Secrets of successful office managers
OfficeSolutions

Office managers are a special breed. They posses a job title that's difficult to define, with a myriad of responsibilities that vary from office manager to office manager. If there's any consistency in the position, it's that they're typically multitaskers and the "go to" people in the office. They're the people that know where the bodies are buried. They know what to do when incoming phone lines are ringing like crazy or whom to call when the copier is out of toner or when the cleaning service didn't show up the night before.

Indeed, a job description for the average office manager might state that he or she does just about everything and with enthusiasm. That pretty much describes office manager Lynn Greenwade's role at Aguirre Corp. in Dallas, Texas. "I would even clean the toilets if that's what was needed," says Greenwade. "I don't feel that anything is beneath me." And because of that attitude, she's given many more important responsibilities as well. "My job description is 'Lynn will do it,'" laughs Greenwade.

Greenwade also recognizes that she's part of a team. "I do everything that it takes for people to do their jobs seamlessly," says Greenwade. "They should never notice, as far as I'm concerned, what I do, unless they have a problem."