Duncan Leadership Institute
The Duncan Leadership Institute offers Business Education for the Executive Assistant. Our curriculum models executive education programs that concentrate on professional development needs of executives. Our courses of study define, identify and discuss the complex requirements of the role of assisting through a range of business educational programs in order to create more effective partnerships between executives and their administrative support staff. From the vantage point of 26 years in staff recruiting, executive level training, coaching, and consulting for administrative teams, I have recognized the necessity for advanced education programs for several levels of administrative staff. While CEOs grapple with globalization, competitive pressures and regulatory change in order to attain a distinct business advantage, effective assistants must likewise be able to comprehend the impact of these events on their roles. Executive Assistants have often risen to their current positions on the strength of relationships and on-the-job training. That is no longer sufficient; the executive assistant population requires sophisticated levels of skills and purpose in order to assist management in achieving its goals. This is now a different job.
The Institute offers a targeted curriculum solution for multiple tiers of administrative support staff. Our programs are designed to engage students in developing a common understanding of performance requirements inherent in the executive assisting role. Among these behaviors and skills are the art and science of problem-solving and fine-tuning administrative systems, critical thinking skills to enhance communication and service delivery, and tactical expertise to develop compatible work habits to anticipate and resolve issues. At another level, we focus students on professional self-development, raise awareness as to how the role of executive assisting is evolving, and provide methods to take the initiative in shaping support systems.
The Institute provides the objectivity, broad curriculum and distance of a third-party subject expert, while tailoring its programs to meet the goals of the company. We offer three educational plans for the administrative professional:
I. Premier© Program for Senior-Level, C-Suite Executive Assistants, modeled on executive MBA programs, offered off-site to a multi-company peer group, devoted to process learning.
II. Advanced Role, Courses 1 and 2, are offered on-site within the sponsoring corporation, tailored to the level of assistant in the program, designed to refine tactical support strategies, with an emphasis on the ability to self-organize and to respond to a higher level of complexity.
III. The New Executive Assistant Career BootCamp©, offered on-or-off site, a condensed program, with emphasis on foundational skills, professional standards, performance priorities, and essential process strategies to confidently know what to do next.
Institute faculty is headed by pioneers in the executive education field, Drs. Norman Toy and Tom Ference, Professors at Columbia University. Subject matter experts and guest lecturers will enhance the teaching faculty. Our program outlines are attached for your consideration. If you have any questions regarding the flexibility of our programs to meet your development needs, please contact us at (212) 297-6141.
Melba J. Duncan
Founder and CEO
Duncan Leadership Institute