It has felt like working on a big puzzle at times, getting stuck on the outer edge, not sure how to fill in the center. But now the center pieces are starting to fall into place and understanding my personality better has had a huge impact on this process.

I have read a ton of books on these subjects, I’m a sucker for those personality tests, I’m curious to see what results will be. This year has been different, the personality tests have started to make sense. Light bulb moments of why I enjoy certain things and others I don’t, why this job/task/project has been so much fun and why this one really drove me nuts.

My business is starting to change as a result of this understanding. I am taking a closer look at they type of work I do, services I provide and the people I work with. Now I can put a finger on why some things worked and some really did not.

When doing a consult with a client, I am now learning to listen better and ask questions about work styles, work preferences, communication needs etc. Interestingly, this journey has shown me that some of my strengths, or at least what I have thought of as strengths, are tasks, jobs etc. that I have grown into – not because they are things I like to do but because I have been around long enough to know the “big picture” and this is the “next logical step”. This happened quite a bit in the corporate world and I have seen it in my journey with clients as well.

Here are some of the things I have come to understand better about me this year:

• I’m a troubleshooter & a fixer – give me a problem to figure out and I will dive in and see how to make it work. This is one reasons I love working with WordPress, creating videos or editing an audio – I see what needs to be done now, I know how to do it but now it is time to jump in figure out how to make the pieces fit.
• I’m an emailer – Even as a kid I was not one to talk on the phone, did not enjoy it at all. Nowadays, if it can be typed, drawn and faxed/emailed, woohoo, I’m your gal. Of course the phone is not out of the question but I do avoid it if at all possible. But I am much more comfortable with the written word then I am the verbal. It will also depend on the client or team member I am talking to. There are some that a regular call is no problem, the call will be fun, energizing, creative etc. it is a connection point with others – especially when really technical explanations are needed, just give me my keyboard!
• I’m not a manager/minder – I enjoy collaborating with professionals but have come to realize that I am not a manager anymore. I’ve done the whole hiring, training, firing thing before, for many years in fact and it is not something I am looking to go back to. The team I will be building over the next year will be professionals I can collaborate with and not have to manage.
• I’m a collaborator – There is something magical about sharing creative energy, sharing ideas, brainstorming and then working with someone to make it happen. Working with a group of people, all of whom are working from their strengths to bring that vision to life. That is so energizing. This is a new focus for me in 2011, finding ways to collaborate with others whose services, skills, personality etc. compliment mine and create something really cool and meaningful.

What about you?

Do you know and understand your personality enough to know what type of VA you can work with? Enough to know what kind of VA you need? Did you catch the difference in those 2 questions? We’ll talk about the first question here.

What type of person can you work with:

• Are you a phone person or an emailer?
• Communication – Do you need lots of details or are you more of a “just the facts ma’am” type of person?
• Are you serious? Funny? Sarcastic?
• What speed do you operate? Full speed ahead all the time, fits and starts, slow and methodical?

These are all things you should be aware of and be able to talk with a potential VA (or your current one…) to find the best fit for you. Once you know and understand your needs, you can ask questions during a consultation about how they prefer to work and who they like to work with. The answers to these questions can give you confidence in your decision or it might show you some potential red flags before you get in too deep.

This may seem like a lot of work but it is such an important step that it warrants some time and attention. Make sure you are noticing your work habits, work hours and communication preferences. What bugs you when talking with or emailing others, what makes you say, wow, that was a great email, I know exactly what they are talking about. Or I really need to be on the phone for this one to help us both understand what I need. Are you visual in your learning? Audio?

All of these are important in your journey as a business owner. The team you bring on will either help move you forward or hold you back. Make sure you are building a team that will help move you and your business forward.

What other personality traits do you think are important when working with a virtual assistant?

Last night I was researching and surfing the net for ideas and ran across this article from Karyn Greenstreet with tips and ideas on finding and working with a virtual assistant. In this article she talks about the idea of the Virtual Assistant as a partner, it made me stop and think.

“Some VAs are taught that they should be a “partner” with you in your business. On the surface, this sounds great. However, I have heard too many horror stories about VAs who did things without asking permission, from modifying website text to changing established class titles”

When I am talking with clients, both perspective and current, are we clearly defining that role together?

Personally I consider myself to be a partner in the success of my clients business. But! I think that the term partner needs to be defined.

I like this definition of partner from Wikipedia:

“A friend who shares a common interest or participates in achieving a common goal.”

And this one from Dictionary.com:

“A person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor; sharer; associate.”

Each of these definitions include the word share and that is a key part of my own personal definition. As a virtual assistant my role is to support you, my client, using my skills and expertise. For some clients that means an occasional project here and there and for others it means stepping up to a bigger role of working in their business on a daily basis.

Being a partner also means getting to know your business and being able to say, “Here is what I can do for you” and not just asking, “How can I help?”. There is a difference.

As a virtual assistant who works closely with a client you see and understand the dreams, the goals and the overall big picture. When you commit time and resources to that big picture you have a vested interest in helping them succeed.

You understand their vision, you see what needs to happen and can create a suggested plan of action to get them there. As a VA, this is an exciting place to be.

It does not mean the VA takes over and makes the decisions,  it does mean we tap into our education and knowledge to share with you tips and strategies that we see would make a positive impact on bringing that vision to life. Together we decide if this is a course of action that will work.

The word partner is a collaborative word, not an independent word.

How do you define the word partner?

This is a question that surprises many people, what do you mean by type? Yes there are types! Not only are there different specialties but there are types and each have their place. It is a question you need to ask in order to find the best fit for you.

1) Task-Oriented: This type of virtual assistant you can send a whole big huge list (okay maybe not a WHOLE big list but you get the idea) of tasks that you need done. The VA will then tackle that list, mark them as done, send you feedback on what they found and you are off to the next round.

What could be on this list?

• Keyword research
• Internet search for resources of just the right gift for your client
• Assemble a list of article marketing sites
• Update a database…. I could go on but I won’t

2) Big Picture Thinker: This type of VA, is in it with you for the long haul. They get to know you and your business, they share your vision and are dedicated to its mission. You have shared values, work ethics and views on customer service.

They can become a strategic partner:

• Helping you develop strategy
• Keeping track of the pieces of the puzzle to launch your next project, website or eBook
• They know your likes, dislikes and can tailor their work to meet your preferences
• They can become an integral part of your team.

So which is right for you? In the end only you can answer that question. Remember to think long term, what are your goals in the next 6, 12, 18 months or 5 years? Are there projects you will need help with that you really don’t want to have to learn from the ground up? Is there a specific skill set you are looking for or level of experience and expertise?

If you don’t know… please ask! As a virtual assistant it is just as important to me that we are a good fit as it is too you.

It is possible to find out in the end, that you need 1 of each! It is not always necessary to pay your $40/hour VA to look up gift websites when a $15 or $20/hour VA could do it just as well – not that they couldn’t mind you! There are times when the convenience of working with one VA or VA firm is worth the extra expense, you will have to weigh the cost of convenience against your budget.

What type of VA do you think you need?

You know you need help, you know it is time to start looking for a VA or specialist to outsource. But where to start, what to outsource?

Here is your first tip – make a list of everything!

Administrative:

• What tasks do you do during your day
• What takes you longer then it should
• What do you really not like doing
• What do you not know how to do

Projects:

• What has been on your to-do list forever
• What is on your project wish list

Marketing:

• Are you being able keep up
• Is there more you could be doing on Twitter but need help
• Have you started your Facebook Fan page yet
• Do you have articles that need to be submitted

Website/Blog:

• Are your blog posts getting published
• Do you need to upgrade your WordPress
• Need to add a new special report optin to you site

Shopping Cart:

• Do you need to clean up your database
• Do you need new autoresponders set up

Keep track during your day of what you do, how long it takes and if you like to do it or not.

This is the foundation of your search for a virtual assistant. You need to know first what you need help with before you can decide what type of va you need.