DIRECTOR DIALOGUES | DIERDRE CROWL | JUNE 2020

2020 is manifesting as the year of the battle; some opponents invisible, like Covid-19, some visible, like murder hornets and cicadas, and even a combination of visible and invisible – hatred. Many hoped that being quarantined would make the human race more kind, patient, and empathetic. Instead, “social” distancing has exacerbated the real social distancing inherent with racism that has been the elephant in the room for decades. Those of us in IAAP thrive on the connection we have within our community. But how do we make sure that feeling of connectedness is the same for every individual that joins us?

Reading articles by thought leaders in the last few days as our cities have exploded with anger, it has made me reflect on the journey to inclusion and diversity we have begun in IAAP. We started by making this an aspirational value, and then took an in-depth look at our association and how we need to start this conversation. It’s not a comfortable one, because we all come to the table with unconscious biases that are hardwired into us from our background that often don’t even recognize. We see ourselves as compassionate, especially in our roles as administrative professionals, so assume that we understand what others feel and need. This assumption, however, becomes another blind spot that holds us back from truly open dialogue designed to learn, comprehend, accept, and love.

How do we overcome unconscious biases and blind spots to move forward and experience real inclusivity? Curiosity and humility are both good places to start. We will have opportunities during and after VSummit to start the internal conversations necessary to break down our own personal roadblocks. That’s the humility part. Be vulnerable and open up to the process so you understand what’s holding you back. Then, be curious. IAAP members are spectacular continual learners, and there is no richer reward than to grow from learning about the person next to you. Ask others about their story, and listen generously when they respond. Internalize what they say and let it enrich you. Read articles, ask questions. Don’t make assumptions about one person based on another’s story, culture, or race – ask everyone.

The path to inclusivity and diversity is not a day trip, it is a cross-country journey. Getting vulnerable and asking questions with a child’s curiosity isn’t easy, and learning takes time. But imagine how amazing the IAAP community will be when every person can feel true acceptance and love within. Further, imagine how much better all of our communities could be as a result of having that level of understanding and compassion. Isn’t that worth working hard for?

DIRECTOR DIALOGUES | JEAN COCCO | JUNE 2020

Who would have imagined when we celebrated the new year and decade, 2020, that we would be facing a global pandemic? Our world, our lives and our work have been turned upside down. What we have come to know as the “new normal” of working from home; going out in public wearing face masks; and when we travel, whether by plane or train, the process will be forever changed.

As we are adjusting to this new reality, IAAP’s community remains steady and strong. This is so true since we not able to attend region and branch events in person right now. IAAP members have been able to learn new technology to participate in events virtually. It is so rewarding to see IAAP members committed to continuing their learning and meeting new people. Thank you to all those in leadership roles who have embraced this new endeavor.

Like many of you, I view IAAP as my second family. When we get to together in person, we often greet each other with hugs. Since I cannot give you a hug in person, I’m giving a virtual one now.

With this recent crisis, there have been many challenges facing IAAP members. Keeping the members’ financial situations in mind, IAAP has offered an extension to members who may not be able to pay their membership dues. In addition, the Count on Me Campaign  provides members the opportunity to assist other members by donating to those who might face additional financial burdens during this crisis.


Often at this time of year, we begin to make plans to meet other members at Summit. Well, the 2020 Summit will take on a different look. For the health and safety
of IAAP members, the 2020 Summit will be a virtual event this year. Every consideration was taken into account. The Board did not make this decision lightly. Check out the virtual Summit website. 


Are you up for a new challenge? I know I am. The way we connect and learn may be different for the time-being. However, as admins, we know how to adapt to change and embrace our ever-evolving profession. IAAP is leading the way and is the innovator of what is considered the new frontier for the administrative profession.


This song keeps playing in my head: “It’s a Small World After All…” Be well and safe until the next time.

BOARD CONNECTIONS & ..... (events through July)

As our IAAP year begins to wind down, we invite you to join us for one or all of our upcoming Connections events.   

If you haven't joined before, please consider it. We have a lot of fun, talk about work, family, pets, kids - you know, things you chat with your friends about.  We have conducted unintentional, but valuable, training, given/received career advice and tips, played games, enjoyed a toast and just generally enjoy each others company.   

Use any/all the links below to register.

Thursday, June 11 - C & C , 8:30 PM EST https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iaap-board-of-directors-virtual-connections-cocktails-tickets-108125765074

Sunday, June 14 - International C & C, 12 PM EST (this is open to all members, but scheduled at more convenient times for our international friends) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iaap-board-of-directors-virtual-international-connections-cocktails-tickets-108126705888

Thursday, July 9  - C & C, 8 PM EST https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iaap-board-of-directors-virtual-connections-cocktails-tickets-108128587516

Saturday, July 11 - International C & C, 12 PM EST (this is open to all members, but scheduled at more convenient times for our international friends) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iaap-board-of-directors-virtual-international-connections-cocktails-tickets-108136184238

We hope to see you soon!

We're Here for You (from 5/19/20 IAAP Newsletter)

\ Greetings, fellow admins!   Your board is committed to ensure that we are connecting with members during this time of change and uncertainty. We are here for you and continue to advocate on your behalf. If you want or need to reach out to any of us, you can find our information here. We are excited to share the following information on what we’ve been doing, upcoming events, leadership opportunities and more.   BoD Blog Have you checked out the IAAP Board of Director’s Blog recently? Each month one of the members of the board of directors writes an article addressing current and relevant topics of interest to our members. The most recent article included our favorite tips for working from home. Keep scrolling down through the blog and you can also read about the outcomes of the board’s fall board meeting held in October or watch Juanita Mort’s incoming Chair speech from Summit 2019 in National Harbor, Maryland. If you haven’t looked at the blog recently, be sure to check it out; you can find it here.   BoD and BoD & Staff C&Cs #WeLeadTogether #alonetogether In these days of Covid-19, how does IAAP stay together as a community when quarantine and teleworking are our new reality? The board gathered on a Friday evening Zoom in late March to connect and relax together. Someone said, “We should do this with the members!” Everyone on the board was excited to move the idea forward, and we could not wait to connect with more members in this way.   The following week, we gathered again, this time to test breakout rooms. We knew that if a lot of members took us up on the opportunity to connect, we’d want to give them the opportunity to break out from the full group for more personalized connection. The rooms were successful! We were ready to advertise our C&C.   April 1, 2020—no joke, we had 100+ members signed up for our Zoom C&C! The board got on the call a little early to gather our thoughts and prepare for our guests. Everything went smoothly, having everyone together then going to breakout rooms at 10-minute intervals. What an awesome experience, to see familiar and new faces - outside Summit or CAPstone for the first time! The feedback was warm and encouraging for us to continue these events on a regular basis. In response, IAAP has scheduled virtual C&C events biweekly for the foreseeable future. Some will be just for fun and connection with the board of directors. Some will be for sharing information, integrating the board and staff with members.   No matter what happens with in-person IAAP events in our new reality, these virtual C&Cs will remain as an innovative and exciting way for members to connect with one another, the IAAP board, and headquarters staff. Please join us—we can’t wait to see you soon!   Board Applications and Branch Director Vacancies Are you ready to enhance your relationship building and leadership competence? Maybe you would like to learn more about governance and strategy or succession planning. Are you an advocate of the profession? If you answered yes to any of those questions now is a perfect time to step forward for an IAAP leadership position. Applications are currently being accepted for the IAAP Board of Directors (two-year term) and also IAAP Branch Director (one-year term).   Board of Directors applications are open until May 22, 2020. The term runs July to July. The Board of Directors is the governing body of IAAP and sets strategy, oversees fiscal decisions, and mentors volunteer leadership. Contact Danielle Scott with questions. Branch Director applications are available throughout the year. The term runs August 1 through July 31. Branch Directors are the local leaders of the IAAP leadership team. As a Branch Director you will coordinate networking events and education workshops, lead community engagement, and recruit volunteers at the local level. Contact Kelli Nelson with questions.   If you are not ready yet to pursue one of these opportunities officially; please consider reaching out to inquire on how you can volunteer to help support our association leaders. There are numerous opportunities available to chair committees, give time, and support IAAP.   Learn@IAAP When was the last time you explored the wealth of resources available in Learn@IAAP? Whether you’re preparing to take the CAP exam, looking to brush up on a software program or in search of a webinar to earn some recertification points, there is a lot of great material available. Learn@IAAP is accessed from the Learn tab on the home page. After logging in, you’ll see a left-side menu with several options and ways of finding information. You can search by delivery method, topic area, or CAP domain.   One of the menu options you should become familiar with is "free resources." Not everything in Learn@IAAP is free, but there are some amazing free resources, which change periodically. Currently, the free offerings include the recording of last month’s APD live webinar (wasn’t it great?). If you missed it, you can still watch it and earn recertification points. If you participated in the live event, but want to watch it again, you can! Additional free resources include a working from home care package, featuring content from one of our Summit speakers, James Spellos and an on-demand webinar. There’s never been a better time to familiarize yourself with the offerings inside Learn@IAAP.   Events (Virtual) In this critical time during COVID-19, we must practice and implement social distancing responsibly and respectfully. One must be mindful of larger elements outside of our control. Recent changes have modified our traditional office space into a Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet environment. As administrators, we are here to support change and sustain growth through virtual outlets. IAAP has many offerings for distance learning through Eventbrite. This event calendar has many virtual (some free) happenings such as professional development and social connections. As your IAAP board, we are here to assist you mindfully and professionally during this time with resources. Please consider the virtual events the association has to offer. I invite you to join the IAAP Board of Directors (Virtual) Connections & Cocktails on Sunday, May 17 or Thursday, May 21.   SocialLink Have you ever wondered how to feel more connected to IAAP members especially now while we working through this global pandemic? One way is to actively participate in SocialLink. SocialLink works like other social media channels but within IAAP’s membership portal. We are always checking out the SocialLink feed to learn about upcoming IAAP events, view important IAAP information, get new ideas, connect with members, and enjoy lighthearted topics.   There are various forums within SocialLink; IAAP has recently created several new discussion forums which include: COVID-19, Challenges to Solve, Success to Share, and Industry-Specific Discussions, in addition to other forums already out there. As assistants, we are often the go-to person. SocialLink offers a great opportunity to research the question your boss asked and connect with fellow IAAP members all at the same time. By joining SocialLink, you will be able to expand your global network, learn, research and be the hub of information for your offices. How about taking SocialLink for a test drive? Look forward to connecting with you soon.   Summit 2020 We know many of you have questions about Summit 2020 and whether it’s “a go” or not? The short answer—It’s a GO! Summit 2020 is going to be offered, for the first time ever, in a 100 percent virtual environment. The Summit experience—which is always full of excitement, inspiration, learning, and connection—is now coming to you. You can learn more on the Summit website and this FAQ document.   We are thrilled that Summit is accessible to so many more in our community and we hope you can join us. The education will be meaningful and relevant (especially some great technology training!), and the connections will be invaluable. Many of you attended our Summit Sneak Peek on Administrative Professionals Day. For those who missed it, here is a short snippet. The full recording can be viewed here.   We look forward to connecting with you at Summit!   IAAP Board of Directors