The Strategic Readiness Assessment

See where you stand.
And what's holding you back.

Twelve questions. Five minutes. You'll get two things: your position across four stages of strategic growth, and the one gap doing the most damage right now.

Most senior EAs assume the gap is skill. Usually it isn't. Knowing which one you're actually dealing with is the difference between years of progress and years of effort.

Answer for today, not for the plan.

Answer for the work you actually do this week — not the role you're building toward, and not the title on your badge. Nobody is grading this, and the diagnosis is only as good as the honesty.

12 QUESTIONS · 5 MINUTES · BENCHMARKED AGAINST SENIOR EAs · RESULTS IMMEDIATELY

Built for senior assistants inside

Abbott · AdventHealth · Amazon · AT&T · Capital One · CVS Health · U.S. Air Force · Verizon

From EA-Pros — home of the Certified Strategic Partner™ credential, built by an organizational psychologist and senior executive coach.

Privacy note: Your responses are confidential. Aggregated, anonymized findings may contribute to EA-Pros’ ongoing State of the Strategic Assistant research.

Dimension One of Five

Strategic Positioning

How your organization currently reads you.

How does your executive currently describe your role to others? *

This is [Name], my executive assistant—they handle my calendar and logistics.

This is [Name], my right hand—they keep everything running smoothly

This is [Name], my strategic partner—they help me think through priorities and manage key initiatives.

This is [Name], my Strategic Partner/ Strategic Advisor—they run critical business functions and represent me in leadership meetings.

I don't know / they haven't introduced me recently

What percentage of your work week is spent on strategic activities vs. administrative tasks? *

0-15% strategic / 85-100% administrative

15-35% strategic / 65-85% administrative

35-65% strategic / 15-35% administrative

65%+ strategic / 35% or less administrative

I'm not sure how to categorize my work this way.

Strategic means initiative leadership, stakeholder coordination, business analysis, executive counsel, strategic planning. Administrative means calendar, travel, expenses, meeting scheduling, inbox.

Dimension Two of Five

Strategic Contribution

Where you stand when real problems land.

When your executive faces a strategic challenge, what role do you play? *

I'm not involved—I hear about it after decisions are made.

I provide logistical support (scheduling meetings, taking notes, coordinating follow-ups).

I'm consulted for input, help analyze options, and provide recommendations.

I'm a co-strategist—I frame problems, facilitate decision-making, and sometimes make decisions on their behalf.

I want to be more involved but don't know how to position myself for that role.

Dimension Three of Five

Value Articulation & ROI

Whether your worth can be named in business terms.

If your executive were asked, "What's the ROI of your EA?" how would they answer? *

They save me time and keep me organized.

They handle complexity so I can focus on high-value work.

They've directly contributed to [specific business outcome]—I couldn't have done it without them.

They drive strategic initiatives that generate measurable business impact. Their ROI is 10x their cost.

They wouldn't know how to quantify my value.

How confident are you in articulating your strategic value in business terms? *

Not confident—I struggle to translate what I do into business language.

Somewhat confident—I can describe my impact, but it feels vague or hard to quantify.

Confident—I can connect my work to specific outcomes and calculate ROI.

Highly confident—I regularly present my value in executive briefings and performance reviews using data.

Business terms include: time reclaimed, cost savings, revenue impact, risk mitigation, productivity gains, strategic initiative outcomes.

Dimension Four of Five

Frameworks & Systems

Whether your judgment is repeatable, or lives only in your head.

Do you have frameworks or systems for strategic work, or do you operate intuitively? *

I operate mostly intuitively—I figure it out as I go.

I have some informal systems, but nothing structured or repeatable.

I use established frameworks (Eisenhower Matrix, RACI, OKRs, etc.) and adapt them to my context.

I've built proprietary systems that I teach to others—my frameworks are a competitive advantage.

Examples of frameworks: Priority matrices, stakeholder mapping, project governance models, decision-making protocols, strategic planning templates.

How effectively are you using AI to automate workflows and reclaim strategic time? *

Not using AI yet

Experimented, nothing sustained

3–5 workflows automated, 5–10 hours back

Full toolkit, 15+ hours back, I train others

Dimension Five of Five

Career Trajectory

Clarity and momentum on what comes next.

When you think about your next career move, how clear is your path? *

Very unclear—I'm not sure what's next or how to position for it.

Somewhat clear—I have ideas—a bigger role, a different title, or growing where I am, but no plan.

Clear—I know my target role and I'm actively building the competencies to get there.

Executing—I'm in active conversations for a promotion or new role, or I've already transitioned.

What's your primary development challenge right now? *

Being seen as more than administrative support

Making my strategic work visible and repeatable

Advanced capability—influence, initiative leadership

Formalizing what I do—credential, authority, teaching

If one thing changed in the next twelve months, what would you want it to be? *

Get recognized as a strategic partner (not just "support staff").

Build confidence in strategic skills and frameworks.

Earn a promotion to Chief of Staff or Executive/Director-level role.

Achieve executive-level credibility and become a thought leader in the EA profession.

Reclaim 10+ hours per week through better systems and automation.

You find something that could really help your career. What's the FIRST thing you do?

Who do you support?

One Step Left

Where should we send your results?

Your position, your five dimension scores, and what's holding you back — on the next screen, immediately.

Full Name *

Email *

Do you lead or oversee other assistants?