Dear Execs: Here’s How to Work With Your EA (Without Driving Us Nuts)

Debra Coleman [00:00:11]:
Well, hello, and welcome back to Have a Seat, Conversations with Women in the Workplace podcast. I am your host, Deb Coleman. Welcome to another, drum roll, please. Yeah. You guessed it. Solo episode or what I like to call mini cast. I am taking a break in our usually regularly scheduled interview podcast, which are so phenomenal because I adore and absolutely admire the women that I interview and will continue to interview after this show. But because it's April and because it's admin professionals month, I wanted to steal the microphone just a little bit more than usual.

Debra Coleman [00:00:46]:
I know. I know. You're saying, but, Deb, you do that all the time. I know. I do. I do. What can what can I say? I'm a I'm just a bit of a you know, I love to I love to chat. It's why I'm a podcaster.

Debra Coleman [00:00:57]:
You know, as I've said before, put a microphone in front of me and just let the games begin. Right? So but my friend, as I said, today, I am flipping the script a bit. So as I mentioned, it is April admin professionals month, and you know I had to drop something special to celebrate the incredible work executive and administrative assistants and personal assistants and fill in the blank because there are so many wonderful and amazing titles out there for administrative support professionals. All of us, what we all do every day. Right? But here's the twist. This episode isn't a love letter to EAs, AAs, and PAs. Well, not directly, my friend. It's actually a little message for the people who work alongside us, for the people who work with us, for the people who collaborate alongside us.

Debra Coleman [00:01:52]:
So that's right. If you are an executive, a leader, a colleague, a manager, a director, or anyone, dare I say, lucky enough to work alongside an EA or an AA or a PA, this one is for you. This episode is for you. Will you hear it? I don't know, but that's okay because we're gonna go there anyway. Because you know what? Here's the thing. Our role is often misunderstood, and that actually happened to me recently. As you know, when I when I when I grab the mic and have these episodes, it's usually because something moves me that week. I it's a conversation, an article I read, a LinkedIn post, a video, a TikTok, you know, whatever it is, I'm like, oh, I've gotta do a show on that.

Debra Coleman [00:02:38]:
That's excellent. And this is one of those times because this happened to me just this week. I was misunderstood. And without getting into too men into the details and and taking a precious time, basically, to put a red bow around it, My work methods and how I accomplish things, was put into question. Not by anybody that I directly work with, but outside our organization, an external partner. And it wasn't an innocent question, and it wasn't put, like, in a respectful way. It was put very doggedly and very, like, you know, just like a bullet china shop. Like, what? That that you know? You know what I'm talking about.

Debra Coleman [00:03:21]:
Right? Like, hold up. Wait a minute. So, you know, my my wonderful VP, you know, took the reins and and sort of course corrected this person's inquiry, in a beautiful fashion. And, but then I was lucky or unlucky enough to be on a con on a call with just this individual in me. And so I took the high road. I, I had to come to Jesus meeting, but I did it in a very gracious, you know, me, you all, I am not very gracious. I don't even know how to spell the word gracious. Right? But I took the high road and I set the record straight.

Debra Coleman [00:03:56]:
And I just educated this individual on my methods, the methods to my madness, how I operate and get things done when a when this particular request, you know, comes across my desk. And so needless to say, they were enlightened and they appreciated the feedback. They appreciated, I guess, you know, a little peek behind the curtain, so to speak, as to how things get done. And now we can carry on our merry way, and everybody is on the same page and all is well. But, again, my role was, misunderstood. So we are often seen as I hate these were not hate, but, you know, they're not my favorite, helpers, gatekeepers, or the friendly face who, like, books to travel. Right? We are all that and more. We yes.

Debra Coleman [00:04:40]:
We do all those things, and probably a hundred more on top of that, but the true power of an EA, an AA, or a PA goes far so far beyond that so far. So when you really know how to work with your, administrative support professional, not just delegate to them, but actually collaborate with them, you, my friend, will unlock just a level of efficiency, insight, and, yeah, partnership that makes everyone's life better, especially yours, especially yours. So today, I'm going to quickly just walk through what it means to actually work with an EA. I'm just gonna cut it short and say EA, but please know I'm I'm including AA and PA in that as well. And even, like, chief of staff, office manager, virtual assistant, like, all of the things. Right? But I'm just going to put a rug bow around it for the sake of time and for the sake of my own sanity and just say EA and but you all know what I'm referring to. So today, again, I'm walking you through what it means to actually work with your EA, not around them, not just occasionally and not once things go sideways as like what I experienced recently, but every day with purpose and trust. So if you've ever wondered how to get the most out of that partnership, or if you're sitting here thinking, wait, wait, wait.

Debra Coleman [00:06:00]:
Do I even have a partnership with my EA? Then this is just consider this episode your gentle nudge. Alright. Let's get into it. Alright. So let's as I said, let's get into it. First things first. If you want a strong strategic partnership with your EA, here's a secret. Here's a secret sauce.

Debra Coleman [00:06:20]:
You've got to let them in. Let them in some way, somehow, in whatever, you know, you feel comfortable with, whatever they feel comfortable with, maybe whatever your company culture or policy will allow, but let them in somehow, some way. And I'm not just talking about handing over a calendar and saying, here, manage this. Bye. You know? I mean, if that's how you roll, that's how you roll. But, what I mean is really letting them in. Like, let them see the big picture, the goals, the stressors, the messy in between even. Because here's the deal.

Debra Coleman [00:06:53]:
Your EA can't help you reach your goals. Right? You know, those smart goals or those KPIs, you know, all the things. They can help you with your goals if you don't share your goals. They can't anticipate your needs if you keep them on a need to know basis. If your EA is operating in the dark, I promise you they're not being set up to succeed. And guess what? Neither are you, unfortunately. See what I'm saying? Partnership. That's kinda what I'm stressing here.

Debra Coleman [00:07:21]:
And I know it looks different for everybody. So this is just, you know, I'm painting sort of a unicorn scenario. So take from it what you will, but, a partnership and whatever that looks like for the two of you. For example, let's take the inbox and calendar situation. Now I am blessed, honestly blessed to work with an executive director and a vice president who are very transparent with their with their inbox and calendar. They gave me access. I can see it, and they trust that I know when to keep things confidential and when when to move for you know, when to move forward with something, when to you know, they just there's a level of trust there. And I am so blessed and honored that they just right off the bat were just, yes, grant you access to all the things.

Debra Coleman [00:08:05]:
And I know I know some of you some of you may be hearing this saying, uh-uh, but my inbox is personal. I absolutely get it. And and if it needs to stay personal to you, that's fine too. I don't wanna you know, I'm not shaking my finger here at anybody. And that's fine if you need to keep it personal, but there is a really cool feature in your email called forward. It's an arrow. And so you can always punt things over to your EA. I even if you don't give them access to your inbox, which again, I absolutely understand.

Debra Coleman [00:08:33]:
But you can forward things over. Things that they may need to know, even if it's nothing that they need to quote act on, but just keeping them in the loop can really even that small act can work wonders. Look. If you don't want to give full access, again, that is fine. But just know then also the downside to that is you're you may be clipping your EA's wings a bit. Because the more visibility they have, the more they can filter, prioritize, and spot things before they become fires. And trust me, no one likes a fire drill at 04:45PM on a Friday. Like, no.

Debra Coleman [00:09:09]:
Let's not go there. I know for the executive director and the VP that allow me access, one of the things they really appreciate that I do for them in their inbox is get rid of what I call the commercials. Every leader, I don't know, from here to Timbuktu have commercial emails. You know, the ones. They're just advertisements or they're newsletters or they're just, like, external that somehow your leader landed on their mailing list, and now they're getting all the things. So I know that really helps filtering just those out, really so that whenever they look in their inbox, they're seeing something that is true, something they need to lay eyeballs on, they need to act on. It's a real, you know, honest to goodness email and it's not just the fluff, just the commercial. So that alone, for those of you that are like, consider that.

Debra Coleman [00:09:58]:
So let me just clarify too though. This isn't about control. It's not about control. It's not about you losing control of your inbox and giving your EA all the control. That's not what this is about. At least that's not my message. It's about trust, honestly. So when you bring your EA into your world just a bit, they can help you run it more efficiently.

Debra Coleman [00:10:18]:
If they know the why behind a meeting or what that mysterious invite from strategy team is actually about, they can advocate for your time, protect your energy, which is so important today. That's that's a real priority for me with the with the leaders I support. I really wanna protect their energy, and make smarter decisions just overall on your behalf. Now doesn't that sound good? Come on, leader. You're not listening to this going now. I don't want any of that. Come on. Some some of that must have resonated with you.

Debra Coleman [00:10:48]:
And let's not forget, your EA is observing everything or at least trying to, to the best of their ability. Right? So if you've got a meeting that consistently leaves you frustrated, or if a team dynamic is off, chances are your EA might be seeing that. But if you're not having regular conversations with them, if you're not creating space for them to give you that honest feedback, they're just holding onto all that insight and it's going nowhere instead of using it to help you actually lead better. These are just some of the advantages of letting them in. Some of this may be for you. Some of it may not. I'm just kind of giving you the whole menu. Right? And then you'd pick and choose what sounds good for you.

Debra Coleman [00:11:29]:
So do yourself a favor. Don't just copy your EA on emails, which is good. Very good. That's I'm not hey. That's great too. But maybe bring them into the conversation, talk to them. If it's within your wheelhouse and time frame to do it, set up regular check ins. I know that those are really tough.

Debra Coleman [00:11:47]:
One on ones with we schedule those with the best of intentions, but let's be honest, a lot of times they get rescheduled or just canceled altogether. But that's okay. If you have an open door policy maybe through your, communication platform, whether it's Teams or Google Meet or wherever it is, Webex even, if you have some sort of, like, instant messaging within your organization, if you have, like, a virtual open door, like, as long as you're not on do not disturb, they have access to you, that's fantastic too. Sometimes those are wonderful if regular check ins can't be scheduled. But let them hear your vision. Let them hear your stress points, not just your to do list. Right? Because when you let them in, when you let us in, we can help. We can step up.

Debra Coleman [00:12:30]:
And that's when the magic happens. The how did you even know I needed that to happen magic? And it is so gratifying both for you and for your EA, for us. So just a little bit of 2¢ there. So, all right, now that we've got the trust piece on the table and we've moved it around and origami it a bit, let's move on to another essential element in this partnership. Communication, my favorite topic. And spoiler alert, it's more than just teams messages and forwarded emails. It's more than that. So brace yourself.

Debra Coleman [00:13:01]:
Okay. Right. Let's talk about, again, one of my favorite topics, communication. And it does involve emails and meetings, but not just those two things, not just emails and not just meetings. I'm talking real intentional meetings. I'm talking real intentional communication. The kind that can build trust and make everything run smoother, not just for your EA, but for you as well and for you as well. Now I get it.

Debra Coleman [00:13:28]:
You know what? Things are busy. We've all been guilty of the old quick ping or the drive by task drop, which are absolutely fine. You know, those are absolutely fine. There's nothing at least I don't think there's anything wrong with it, actually. I I don't mind quick pings or quick quick things that are punted over. I I don't mind that at all. That's perfectly fine. But here's a here's a truth.

Debra Coleman [00:13:49]:
If the only time though you are communicating with your EA is when something's on fire or it's those quick ping those quick pings or those drive by task drops or someone's breathing down your neck, then my friend, I think you might have a communication gap on your hands. If that's the only time you're you're actually if that's what you call communicating with your EA, yep. There's a gap there. But here's an easy fix. Remember that one on one I mentioned? Yes. Those can happen. They can look differently. They can be done virtually, in person.

Debra Coleman [00:14:20]:
They I know that they can be done, like, in through Teams maybe, like, you know, just typing things back and forth. That's great too. Not a problem. I still count those as a check-in. And in my book, those are still one on ones. But it does help. It does help if even it's monthly. Right? Even because four weeks goes by really fast.

Debra Coleman [00:14:40]:
But if you have regular cadence scheduled or if they're just monthly, you know, whatever it is, if they're weekly or monthly, having a a one on one, at least thirty minutes, at least twenty to thirty minutes with your EA, it will do wonders, honestly, because there's nothing that beats that FaceTime that you can have when you can talk in real time. I know with the VPI support, we we do we teams all the time all the time. That's just how we get things done. But when we do take the time to have a meeting and to get on camera because we work virtually, we work remotely, we both are like, hey. It's so good to see you. It's so nice to have, like, a live conversation. And, you know, and and and we do that. And it's great.

Debra Coleman [00:15:21]:
We connect. And we actually really move the needle and we get a lot done because we're engaging right then in real time. So, honestly, those quick Teams chats and those open door policy virtually is not a problem. Or even if you're in office, those quick swing bys like, hey. Do you have a few seconds to sign some things or can I run something by you? Those are wonderful. Don't stop those. Those are great. But really try to protect someone on one time in whatever it looks like for you and them, because believe me, it will go a long way.

Debra Coleman [00:15:48]:
I don't know. Again, whatever. They don't have to be, like, on a, you know, a regular schedule because I know in this day and age, it's hard to do, but really make time for them. Grab a coffee if you're in office or maybe do a lunch once a quarter. Like, hey. Once a even if you have to bring lunch in, like, bring lunch in, close my door, or let's let's reserve the office the conference room, and let's just visit. Just you and I. Let's catch up.

Debra Coleman [00:16:09]:
You know? Making time for that really, really can can can go a long way. Because and while you're at it, when you have those one on ones, it's that FaceTime, ask your EA what they're seeing. Ask them what they're seeing. I guarantee you, they will be astounded by that question because admin professionals, believe it or not, we do have a sixth sense. We're the ones who pick up on energy shifts in the room on maybe who's dragging their feet on a project or when something doesn't pass the vibe check. You know? Your EA is likely seeing all of this. And if you give them space to share it, you may gain some valuable intel that no dashboard or report will ever show you. Trust me.

Debra Coleman [00:16:51]:
Trust me on this one. I have been in those positions, and it is incredible the amount of information flow. When you open the door for some for that type of a conversation, that can happen. Let me just let me also stress, your EA can be your emotional intelligence amplifier. I'm also a huge fan of EQ, emotional intelligence, and your EA can amplify those efforts. Because when we are reading the room, even in remote setting, we're noticing tone in meetings. We're noticing body language. We're noticing even, like, a harmless comment that maybe left a mark with somebody.

Debra Coleman [00:17:30]:
Because a lot of times, like, oh, we're we're catching notes. We're catching takeaways. We're, you know, catching some action items. And so we're in in in order to do that, we have to read the room. We have to kinda see it from an eagle eye view. And so we are catching things. And most of us too are not actually leading the conversation or have a lot to contribute. Not that not in a bad way.

Debra Coleman [00:17:51]:
I'm just saying, like, we're you know, my point there is when you're not running your mouth and your your and your and your eyes are more open than your mouth is, you tend to catch some things. Right? That's all I'm saying. So take it as you will, but that's the truth. When you are in a room and you're actually observing more than you're contributing, you're observing a quite a bit, and that can be just as valuable. Right? So for the love of a Teams chat, stop relying on email for everything. Final final note here on the communication gain communication, segment here. Email is fantastic. Believe me.

Debra Coleman [00:18:28]:
I live in my email all day. But if you find yourself going back and forth with your EA and there's, like, a chain that's 17 emails long, you know what? Hey. Maybe a quick call will do the trick. Just say, hey. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Do you have a quick second? Let's just hop on a quick call really quickly. So take the time.

Debra Coleman [00:18:45]:
Take the time to communicate with them. Yes. In person. Yes. Live. You you know, and whatever that means for you, whether you're back in office or remote. So bottom line here, your EA can't support you well if they're always playing catch up. Right? And you can't lead well if you're always staying if you're not staying, excuse me, connected to the person who's managing your day to day.

Debra Coleman [00:19:06]:
This is where communication is really key. So that's my that's that's my that's my, that that is my two cents on the whole communications angle. You know me, I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. And up next, we'll talk about why your EA isn't just an assistant, but they can also be a strong strategic partner. Alright. Now it's time to shake things up a bit because this part might sting just a little, especially for those of you who like control. If you still see your executive assistant as just a person who manages your calendar, books your travel, or coordinates your lunch order, I've got a little bit of a truth bomb for you. You're missing out on one of the most powerful strategic partnerships you have.

Debra Coleman [00:19:48]:
Honestly, let me say that again for the folks in the back. Your EA is not your admin. They're not your backup brain, your default delegator, or your personal errand runner. They're a thinking, problem solving, schedule wrangling, people managing professional who can elevate your leadership if you let them. Hey. I get it. Letting go of control is hard. I totally can appreciate that.

Debra Coleman [00:20:15]:
Absolutely. Especially when the stakes are high or the executive calendar looks like a game of Tetris gone wrong. But if you're constantly hoarding decisions or second guessing your EA's calls, you're not just hurting the partnership you're trying to form. You're draining your own bandwidth because now you're doing all this extra when it's not necessary. Here's what the best leaders I've worked with all have in common, honestly. They treated me like a true extension of their leadership team. They knew my workload was just as intense as theirs. They recognized that the weight of context switching, right, between departments and managing multiple personalities and staying three steps ahead without a guided road map was tough.

Debra Coleman [00:21:05]:
They recognize that. They just recognize that. So you wanna know what really can motivate a high performing EA, honestly? It's not pizza parties. Can we just not with that? It's not flowers and candy. It's not. I'm sorry. I know that's not very popular, and that may be kind of like clutching the pearl moment. Like, what? No.

Debra Coleman [00:21:26]:
No. I'm trying to watch my my health. So food and candy and pizza is not gonna cut it. I love flowers to death. Flowers are beautiful. They really are. So I'll I can acquiesce there. But, you know, it just don't throw a box of candy at me and say, oh, you're doing a good job.

Debra Coleman [00:21:40]:
No. You know what you know what really motivates a high performing EA? It's being seen and respected for what they do. Full stop. That's all. That's all it is. Ask your EA for input. Ask them what they need. Give them space to think strategically.

Debra Coleman [00:21:57]:
And please don't assume they don't have ideas just because they're not always in the room where the conversations are happening. Because I promise you some of the best solutions and most creative ideas, and I'm sure you've experienced this yourself, come from the person who's actually managing the chaos behind the scenes. So don't discount some of their some of their thoughts or ideas on processes or operationally. And, hey, you know what? While we're at it, acknowledge that the job can be just as demanding as yours. Acknowledge that. Acknowledge that. Because when you recognize their load, when you respect their process and when you treat them as a professional, not just a helper, that's when the partnership can really level up, honestly, for both of you. So, alright.

Debra Coleman [00:22:44]:
Are you still with me? I'm trying to go quickly here. So, now I wanna move on to a topic that's often overlooked, but absolutely essential. And it's funny because I just literally had a conversation about this yesterday about professional development. That's right. We're talking about investing in your EA's growth, in your EA's growth. Excuse me. Not just investing in their to do list. Now before you start thinking, this means sending them to a half day Excel refresher and then calling it a day.

Debra Coleman [00:23:13]:
Like, yep. Professional development for my EA, check. They went to a half day excel refresher. Yay me. No. No. Just just no. No.

Debra Coleman [00:23:24]:
Okay. No. Investing in your EA's growth means seeing them as someone with a career path. Yes. Not just someone who supports yours. They have goals. They have aspirations. And, yes, they have leadership potential.

Debra Coleman [00:23:43]:
And it's time to treat their growth like it matters because guess what? It does. It really does. Here's the kicker. When you invest in your yay, it doesn't just benefit them. It benefits you as well. A more skilled, more confident, more engaged assistant. Well, that's someone who's going to make your life way easier. That's someone who can handle more responsibility, make better judgment calls, and contribute at the higher level.

Debra Coleman [00:24:15]:
Like and you're thinking, okay. So how? Well, support their attendance at conferences. Look. We're in administrative support professionals month. Right? You are probably going to get a ping on your calendar. It's admin pro day. Do not reach for that box of chocolate. Do not do that.

Debra Coleman [00:24:33]:
No. Flowers, okay. Fine. Perfume, ew, weird. Here. Don't and don't bring food into it. I don't care. If you're at EA going, no, but I have a favorite restaurant, friend.

Debra Coleman [00:24:44]:
No. You don't. That's fine. Save it for your family. Business, let me tell you. If you're listening leader, support their attendance at conferences. Conferences are all the rage. You know what would be a really cool gift for your admin this month? Add them as a line item into the professional development budget.

Debra Coleman [00:25:04]:
Or call them into your office and say, you have $2,000 to spend. Go to a conference this year. I want you to pick a flight, pick a conference. I want you to leave. I want you to go experience a conference. I want you to get that engagement, that networking, that training. I want you to go to a conference. I think that would be freaking amazing, honestly, if you did that.

Debra Coleman [00:25:29]:
And if it's not in the funds to actually send them somewhere, then give them permission to sign up for one virtually. I have attended many amazing virtual conferences. They can be just as empowering and just as skill as as skill building. So don't pooh pooh those either. Yes. Those may be a bit more cost conscious, which is lovely, but it's still a conference. So sign up and don't it better not be a half day Excel refresher either. A true honest to goodness conference.

Debra Coleman [00:25:56]:
Okay. Encourage them to take leadership courses, maybe. Nominate them for a mentorship programs or better yet, have a conversation about what they want or what they want to learn and explore. And please, please, please go beyond that. Learn PowerPoint. No. No. Okay.

Debra Coleman [00:26:14]:
Learn how to use Outlook better. Okay. No. Like I always say, we've mastered that. We've got that unlocked. What we're ready for now is the strategy. Right? So give your EA the same kind of stretch goals you'd give anyone else on your leadership team. And here's a fun fact for you.

Debra Coleman [00:26:34]:
When EAs are supported in their growth, they may stay longer. They may work smarter, and they may even bring more value to your team overall. So it's a win win, especially if you send them to conference. If you need some conference ideas, hit me up. I can offer some awesome recommendations. But ask yourself, when's the last time you asked your EA where they see themselves in a year? Where do you see yourselves in a year? Don't say five year plan, and don't say, here, sit down and do your goals, whatever. No. Have a conversation.

Debra Coleman [00:27:08]:
Ask them, where do you see yourself in a year? Whether it's here or not, what do you see for yourself, for your career path? Or maybe simply, what do they wanna work on next? What sort of projects are coming up that you've been eyeballing that you would also like to collaborate and have a hand in? If it's been a minute or never since you've asked those types of questions, hey. This month in particular or even this year, 2025, would be an awesome time to start. Alright. So let's wrap it up as I said. There you have it, though. There you have it. Those are my thoughts on how to actually work with and collaborate alongside an executive assistant. Not around them, not occasionally when you're in a bind.

Debra Coleman [00:27:51]:
Right? But as a real trusted strategic partner. Because here's the truth, my friend. When the EA executive relationship is strong, everything just runs smoother. It just does. You lead better. The team may communicate better, and possibly even the organization benefits in ways most people would never even see on a chart or in a meeting recap. Right? It's all about that engagement and that strategic partnership. But that kind of partnership, it doesn't really happen by accident.

Debra Coleman [00:28:21]:
It does take intention. It takes communication. It takes seeing your EA as someone with ideas, with insight, and with a career path of their own. So if you have an EA that you rely on and that you work alongside, this is your reminder to check-in, talk with them, not just at them, but talk with them and ask, hey. What do you need from me to do your job even better? Or something along those lines. And if you've ever if I should say, if you've never actually thought about your assistant as a leader in their own right, well, this is your invitation to possibly rethink that because your EA isn't just keeping your schedule running, which believe me, we are honored to do, but they're also keeping your world in motion as well. So this admin professionals month do more than just say thank you. Show it, mean it, show your appreciation by recognizing them.

Debra Coleman [00:29:21]:
Invest in your partnership. Alright, everyone. That wraps up this episode. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one, whether you are an EA or someone who, dare I say, is lucky enough to work with one. There is a link in the show notes that will take you straight to the have a seat website where there is a contact me link at the top. Feel free to drop me a line. I would love to hear your thoughts on this, or maybe you'd like to come on the show. Maybe you're an executive who has a stellar relationship with your EA, AA, or PA, and maybe you can tell us a little bit about how you got there, how you manage it, and how you both coexist.

Debra Coleman [00:29:58]:
Hey. I'll have you both on the show. Wouldn't that be fun? So we can talk it through. Alright. Well, thank you all for listening this week, and thank you for being a part of the Administrative Support Professionals Month celebration. Believe me, there are so many amazing thought leaders, coaches, trainers, and, yes, podcasters and content creators out there who are just shining bright this month providing amazing content. It is out there. Find it.

Debra Coleman [00:30:22]:
And again, if you want some, referrals or some recommendations, hit me up. I'd love to share. I have some friends in the space who I know you would just love both as a leader and as an administrative support professional. So all good. We are here for each other. We're here to support each other in this crazy go round that we're in. Alright, my friends. Well, until next time, you know the drill.

Debra Coleman [00:30:44]:
Stay safe, be well, and remember, keep having those conversations.