Four ways to hand them work
Text them, or just talk
Send a message or a voice note on WhatsApp. They answer like a colleague would, then get on with it.“Move my dentist to Thursday morning.”
Cc them on any email
Add them to a thread and they take it from there: the back-and-forth, the follow-ups, a time that suits everyone.“Can you find us a time?”
Forward them anything
An invoice, a long thread, a screenshot. Ask what it means and they tell you, then offer to handle it.“What is this? Do I owe them?”
Let them chase people
Ask once. They email everyone, nudge whoever hasn’t answered and tell you when it’s done.“Make sure everyone confirms for Thursday.”
Get a daily briefing
Ask for a daily briefing once, at the time that suits you, and every morning they send you a WhatsApp message with your meetings, your priorities and updates on ongoing tasks. Need something else? Just reply in the same conversation.Introduce them to people
Introduce them to a colleague or customer by email, so that person can deal with them directly.What they still need you for
Some things stay with you:- Decisions
- Anything sensitive, like pricing or payments
- Relationships
Next steps
Who they talk to
Friends, colleagues, customers and you.
As your assistant
Examples by area, from calendar to paperwork.