Workplace Insights by Adrie van der Luijt | Public Speaking & Training for Executive Assistants

Workplace Insights

by Adrie van der Luijt

the four seismic shifts

Forget everything you've been told about "being more strategic"

The most persistent myth in our profession is that you simply need to become a better 'strategic partner' to your executive.

This comfortable fairy tale has been recycled for decades by trainers, speakers, and LinkedIn influencers who’d rather sell you easy answers than confront difficult truths.

The reality? The management support profession is experiencing four fundamental transformations that have nothing to do with getting invited to more leadership meetings. These shifts aren’t incremental changes to your existing role. They’re challenging you to completely reimagine how you create value in increasingly complex organisations.

I’ve lived through each of these shifts, first as an executive assistant supporting C-suite leaders, then managing international offices, editing business publications, and designing content for global organisations. What I’ve learned is that the future belongs not to those who perfect the traditional EA role, but to those who recognise when that role itself has become obsolete.

Adrie van der Luijt
Founder of Workplace Insights

Workplace Insights coach Adrie van der Luijt

Explore

The four seismic shifts

The traditional executive assistant role is dead. And that’s brilliant news for everyone ready to embrace what comes next.

For decades, we’ve been told that the path forward is simply to become “more strategic partners” to our executives. This comfortable fairy tale fundamentally misunderstands the profound transformations reshaping our profession.

What’s actually happening are four seismic shifts that have nothing to do with getting permission to attend more meetings:

From information gatekeeper to information curator

The way it was

When I started my career, my filing cabinets were the heart of my power. I controlled access to documents, messages, and appointments. Executives literally couldn't function without me because I was the gatekeeper to their informational world.

My most valued skill was keeping perfect records. I spent hours maintaining immaculate filing systems, transcribing handwritten notes and managing correspondence. The assistant with the most organised files was the assistant who created the most value.

The reality now

That world is gone forever. The digital revolution obliterated the information gatekeeper role. Your executive no longer needs you to access their emails, calendar, or documents. They can do that themselves from anywhere, at any time.
What they face instead is information paralysis. The average executive receives 120+ emails daily, sits through 23 hours of meetings weekly, and has access to endless dashboards, reports and analysis. They don't need a gatekeeper. They need a curator who can transform this overwhelming flow into actual insight.

What this means for you

Your value now comes from:

  • Filtering signal from noise: Identifying which 3% of available information actually needs attention
  • Contextualising information: Connecting new data to existing priorities and decisions
  • Pattern recognition: Spotting trends and relationships across seemingly unrelated data points
  • System design: Creating frameworks that manage information flow rather than just responding to it


The future-proof assistant doesn't just organise information. They create the systems that make information useful.

From task execution to problem solving

The way it was
Early in my career, success meant executing assigned tasks efficiently and accurately. My performance was measured by my ability to follow instructions, manage details, and deliver exactly what I was asked for. The perfect assistant was essentially a flawless execution machine.

I spent hours perfecting my ability to type quickly, format documents beautifully, and schedule meetings efficiently. These were genuinely valuable skills in an era when task execution required significant human intervention.

The reality now

Routine task execution is being rapidly automated. AI can already schedule meetings, format documents, and handle basic correspondence more consistently and efficiently than humans can. This isn't a future possibility; it's happening right now.

The value has shifted from executing tasks to identifying and solving problems that haven't been clearly articulated. It's about navigating complex situations where the path forward isn't obvious and no playbook exists.

What this means for you

Your value now comes from:

  • Problem identification: Spotting issues before they become critical rather than waiting for assignments
  • Solution design: Creating approaches to challenges that haven't been clearly defined
  • Decision support: Providing context and options rather than just carrying out instructions
  • Process innovation: Redesigning workflows rather than simply executing within them


The future-proof assistant isn't waiting to be told what to do. They're actively identifying problems and designing solutions others haven't yet recognised.

From technical proficiency to technological adaptation

The way it was

When I started, technical proficiency meant mastering specific tools, first the typewriter and dictaphone, then word processors and early office software. Success came from knowing these systems inside out, often better than anyone else in the organisation.

I remember spending weeks becoming the office expert in WordPerfect, only to have it replaced by Word. Then I became the Excel specialist, the PowerPoint guru, the Outlook wizard. Each time, I built my professional identity around mastery of specific technologies.

The reality now

The tools you're currently using will likely be obsolete within five years. The pace of technological change has accelerated to the point where technical proficiency with specific systems has diminishing returns. By the time you've mastered today's tool, it's already being replaced.

The critical capability isn't mastery of current technologies but rather adaptability to emerging ones, the ability to quickly evaluate, learn, and implement new tools without becoming attached to the ones you've already mastered.

What this means for you

Your value now comes from:

  • Technological discernment: Evaluating which new tools are worth adopting and which are distractions
  • Rapid learning cycles: Developing a methodology for quickly adapting to new systems
  • Integration thinking: Understanding how technologies connect rather than mastering any single platform
  • Digital translation: Bridging the gap between technical capabilities and practical applications


The future-proof assistant doesn't base their value on knowing specific tools better than anyone else. They cultivate a technology-agnostic approach that allows them to surf the waves of change rather than being crushed by them.

From hierarchical support to network leadership

The way it was

Traditionally, the management support role was defined by its position in the organisational hierarchy, usually supporting a specific executive or department within a clear reporting structure. Success came from perfectly aligning with your executive's needs and priorities.

I built my early career by focusing intensely on understanding my executive's preferences, anticipating their needs, and representing their interests effectively. My professional identity was essentially derived from my relationship with the person I supported.

The reality now

In today's fragmented organisations, value increasingly comes from connecting disparate parts of the system that formal structures keep separate. Hybrid work arrangements, matrix reporting lines, and cross-functional projects have created organisations where the formal hierarchy captures only a fraction of how work actually gets done.

The most valuable support professionals aren't simply extensions of individual executives. They're network leaders who facilitate connections across organisational boundaries, bridging gaps that formal structures create.

What this means for you

Your value now comes from:

  • Relationship cartography: Mapping the actual influence networks in your organisation, not just the org chart
  • Boundary spanning: Creating connections between siloed departments or teams
  • Informal influence: Navigating systems through relationships rather than authority
  • Community building: Fostering collaboration across traditional hierarchical lines


The future-proof assistant asks "Who would benefit from being connected?" rather than simply "What does my executive need?"

Explore

The four seismic shifts

the four seismic shifts

The traditional executive assistant role is dead. And that’s brilliant news for everyone ready to embrace what comes next.

For decades, we’ve been told that the path forward is simply to become “more strategic partners” to our executives. This comfortable fairy tale fundamentally misunderstands the profound transformations reshaping our profession.

What’s actually happening are four seismic shifts that have nothing to do with getting permission to attend more meetings: