The PA Forum Annual Learning & Development Conference is BACK, a full day, in person, event filled with inspirational, aspirational and educational keynotes, sessions and seminars supporting Executive & Business Support Professionals across all sectors and all levels.

Now into our 6th year The PA Forum L&D Conference is one of the most economical conferences outside of London for PAs, EAs, VAs, Office Managers, Office Juniors, Administrative Assistants, Secretaries, Business Support Managers to network, build relationships, share best practice and better ways of working.

All the content is designed so that attendees will leave feeling motivated with tangible and actionable take a ways to bring back to the Office.

This conference will support continued professional development as well as supporting the wellbeing of attendees who seek to enhance their sense of community and skillset.

Our Speakers confirmed so far include:

Lucy Brazier OBE, CEO, Executive Support Media (Our Host. Valued Partner and International Industry Profession Insights)

The visionary Lucy Brazier is one of the world’s leading authorities on the administrative profession.

She is the CEO of Marcham Publishing, a global force synonymous with world-class conferences and training, including Executive Support LIVE and Modern-Day Assistant, and home of Executive Support Magazine, the gold standard of training in print for administrative professionals.

Lucy is passionate about ensuring the Assistant role is truly recognised as a career and not just a job, and is dedicated to supporting the development of both senior and aspiring administrative professionals.

Her formidable training expertise and speaking style have given her opportunities to train, present and emcee events in over 50 countries at over 650 events, including chairing the 2015 World Administrators Summit in Papua New Guinea and co-facilitating every World Administrators Summit since. Lucy has keynoted at almost every major conference for Assistants in the world.

She has a unique overview of the role and where it is heading. With access to the most forward-thinking, passionate and knowledgeable trainers and administrative business leaders in the world, as well as personally meeting and speaking to thousands of Assistants for more than a decade, her knowledge of the market and what Assistants all over the world are facing on a day-to-day basis is second to none.

Lucy’s work in the field has led to thousands of Assistants and executives working more effectively together. Her training and ongoing conversations have resulted in promotions, internal networks and career frameworks being created in some of the biggest companies in the world; college students seeing the Assistant role as a proper profession with a career path; and businesses, HR and executives finally understanding how to measure performance to best utilise their Assistants. The work being conducted worldwide with the publication of the Global Skills Matrix is one of Lucy’s key drivers, and she is working with some of the most recognisable companies on the planet to consult on restructuring and training their Business Support functions.

In 2021, Lucy was awarded an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) from the Queen for services to office professionals. She has also received an Honorary Fellowship to the Institute of Administrative Management – one of the oldest management institutes in the world, having inspired professional business managers and administrators since 1915 – in recognition of her work to drive the profession forward.

Rebecca Mander, Coaching senior leaders forward during personal setback to maintain excellent performance, GuruYou

Up until a few years ago, founder of GuruYou™- Rebecca Mander, was Managing Director of a large organisation, when she sadly lost one of her children, Charlie. Rebecca understands first-hand what it is to need to look and act the part, when internally you are falling apart.

Motivated by her experiences, she trained as an Executive Coach and is now a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, specialising in helping senior leaders through setback.

Rebecca’s clients are in the Legal and Financial sectors and she is highly valued for her straightforward and honest approach with compassion and understanding in sectors that bring great stress and challenge to their employees. Her 15-year experience at board level teamed with her accredited skills in executive coaching make a winning combination for those in professional roles whose private and professional lives are affected by the challenges of leadership.

Morning Session: Overcoming Imposter Phenomenon and Self Doubt (Main Stage)

Rebecca will begin with a talk on Imposter Phenomenon and Self Doubt by explaining what imposter phenomenon is and what it is not, who gets it and what can we do about it. She will share some tips on overcoming self-doubt and explain the science behind how we create those negative thoughts that get in our way.

In the second half of this talk, Rebecca will be joined by one of her clients and PA Forum Lifetime Achievement Winner 2020, Julie Pettigrew. In this honest interview the audience will discover how a lack of confidence affected Julie’s career and enjoyment of her role as EA, how she overcame her own imposter phenomenon and how she got out of her own way!

An exciting collaboration and an interview between a coach and her client!

Afternoon Session: Self Awareness (Break out session)

This session will include group work and some audience participation, giving delegates a clearer idea of their strengths are with a look back at how far they have come. Tables will discuss people who inspire them and who they could be supported by in their own challenges as we work through Charlie’s Star together, a coaching tool to help you move forward through setback

Oli Hills , CEO Nonsensical | The TikTok Agency. An entrepreneurial business created here in the heart of the West Midlands with global reach.

Oli and his team specialise in delivering impact on social media by creating content that works across all social media platforms, organically, via paid media campaigns or working with influencers.

Nonsensical are perhaps most well know locally for creating Birmingham Updates, a community with more than 550,000 followers as well as also owning and operating a number of other community pages such as Endless Mythology (340k) and Endless Pride (360k).

Oli is also on the board of Governors at Ronald McDonald House Charities as well as mentor to a number of business owners.

Overview of session, main stage keynote - Making an impact personally and professionally with social media

Do you ever look at social media, have every intention of writing a post but retract and continue to battle on through your “to do list”.Have you always wanted to have more confidence to share how your feeling, share your successes, perhaps post something and worry that it could be seen as “controversial” and worry what reaction, if any, you would get by putting yourself out there!Building YOUR personal brand online whilst being “authentic” and your “true self” can, for some, open up a world of opportunity or perhaps be a HUGE challenge to you personally. Many PAs work in partnership with some of the most senior leaders in business and imposter syndrome can easily rear it’s head for us all. We live in a world of constant comparisons, with abstract opinions and you may have moments where you may have in the past questioned the importance of “what you have to say or contribute”.Social media not only allows you to build YOUR own community and find YOUR people, your business can only benefit from a strong presence on social media and Executive & Business Support Professionals should be encouraged along their journey to come to the forefront and open healthy debate and discussion, all in all social media is an extension of you!In this session Oli will share

- How to find “your people” on social media

Really understand who you're trying to speak to and how to connect with them through the content you're producing

- Explore the incredible value of LinkedIn

We often hear about the platform and know we should post but what is the actual point? Why should you commit to posting regularly

- How to make an IMPACT on LinkedIn personally & professionally

We will discuss why content pillars are so powerful to making LinkedIn easier for you to build into your work day

We will also unpick the value that you can offer your company through your understanding of the platform and where to focus your efforts to maximise results

- How to WIN on LinkedIn

Here we will look at what success looks like from LinkedIn and how to optimise your content to achieve positive results not just for you but also for your company too

The many different types of content you can create and the different types of content you can create including tips to making content creation easier

• Photography

• Graphics

• Text

• Video

• Q&A

Sid Madge, Speaker, Author & Coach, Founder of Meee

Sid Madge is a brand strategist and founder of The Meee Programme. His first book ‘Meee in a Minute - 60 ways to improve your life in 60 seconds’ became a best-seller and celebrates the work of the Meee Programme. It draws on his knowledge of branding and expertise from neuroscience, psychology, education, business and sociology.

He has worked for some of the world’s largest companies and in 2010 walked away from the corporate life to find a new meaning. In 2015 while running a workshop for teenagers in North Wales, he was shocked by the levels of low confidence and low self-esteem. Young people and adults were looking to the future with fear and uncertainty and shocking statistics around anxiety, depression and suicide rates in the UK were rising. He had to act and thus, The Meee Programme was born.

Over 20,000 people have been a part of Meee and his vision is to help make the world a better place using imagination, creativity and passion. He has no idea where the Meee journey will end up, but hopes that it reaches and touches the lives of millions of people to help make their lives more worthwhile and meaningful.

Morning Session: Organisations don’t change, people do (Main Stage)

Drawing on his experience of working with some of the world’s biggest and most successful organisations, Sid Madge has channelled his knowledge and expertise to help organisations look beyond the balance sheet and see the real assets in their midst. Their people.

As much as we think that business is about business, it’s really not. No business runs, operates and succeeds without all of its people. But, how do you ensure that everyone feels included, listened to and has a voice they can share safely?

Sid’s session includes:

• Why culture is all of us, and why there are two u’s in culture.

• How to use listening as the best tool to effectively gather and guide others with feedback.

• How to have those difficult conversations, or as we say those ‘robust’ conversations, to ensure that all those involved don't feel isolated or excluded.

• How appraisals and feedback are a great opportunity to build better relationships.

• How a tiny little acronym can help us all feel more included, have more courage and see every challenge as an opportunity to grow.

• Why it’s up to all of us to create the workplaces we want to be a part of. And how this can extend into the communities we belong to.

• How it really is the small steps that truly matter.

By the end of this session you will have access to some brilliant techniques that will enable you to add even more value in your role by bringing out the best in the people you influence.

Stephen Dargans, Productivity Ninja, Think Productive

Productivity Ninja Stephen draws on 10 years managing and learning how motivation and behaviour impacts the way we work. His knowledge and expertise helps others get their best work done.

Stephen’s beliefs are rooted in the question: if we create happier working environments, who benefits and what would those benefits be? His answer … greater employee engagement, lower employee turnover, increased profits and employees with lower stress levels.

So, for the past 12 years, Stephen has championed organisations that create happier workplaces. Working with leaders to shape a happier modern working environment.

Over the course of 4 Happy Workplace Ireland Conferences, Stephen has supported organisations such as Tony’s Chocolonely, Innocent drinks and Airbnb and shaped how they have transformed their world of work for the better.

Stephen also presents the WOW at Work Podcast – available on all podcast platforms. Here, Stephen talks to a diverse range of guests about how they are helping to transform the world of work for the better.

As a Think Productive Ninja, Stephen helps people to do good work and then simply go home. Being more productive at work benefits creativity, lowers stress and allows us more time to avoid distractions and get focused work done.

Session: The Way of the Productivity Ninja (90 minutes)

Overwhelmed? Struggling with constant distractions, information overload and a rapidly changing business environment? Struggling to juggle productivity and wellbeing?

We’re here to help.

Our approach turns traditional time management on its head. Time is not your most precious resource: your attention is. We help you manage attention and focus, projects and actions, as well as choices and habits.

A Productivity Ninja® is calm and prepared, but also skilled and ruthless in how they deal with the many enemies of productivity and wellbeing.

We’ll share with you the 9 Characteristics of the Productivity Ninja®, and help you identify specific ways you can implement them.

Session Outcome:

Reflection, inspiration, motivation, self-awareness of strengths and opportunities for improvement and lots of new ideas! An appreciation that very small changes in habits can lead to significant gains in time, focus and wellbeing.

All participants produce individual action plans and 98% walk away with at least one action that will transform the way they work.

Alex La Via, Live More Offline

Alessandra La Via is the Founder and CEO of Live More Offline, a digital wellbeing consultancy helping employees to thrive in digital work. Our mission is to create a future where leaders are empowered by data and training to re-negotiate their team’s relationship with technology, to create a future of enhanced wellbeing, performance and belonging within digital workplaces. We work with HR leads and company leaders to embed healthy digital practices through our diagnostics, training and talks.

Alessandra La Via is a leading speaker in the fields of digital wellbeing and healthy digital culture, speaking on this topic since 2018. With the University of Aberdeen, she has been researching the impact of technology on wellbeing and the use of data to measure employee digital experiences and their impact on workplace KPIs.

She experienced an ‘always-on’ culture in her successful career as a Big-4 accountant and Head of Tax. In pursuit of a better tech-life balance, she was inspired to walk 500 miles on the Camino in Spain, where she connected with her passion for helping others to find healthier ways of working in our digital age.

She speaks from her research findings, has founded Live More Offline, and devised leadership programmes and digital culture diagnostics which now support some of the largest global organisations to improve their digital cultures. She is passionate about the power of intentional digital practices to enhance the wellbeing and success of our future workplaces.

Afternoon Session: Digital Wellbeing & Workplace of the Future: How to use data to enhance health, productivity and inclusion in digital work (Breakout Room)

From video call exhaustion, email and chat overload to isolation in remote teams, there has been growing concern about the human impact of digital work. Join Alessandra La Via of Live More Offline to explore how you can create a healthy digital workplace culture to enhance employee health, productivity, and inclusion.

As hybrid work becomes the norm, organisations with intentional digital cultures are more likely to thrive. On the other hand, without intentional ways of working, hybrid work can create human costs. This session will help you uncover the beliefs that keep us constantly connected, spot signs of digital burnout, and provide tangible techniques to build a healthy relationship with technology for yourself and within your team culture.

Attendees will learn how to communicate the value of investing in intentional digital practices to internal stakeholders and gain the first steps to embed healthy digital habits into their organisation in a meaningful way. Through the use of data-driven solutions and tailored support, workplaces can harness the full potential of digital work to drive a positive human, business, and societal impact in healthier digital workplace cultures.

Leave with practical ideas for making digital work healthier and more productive for you and your organisation. This session is for individuals at any career stage, from those just beginning to build their network to experienced managers looking to influence a positive digital, hybrid culture at work.

Key takeaways include:

• How to effectively communicate the benefits and need to invest in intentional digital practices to internal stakeholders

• Gain the first steps to embed healthy digital habits into your organisation in a meaningful way, to improve wellbeing, performance and equality

• Understand how you can use data-driven solutions to measure and analyse digital wellbeing, and drive positive change in employee experience, workplace success and societal wellbeing

• Leave with a roadmap towards making digital work, work for all

Simone White , Founder & Global Chair, GAIN - Administrative Professionals ERG, BlackRock | Women in Investments Award Winner 2021 | WATC Rising Star Award Winner 2016 | Motivational Speaker | DEI champion

Simone has worked within administration for nearly 25 years. Passion for administration motivated her to create an internal network for administrative professionals supporting over 500 individuals globally. She is a leading voice advocating for the profession.

Simone collaborates with administrative professionals and business leaders promoting the inclusion of assistants as active, impactful participants as well as executers, raising awareness of the historical bias towards the profession. She highlights the need for the profession to be more diverse in terms of gender, race, and ability and to be strategically included by organisations when building out talent, development and DEI programs.

She has presented globally on topics such as The Power of Networks, Leadership, Ownership & Belonging, and Inclusion, featured on numerous podcasts and has had articles published online and in print.

She is an EPAA Fellow, a member of the Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Team, and an Advisory Board member for Practically Perfect PA.

Her work has been recognised and celebrated having received awards from Women in Investments in 2021 and WeAreTheCity in 2016.

Afternoon Session: Advocating for Inclusion (Breakout Session)

We hear so much about the importance of inclusion in our personal and professional lives. The need for all to feel represented, heard, and visible.

As administrative professionals, you may work alongside and promote inclusion initiatives on behalf of your colleagues or even yourself when it comes to things like gender or racial equality.

But how often, if ever have you thought that inclusion or the lack of it applied to you as an Administrative Professional?

Having highlighted the Need for Inclusion at last year’s conference, Simone White is back to provide practical advice and suggestions on how we, as Administrative Professionals can advocate for ourselves and for each other in our organisations to ensure that we are not only included, but that this inclusion is equitable.

Simone will host moderated workshops, providing insight into:

• What is Inclusion

• Why is it needed

• Whose responsibility is it

• What barriers you might face advocating for change

• How you can bring change about

• The need to bring your co-hort along with you

• What support you need to progress change

• The Importance of advocacy

Learning Outcomes

• Why DEI is important

• How you can start your journey

• Where you can lead

• The future of administration

Paul James, Innovation Director, Savient Limited

Artificial Intelligence: The Future of Business Support?

Paul James is the Innovation Director at Savient, a leading provider of software and consultancy. He has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry and has held a variety of roles in software development, system architecture, and team leadership. Paul is passionate about innovation and is always looking for new ways to improve the way we learn and work.

In his role at Savient, Paul is responsible for driving innovation across the company. He works with teams to develop new products and services, and to find new ways to use technology to improve organisations.

Paul is a supporter of the PA forum, is a strong advocate for PAs, and is always working to improve the support and recognition that PAs receive.

Synopsis for the session would be:

• Overview of AI technology, the tools and what they can do.

• Potential benefits of AI to help you become more efficient, productive, and creative.

• Concerns about AI including job changes and privacy.

• How you can use AI to your advantage - including practical examples relevant to those in business support roles.

• Q&A

As these are all very fast moving technology Paul will share his most up to date and recent experiences with a variety of AI tools to support Assistants

PA Forum Annual Learning & Development Conference - 15th June 2023