What you do matters.

We honor the everyday impact of executive assistants.

One Reminder of Your Impact.

This series reflects a truth you already live.
It may be invisible.
But it changes everything.

Stay Sharp - Stay Intentional - Stay Indispensable.

Resource Spotlight

Book: Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni — a business fable (fitting, right?) about why most meetings fail and how structure fixes it.

—> Get the book here

Article: "How to Write a Meeting Agenda (With Templates)" — Doist's blog (makers of Todoist) breaks down agenda-writing with practical templates.

—> Get the free resources here

From One EA to Another

The Parking Lot Trick

Keep a running "Parking Lot" doc (shared or pinned in the meeting invite). Any off-topic idea that comes up mid-meeting gets written there instead of derailing the discussion — and you own reviewing it afterward.

This single habit protects meeting time and makes you the person who never lets good ideas get lost.

📌 Bonus resource: The EA Campus has a free downloadable meeting agenda template built specifically for EAs managing exec-level meetings and other powerful resources.

—> Get it here

Worth Watching

TEDx Talk: "How to Save the World (or at Least Yourself) from Bad Meetings" — David Grady. A sharp, funny 6-minute talk on "Meeting Recovery Syndrome" — the condition of needing to recover from a meeting that should've been an email. Painfully relatable.

6 Minutes 45 seconds
→ Watch it Here

What all this says about the EA Effect

EAs are often the invisible architects of how meetings actually run. You're not just scheduling time on a calendar — you're shaping whether that time produces a decision or produces regret.

The agenda is a small document. But it's one of the clearest places where the EA Effect shows up: quiet, structural, easy to overlook — and completely transformative when done well.

Why The EA Effect Matters

Every meeting that runs on time, with a clear outcome, is a small act of respect — for everyone's time, energy, and sanity.

When you build the agenda, flag the missing goal, or politely ask "What decision are we trying to make here?" — you're not just doing admin work. You're protecting your organization's most expensive, non-renewable resource: time.

That's the EA Effect. It's rarely loud. It's almost never credited in the room. But without it, organizations run on chaos instead of clarity.

This Week's EA Effect in Action

Your Challenge: Pick one recurring meeting on your exec's calendar that's lost its structure. This week, add:

• ✅ A one-sentence stated goal

• ✅ Time-boxed agenda items with owners

• ✅ A "Parking Lot" note for off-topic items

Send it 24 hours ahead. Watch what changes.

The Dream Desk

Picture Priya's desk from this week's fable: a clean matte-black desktop, a single open notebook with a half-finished agenda template, a warm brass desk lamp casting soft light, a small plant in the corner, and a sticky note that simply reads "Decide: Not Discuss." No clutter. No chaos. Just intention.

Where's your dream office this week?

Reply to this email with your idea or your own image.

Ambient Luxuries

Your desk might be covered in to-dos, but your mind? That deserves a view. Each week, we’ll drop a dreamy background and soundtrack to help you through the day like the behind-the-scenes wizard you are. Headphones in, magic on.
Note: These links are publicly available and not affiliated with us just something we love and want to share.

The EA Effect is not just a newsletter.
It's a weekly reminder of your influence.

Until next week—may your invites have purpose, your agendas have teeth, and your printer remain uncursed.

If you’re curious to explore other issues on influence, prioritization, emotional intelligence, and leading without a title you’ll find them all on the website.

Browse when you have a moment.
We’re so glad you’re here!

TheEAEffect.com  ·  See you next week.