The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards were announced Oct. 11, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 30.
Next is Executive Assistant of the Year (Private Company) finalist Gloria Bradley, who’s executive assistant to the CEO at Arcfield. Here, she talks learning from failures, success in her current role, career advice and more.
What has made you successful in your current role?
My success has been my ability to remain flexible and focused. In a fast-paced, demanding start-up, it is necessary not only to rise to the challenge, but also to exceed all expectations. In my position, it’s necessary to do things that are outside of my typical day-to-day work. I create morale-building initiatives that are outside of my scope as assistant to the CEO because I believe in the value it adds to our employees’ experience at the company.
What are you most proud of having been a part of in your current organization?
I am so proud of helping to stand the organization up to be functional and available to the employees and I take pride in the empathy and perspective I brought into Arcfield. As a start-up, we needed to create a work culture that placed value on the employee experience while integrating our leadership with the rest of the workforce. In just nine months, I helped Arcfield become a company that celebrates our employees and builds camaraderie through the various initiatives that I planned.
What’s one key thing you learned from a failure you had?
I have learned that you have to get back up. It’s not the end of the world.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Love what you do and be passionate about it. I believe in adding value to your company and you cannot do that unless you have passion for what you do. This passion and love for your job will translate into results that the whole company will feel.