Virtual Assistant: The Keeper of Secrets

According to Politico, Madeleine Westerhout, President Trump’s personal assistant, was fired previously. It was reported that Westerhout made some very personal, unprofessional, and disparaging remarks about members of the President's family to reporters. Although, the administrative support profession has evolved over the years, the one thing that holds true is our ability to be the “Keeper of Secrets!” Today, the title and responsibilities of a "Secretary" have significantly changed to the present Administrative Assistant, Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, and Virtual Assistant. However, the original term "secretary," is from the Latin word “secretum,” meaning "secret,” indicating the level of trust inherent in this position.

Although, it is uncertain when the secretarial profession was first created, it appears to have been a male-dominated profession prior to the 1930's. According to an article titled, "A Look Back at the Secretary Profession" by Kim Evans, a timeline of some noteworthy events outlining the evolution of the administrative support profession is very enlightening.

Fortunately, Westerhout has taken responsibility for her actions and acknowledged that she made a mistake. While it is true that “we all make mistakes,” a professional administrative support person understands the important role we play regarding trust, loyalty, discretion, and confidentiality, especially as a professional virtual executive assistant.

During these very unprecedented times we are experiencing globally with the corona virus pandemic, it is comforting to know that you can virtually connect with a company who will never take your trust for granted. At Harlem World Palm Consulting, we take the privacy and confidentiality of your information very seriously! To learn more, contact us and book a Consultation or Discovery Call today.