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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Melanie Griffin, Minister of Social Services and Community Development delivered the keynote address during the annual Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon at the British Colonial Hilton on Wednesday, April 22, 2015.
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NASSAU, The Bahamas – ‘Modern-day’ administrative professionals must embrace change if they are to remain on the cutting-edge of their profession, Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie Sharon Griffin said Wednesday.
“If you are easily frightened by change, then there is plenty to be afraid of given the ever-changing times that we live in,” Mrs. Griffin said. “I am here to advise you to embrace change and to think of it as an opportunity to learn, to grow and to excel.”
Addressing members of the International Association of Administrative Professionals during their annual Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon at the British Colonial Hilton, Mrs. Griffin said most administrative professionals in The Bahamas now have an opportunity to do something that no other previous generation had – the ability to learn a new skill without having to leave the country.
Master of Ceremonies Oral Hudson.
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That opportunity, Mrs. Griffin continued, was as a result of change and the ability to take advantage of positive change.
“Any true administrative professional knows that change is inevitable and many times should be welcomed as it can be extremely positive. The advent of the digital age (computers and the internet) brought new challenges to the administrative professional [as] the use of computers meant that an entire new skills-set had to be learnt; whilst the last ten years have seen the proliferation of social media sites, increasingly demanding that the administrative professional manage the company’s image across multiple platforms. This task is especially tricky since the wrong status update or tweet can easily end a career and very seldom are there written policies for the professional to follow.
“Some of you are also being called upon to evaluate new software and procedures to determine if they fit the company’s long-term goals while many others are being called upon to organize workflows for maximum efficiency to compete in the global economy.
“I truly doubt if any of you here today would be able to competently perform your duties without a computer. My advice to you therefore is to not be afraid of change but to embrace it and to you it to your advantage.”
Mrs. Griffin told the group that the greatest weapon in the administrative professional’s arsenal is not a computer, but an agile and adaptive mind.
Selena Evans -- Award Winning ‘Administrative Professional of the Year’ addresses the luncheon.
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“Never settle for mediocrity. Make yourself indispensible. All you have to do is be the best that you can be.”
Mrs. Griffin said the more administrative professionals embrace change and exploit that change, the more meaningful they become to their places of employment.
“If you think you are the victim of the global economy and its needs and expectations, then you will be further victimized because change is constant. However, you have skills that are in demand all over the world. There are hundreds, if not thousands of jobs in the digital/cyber realm that can become available to you if you take advantage of the hundreds of certification courses available online or at various providers right here at home.
“Your theme reads: ‘Change Isn’t Always easy, Put Your Inner Victim in its Place and Position for the Future.’ If you are prepared to commit to lifelong learning, if you are willing to compete, ifyou are willing to see Web 2.0 as a place to look for work instead of a place to socialize, if you are able and willing to take action ladies and gentlemen of the IAAP, you will never be a victim and you will always be in a position to take advantage of future opportunities,” Mrs. Griffin added.
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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