The Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Diamond Manufactures Association (BDMA), Pauline Paledi-Mokou has called on secretaries and administrative assistants to rise up and be partners with the executives who lead today’s companies.
Speaking last week at the Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) Office Managers’ convention, which aims to equip work support professionals with essential skills that are pertinent to their productivity, Paledi-Mokou said the value of the office managers is in their ideas that help save costs and increase profits.
“As things have become more streamlined, many jobs have become more of an office management position. Positions have taken on a lot of middle-management function, assisting the bosses and handling things. So you definitely need a variety of traits which are key to becoming successful office managers,” she said.
The director of BOCCIM Business Development Services, Zoe Isaacs said that the objective of the convention is more relevant today as the business climate and technology have changed significantly from the time it was initiated. “Events such as this are valuable because they allow us to draw on a broad range of experience and expertise. It encourages networking and relationship building amongst professionals in the same industry,” she said.
A number of office managers from various companies around the country attended the two-day convention, which was themed; The efficient, positive and evolving office manager.