In this episode on The Future Focused Admin, you co-hosts Jessica McBride and Candice Burningham welcome our guest Sabrina Whittaker to talk about "Goal-Setting That Sticks: Creating Intentional Plans for Success".

Sabrina is a web designer, developer, and technical writer with expertise in business analytics, digital marketing, and crafting equitable, socially conscious data-driven solutions.

The discussion centers on strategies for effective goal setting, particularly how to create intentional plans for success. Sabrina shares her journey from corporate to freelance, emphasizing the importance of values-aligned goals and long-term thinking. She introduces her unique 'two notebook' system for balancing creative and analytical tasks and provides insights into various goal-setting frameworks like SMART, OKRs, and Agile planning.

The conversation also touches on overcoming common obstacles, maintaining motivation, and ensuring personal goals are not overshadowed by professional demands. Listeners are encouraged to document their goals and utilize both digital and physical tools for tracking progress.

The best way to connect with Sabrina is via these links:

Website: https://www.sabrinawhittaker.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-n-whittaker

We want our listeners to stay connected with us on our social channels for updates on new episodes. So please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thefuturefocusedadmin and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-future-focused-admin to join our growing global community and newsletter.

Remember, this podcast is all about admins. Subscribe & Follow for more conversations that elevate, empower, and redefine what it means to be an admin in today’s world. Thank you for being a part of The Future Focused Admin Podcast. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and share with your admin friends and community. We welcome you all!

If you have anything you want to share, have an idea or just want to connect, drop us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@thefuturefocusedadmin.com.

In Episode 6 of Season 3, we’re diving into one of the most nuanced and essential skills for admin professionals today: “Managing Up: Are Executives Open To It?”. Jodie joins us to unpack what managing up really means, how to approach it strategically (and respectfully), and why it’s a must-have skill for every modern admin.

Jodie Mears is a strategic C-Suite Executive Assistant, LinkedIn Top Voice, and respected thought leader in the administrative profession. With over 20 years’ experience across aviation, energy, and digital industries, she now supports executives at Bentley Systems, blending high-level support with strategic business insight.

She is the co-host of The Crodie Files podcast and an Advisory Board Member for The PA Show UK. Jodie is deeply passionate about elevating the admin profession through mentorship, speaking, and her highly sought-after coaching program. A certified Mental Health First Aider and Regional Wellness Lead, she also shares her insights in her monthly newsletter The Assist List and through industry publications.

In this episode, Jodie shares honest insights from her 20+ year career, including what executives really think about being “managed up,” how to build trust without overstepping, and practical ways to position yourself as a strategic partner rather than just a task-doer.

We’ve covered questions like:

- What exactly does it mean to manage up, and how is it different from being proactive?

- Are executives generally open to being “managed up,” or does resistance still exist?

- What role does trust, emotional intelligence, and company culture play?

- How can admins build credibility and influence in environments where managing up isn’t the norm?

We’re also loving Jodie’s final words of wisdom: “For me, the game changer was developing my business acumen, staying ahead of our industry trends and being the person who brought information back to them and position yourself as a strategic partner who can manage up rather than waiting to be told you can now do that. The more you elevate yourself, the more indispensable you become. So that was something that stuck with me is it's all about you”

So if you’ve ever felt unsure about how to influence upwards, advocate for your role, or be seen as a true business partner, this episode is for you. Jodie brings clarity, warmth, and wisdom to a topic that many admins navigate but few talk about openly.

You can connect with Jodie on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodiemears.

You can learn all about and tune into The Crodie Files Podcast here: https://craigandjodie.com

As always, we want our listeners to stay connected with us on our social channels for updates on new episodes. So please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thefuturefocusedadmin and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-future-focused-admin to join our growing global community and newsletter.

Remember, this podcast is all about admins. Subscribe & Follow for more conversations that elevate, empower, and redefine what it means to be an admin in today’s world.

Thank you for being a part of The Future Focused Admin Podcast. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and share with your admin friends and community. We welcome you all!

If you have anything you want to share, have an idea or just want to connect, drop us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@thefuturefocusedadmin.com.

In Episode 5 of Season 3, we sit down with Tara M. Sims on the topic of “Own Your Evolution: Taking Charge of Your Admin Career”, In this inspiring episode we sit down with powerhouse admin leader and author Tara M. Sims to explore how admin professionals can take ownership of their careers, redefine their roles, and evolve with intention.

From beauty school dreams to a transformative 11-year journey at Comcast, Tara shares how she found her "zone of genius" in the admin space and how her experience led to the writing of The Evolved Assistant. Together, they discuss the evolution of the role, the importance of visibility, and how assistants can advocate for themselves and their growth.

Key Takeaways

Following Unexpected Paths: Tara’s admin career began as a practical decision to accommodate her beauty school schedule, and ended up becoming her true calling.

The Evolution of the Admin Role: Tara reflects on how the assistant role has shifted from task-driven to strategic, emphasizing the need for EAs to be part of decision-making and business conversations.

Why She Wrote The Evolved Assistant: Sparked by the pandemic, Tara felt a calling to challenge outdated perceptions and empower assistants to embrace their full value and potential.

Rejecting the "Servant" Narrative: A passionate discussion around the term servant leadership and why Tara prefers support leader - a phrase that respects the leadership and impact of admin professionals.

Owning Your Career Growth:

- Ask for development opportunities.

- Track and communicate your impact.

- Build visibility inside and outside your organization.

- Join professional networks or create your own.

- Don’t wait! Take one intentional step forward.

Overcoming Plateaus: When you feel stuck, it’s a signal that it’s time to stretch. Tara shares how she created her own leadership role and encourages others to initiate conversations with their executives about growth.

Navigating Career Setbacks: Tara opens up about the hard decision to leave a long-term role at Comcast and how that leap led to a more balanced, fulfilling career with better support, boundaries, and compensation.

Building Confidence: Confidence is a byproduct of consistent action. Tara encourages assistants to keep a “portfolio of accomplishments” and not be afraid to make decisions or ask for feedback.

So tune in, listen now and get ready to evolve! Some of Tara’s Memorable Quotes “Career transformation is not linear. It’s consistent action and intentionality that moves you forward.” “We support the decision-makers. That’s power. We need to tap into that.” “We’re not just supporting, we’re leading. That’s why I prefer the term support leader.”

So if you haven’t already, check out ‘Evolved Assistant’ website where you can grab Tara’s book, connect with Tara for speaking opportunities and more.

The website is: https://www.evolvedassistant.com

And be sure connect with Tara on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taramariesims

The article Jessica referred to on “The Impact of Servant Leadership in an Organization” is here: https://businessleadershiptoday.com/what-is-the-impact-of-servant-leadership-in-an-organization/