incredibly boring! In addition to my family being my whole world, I love to cook and bake. I’m an active member in my church. I teach a women’s study school class and Bible study and am one of the church pianists. Summers are spent camping and boating on the lake. My husband and I go fishing several times a year, and I insist he gets me the exact same fishing gear and fly fishing poles he himself uses, but I rarely drop a line. Instead, I’m usually curled up on the boat or the shore reading a book and soaking up the sun.
What advice would you offer to help executives stay organized and prioritize tasks?
My advice is to ensure the people in your organization are in the right role. One reason Leonora and I work so well together is her intentional choice to hire me because of my fit for the position. Prioritize tasks based on your people. Help build a fire in them for your vision and bring them on the journey to your success. Give them insight to the bigger picture you’re painting and allow them a seat at the table. The proverbial table is large enough to seat everyone.
If you keep the people in your company fulfilled and satisfied, studies prove that they work harder and are more productive. Communicate with your team in the way they like best; not the golden rule, but the platinum rule (there’s a PRA blog on that!). If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the business.