Why PAs and EAs Need Leadership Development More Than Most

Ask any senior executive who really keeps the wheels turning, and they’ll point to their Personal Assistant or Executive Assistant — or sometimes an Office Manager or another senior administrator. These are the professionals who hold everything else together: navigating complex priorities, reading people, anticipating needs, keeping teams aligned, holding confidences, and communicating with precision and tact.

Yet despite the scope of their influence, many PAs and EAs are rarely included in formal leadership development programmes. It’s a missed opportunity. Their work demands not only organisation and discretion, but also empathy, diplomacy, strategic awareness and quiet, authoritative gravitas — all core leadership skills.

That’s where Elephant Leadership Camps is making a difference. Based in immersive, residential settings such as Center Parcs Woburn Forest, the three-day Camp gives delegates the space to explore how they lead and how their authentic leadership brand ‘lands’ on others.

Each participant joins a small Team, guided by an experienced Leadership Coach, and takes part in live tasks that reveal individual leadership tendencies: who steps forward, who listens, who influences, who earns trust. It’s not about completing the task itself; it’s about observing leadership in action, understanding how people lead naturally, and strengthening those instincts.

Founder Andy Moss explains:
“PAs, EAs and senior administrators are often the glue holding leadership teams together. They’re constantly leading and influencing without the formal authority or job title that others enjoy, and that’s one of the hardest forms of leadership to master. Elephant Leadership Camps helps delegates recognise and refine that skill, teaching the importance of humanity and authenticity over volume and organisational power.”

The programme focuses on emotional intelligence, resilience and communication under pressure — the very qualities that enable support professionals to act as the calm, steady centre of their organisations. It also places major emphasis on handling valuable feedback, which is essential for personal growth and for expanding the sphere of influence both for the individual and for those they work most closely with.

For organisations serious about developing their people, especially those in these vital, often under-recognised roles that are critical to effective boardroom operations, the message is clear: leadership doesn’t just sit at the top of the hierarchy. The best of it is often quietly shaping decisions from just outside the boardroom door.

Read all about the Elephant Leadership Camps experience www.elephantleadershipcamps.co.uk and apply before the end of 2025 for up to 33% discount off Camp fees.