Since I was a child, I have always looked forward to Secretary's Day. This was the day that I would make Ms. Johnson, our school secretary, a card and give her special candy to thank her for always being so nice to me on my first day of school and every day after that. She was committed, and I felt a strong sense of obligation to honor her.
As I got older, I continued my tradition—thanking all the school secretaries for their dedication and hard work —and for writing me late passes because I was yapping during class changes.
Over the years, this day has taken on many forms and embraced various iterations of names:
1952: The first observance was known as National Secretaries Day (part of National Secretaries Week).
1981: The name changed to Professional Secretaries Day/Week.
2000: The name changed to Administrative Professionals Day/Week to honor the expanding role of office staff, including administrative assistants and office managers.
Today, as I serve as Chesapeake Operations Manager for Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund, I understand the magnitude of this role. People count on administrative professionals to turn chaos into calm, organize, and be the power behind the power. We ensure that new hires feel welcomed and that the day-to-day appears to be seamless, even when it isn’t. I call it “untangling the Slinky.” Yes, I know I just dated myself. Or am I just speaking about myself? Either way, administrative professionals matter.
My love for Secretaries Day started with Ms. Johnson, not because of her title but because of what her job entailed and how it made me feel. This person, who was answering the phone, telling “Timmy” to stop standing on the couch, directing parents, AND ALSO
listening to the principal give instructions, was Wonder Woman! All of that was going on, and she still had time to acknowledge, introduce herself, and be nice to this small, shy kid.
When in the presence of an administrative professional, many see an individual person carrying out a single task, but that person is often multitasking on a level that is incomprehensible to most. They are often quiet voices that somehow are heard over all the noise. They are devoted and dedicated. That is what I believe defines an Administrative Professional.
My fellow Tacticians, Happy Administrative Professional Day! We may not be the face of some of the campaigns and CTAs but being the battery, motor, and charge behind the EV is just as good.
Enjoy and celebrate. You've earned it.
