Fox Creed and the Pangolin Rule: A Diary of a Female Secretary in a Foreign Company: A Diary of a Female Secretary in a Foreign Company

Author: Tan Yiping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: If a secretary is like a pangolin, working non-stop without thinking or problem-solving, lacking any creativity, the leader is unlikely to like them. Such a secretary, even if not fired, will forever only serve as an "office maid" to colleagues. On the other hand, if a secretary is like a fox, not focusing on work but always scheming, though clever and cunning, the boss may not appreciate them either. A truly outstanding secretary must be like both a pangolin and a fox—grounded in reality, diligent in work, and also like a fox, having a broad perspective and a habit of thinking. Only then can they become an excellent professional secretary. This book is also suitable for readers in various industries who need to read the boss's mind. To be a secretary, one must use this kind of meticulousness and sensitivity to observe and understand the leader. To understand the leader, one must carefully observe their daily routine, such as who they meet, which calls they make, and which documents they review. For example, when meeting guests, the order of arrangements, the length of conversations, the tone of voice, and the issues they focus on. Through this careful observation, you can gradually understand the leader and know what they are truly thinking.
To ensure that company leaders have enough time and energy to handle strategic or core issues, one important daily task of a secretary is to act like a piece of gauze, filtering calls, guests, or documents that come to the leader. Therefore, the secretary becomes a bridge between various departments and the company leader. As a bridge, its width is limited, and occasional congestion or blockages are inevitable. As the saying goes, "Do not strike someone with a smiling face." When the leader gets angry, quickly apologize proactively, as if you have already surrendered. How could the other party still dare to aim at you? In short, first calm down the leader's anger and prevent a potential storm from brewing; if you are truly as innocent as Diao Chan, then you can think about defending yourself later. No matter how you explain, the leader will definitely think your "explanations" are just "shirking responsibility."
For a secretary, work experience is a precious asset. The longer one works, the more they see of the world, the more problems they encounter, and the more experience they accumulate. More experience means stronger ability to handle tasks. This is why bosses in Western and European companies prefer to hire older secretaries. For some older leaders, a long-time secretary who has worked with them is like their old glasses—though perhaps outdated in style, they are indispensable and cannot be replaced.