Make Joint Prioritizing a Thing

Why “What Comes First?” Should Be Your Catchphrase

When you’re supporting multiple Executives, managing competing priorities is part of the job. One urgent task quickly becomes three, and they’re all marked “top priority.” You can’t do it all at once (nor should you), which is why a clear feedback loop is essential.

Here are five practical ways to manage priorities across the week and keep everyone aligned:

Here are 5 ways to build a feedback loop that keeps priorities aligned, expectations clear, and you in control:

One: Start with Clarity

Before jumping into action, take a step back and ask questions that help you understand the true urgency of each request:

• What’s the actual deadline?
• Who’s the request for?
• What are the consequences if it’s delayed?

This approach allows you to make informed, confident decisions that reflect the bigger picture, not just the loudest request.

Two: Share What You’re Working On

Providing regular updates helps set expectations and avoid misunderstandings. If something urgent comes in while you’re deep in another high-impact task, communicate clearly:

“I’m currently working on the Q3 report for Sam, do you want me to shift focus, or finish this first and return to yours after?”

Simple, transparent communication like this builds trust over time.

Three: Create Space for Joint Prioritisation

When two Executives both need high-level support at the same time, bring them into a quick shared conversation to align on next steps.

• A three-way Slack thread
• A shared document listing key tasks
• A 10-minute priorities call

Collaborative discussions reduce confusion and enable your Executives to see how their needs align with the broader workload.

Four: Make Work Visible

Visibility is key to managing multiple stakeholders. Use tools like:

• A shared weekly priorities tracker
• A bandwidth overview
• A short Friday summary email

These provide everyone with insight into what’s in progress, what’s been completed, and where you may need decisions or input to move forward.

Five: Build a Weekly Communication Rhythm

A consistent cadence helps manage expectations and keeps priorities front of mind. You might try:

• Monday: A quick summary of the week’s key focus areas
• Midweek: A short check-in on shifting needs
• Friday: A wrap-up that highlights progress, delays, and what’s queued for next week

This routine encourages proactive planning and reduces the need for last-minute fire drills.

A structured feedback loop empowers you to manage time, focus, and priorities more effectively across multiple Executives. It creates clarity, builds trust, and gives you the space to lead the workflow, rather than constantly react to it.

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Goal-Setting Challenge

This week, we’re challenging you to do something that can make a big difference with very little time: send a short Friday summary email to each of your Executives.

Not only does this give your Execs visibility on what you’ve accomplished, it helps them understand how their priorities fit into your wider workload.

Here’s how to get started:

Pick One Format​
Keep it concise and consistent throughout. A simple bullet list works well:

• What’s been completed
• What’s in progress
• Any blockers or things you're waiting on
  (Optional: a quick note on next week’s focus)

Include All Execs​
Even if you work with three or four Executives, try sending the same email to all of them (unless there are confidentiality issues... more on that below). Seeing what you're working on for others can help with empathy, alignment, and smarter prioritisation going forward.

Be Mindful of Sensitivities​
If some of your work is sensitive, or you're supporting Execs at different seniority levels, keep that in mind. You can:

• Write a general update for all, and
• Share sensitive info in a quick separate note or via 1:1 channels

Keep It Consistent​
Try this every Friday for a few weeks. It only takes 10 minutes, but the impact builds fast:

• You’re creating transparency
• You’re reinforcing your strategic role
• You’re reducing last-minute surprises

Share your wins in the EA Campus Community so we can celebrate them with you and inspire others to do the same.

FYI...

• Hands up... Who else is hiding their use of AI at work?
• How not to be judgmental at work (or at least hide it better)
• Top tips on running your 1:1 meetings​

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