More Than Meets the Eye: Shattering Stereotypes of Admin Professionals

Debra Coleman [00:00:09]:
Well, hello you. And welcome back to another episode or excuse me, mini cast episode of Have A Seat Conversations with Women in the Workplace podcast. I am your host, Deb Coleman. How are you doing? I hope you're doing well and, of course, staying safe. I have to admit to you at the time of this recording, there is a storm out there called, I think, what, tropical storm Debbie? And it's even spelled the way I spell Debbie. So I'm, like, low key kind of, like, you know, fangirling a little bit over that. It's like, hey. So finally, a force of nature is named after another force of nature.

Debra Coleman [00:00:50]:
You can only let me tell you. The jokes that are going around my house right now with Paul, I mean, he's like when they announced the name of the storm, he from his man cave, I heard him say, finally, somebody knows what I'm going through. So he is having a lot of fun with this, but I do make light of that. But, in all seriousness, if you are in any way in the path of that storm, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Please be safe. Please be safe. I hope you and your loved ones, are safe and have battened down the hatches and and are doing the best you can to protect yourselves because I do make light, but I understand the seriousness of it as well. So please be safe out there.

Debra Coleman [00:01:32]:
Well, okay. On to this week's episode. Thank you for joining me today for taking a few minutes out of your week to sit and have this conversation with me. Though I fully can appreciate that this is a one-sided conversation for now. But maybe after hearing today's topic and hearing me chat about it for a few minutes, it will move you to click the link in the show notes that will take you to the have a seat website where you will find a link to register as a guest. And maybe you can come on and have a seat in my virtual living room and we can talk about all the things. So with that being said, let's get into it. Today, I would like to briefly talk to you.

Debra Coleman [00:02:11]:
Yes. Again, this is a solo episode. For those of you who might be a bit new to my show style, I am primarily an interview style show, but from time to time, I will hop on the mic and, have a conversation with you about a topic that has floated across my desk or a conversation I've engaged within during the week or during the month that I think to myself, oh, I've got to get back to my podcast studio and record because this is hot. I've got to talk about it. And so this is what this episode is. It's a solo episode or as I like to call a mini cast. And so this is what this episode is today. So we are going to have a quick chat today in my typical sassy style.

Debra Coleman [00:02:54]:
Warning, these do tend to get a little sassy and I don't plan on it but sometimes colorful language is dropped. It's not something that I aim for but it just happens, like, in the flow of my of my of my dialogue. So I apologize if I'm on speaker and there happens to be littles in the room. You may wanna pop off the speaker if that's the case because sometimes I do get a little colorful, though I will try my hardest to keep that in check. So we are gonna dive into a topic that's incredibly important to me lately, because I have been looking at job descriptions for executive assistant roles. I have several friends who are looking for roles right now, and so I'm keeping an eye out. So that has kinda gotten me back into the mode of kinda hopping in and looking at open postings and kinda reading, like, what people are looking for these days. And then if it's, you know, something I think my friend would be interested in, I'm I'm passing it along.

Debra Coleman [00:03:44]:
Right? So I'm kind of like their their second set of eyes. I'm helping them find their new role. And it's really called to attention. It's really sort of highlighted to me the amount of responsibilities, that are posted inside these descriptions for administrative support professionals. Now whether you are, we'll just start, like, as receptionist all the way up to senior executive assistants. They're I know across the whole spectrum of administrative support, there's a lot being asked of you even for personal assistance. Right? A also really need, like, personal support as well. I've seen a couple of those postings because I do have a couple of friends who are in that world.

Debra Coleman [00:04:34]:
And wow. That is like next level, but still what's being asked even in those positions, it really is is such an eye opener. It's such an eye opener. It's like, oh my god. You know? And this is just the world of work that we have evolved in post 2020. I think that there are needs have changed, that their expectations have changed. And just the the, you know, the whole world of work out there just has shifted a bit, and it's being reflected, I feel, in some of these openings and postings that I see. So in this episode, that's what we're gonna do.

Debra Coleman [00:05:08]:
We're gonna break down, we're gonna take it just a little bit further. Go, like, kind of pull the curtain back on some of those postings a bit and break down the limiting impressions that many that many out there, right, may have about admin support roles. If you've ever felt like your contributions were underestimated or misunderstood, then this brief conversation is definitely one for you. And, again, I would love for you to come on the show and continue this conversation because I am just touching the surface. I think there's a lot more that can be said here, especially in the form of compensation. And I think that's kind of what got me. Because, because, you know, you read through the description. Oh, they're looking for this, this, this, this, this, this.

Debra Coleman [00:05:51]:
Wow. That's a lot. How much are they willing to pay? Or how much is on the table? Or what's what are we starting with? And it's like, sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. Sometimes I'm like, yeah. That tracks. Okay. I see that. That's a healthy salary for what you're expecting this role to do.

Debra Coleman [00:06:05]:
And then other times, I'm like, what? You've gotta be kidding me. That is below market value. What? Like so it ranges. Right? It totally depends. And I understand that compensation in many instances can be negotiated. And many times maybe, you know, the people in talent team put a certain dollar amount down knowing full well, you know, maybe they bottom feed it for a reason. But, anyway, again, that's a whole another topic, and I am not an expert in compensation and what rules in terms of that. So if you are or have experience in that in terms of administrative support job postings, I would love to have you on to kind of explore that side of the tree.

Debra Coleman [00:06:43]:
But for me, I would like to talk about our contributions and how we are very much underestimated or misunderstood in our roles. So let's just begin. Okay. Get comfy. My notes on this are literally all over the place. So forgive me if I pause here or there because I'm just trying to collect my thoughts a little bit. And that's how these mini casts are, word of warning. They are really just a thought flow.

Debra Coleman [00:07:09]:
I do have notes, and I have, like, some, you know, words written down on paper that I wanna talk about, but I don't script a whole lot. So forgive me if I if I stumble here and there. I'm just trying to gather my thoughts together. That's how passionate I am about this topic too. I just I'm like, I gotta start recording, enough research. This is, like, moving me to talk to you. So, let's start though, if you will, with the reality check. We are let me just let me just pull the Band Aid off.

Debra Coleman [00:07:36]:
We are we, meaning administrative support professionals, in whatever role you are, whatever title you carry, We are so much more than what's commonly known out there as task rabbits. Task rabbits. We are more than Bugs Bunny for those of you that know, that are familiar with the Warner Brothers cartoon character, checking off boxes. Now I let me just preface this by saying, I jokingly say to, like, my close friends and colleagues, I love the TaskRabbit aspect or the TaskRabbit parts of my job. I love it when the VPI support says, I need this, this, this, this, like a grocery list of things, and then he just lets me go knowing full well that it'll get done. Like, that's my wheelhouse. I love that kind of stuff. Now I appreciate that some things do need to be sort of more managed by, you know, like, okay.

Debra Coleman [00:08:28]:
I need, like there needs to be a lot of back and forth on this because this is something that, you know, has a lot of moving parts. And so I wanna have little benchmarks and check check as we go along so I don't, like, go down the wrong path. But for the most part, I enjoy that. Like, let me loose. Let me just handle it. Give me a deadline or give me a due date, and then I'll just handle it. So there are elements of our job where, yes, we do handle tasks. But unlike many but that's just a small portion of what of all that we do.

Debra Coleman [00:08:55]:
Okay? That's just a small let me just say that. We are much more than just clicking off tasks. There is so much more to our role, and that's the part that I wanna get into today. Unlike many of our colleagues, though, who have, now this is the point. This is this is this is the crux of the episode, so listen up. Unlike many of our colleagues, right, who, have the luxury of operating in a single specialized area. Hear me out. Unlike our colleagues or team members that have the luxury of focusing on or operating within a single specialized area, be it human resources, accounting, marketing, or purchasing, right, or many other departments.

Debra Coleman [00:09:46]:
I'm just naming off a few that are top of mind for me. We, as admin professionals, we have to navigate in all of those areas often in a single day. All of those areas and more. Right? Again, those are just a few that just popped into my head, often in a single day. I don't know any other role, and I and I and I will die on this hill saying this. I don't know any other role in any organization, company, whatever it be, where anyone else has to operate in multiple areas like administrative support professionals. We operate in human resources, accounting, marketing, purchasing, etcetera, all the time. So I wanna challenge anyone listening.

Debra Coleman [00:10:42]:
Imagine doing all the things within your role while still focusing in on your one area. I'm a big, for example, kinda girl. So let's let's break it down. Let's break it down. What do I mean by that? So I'm prepared to back it up. Here's what I mean. Consider your colleagues in human resources. Okay? So you work in human resources.

Debra Coleman [00:11:04]:
You're an HR tech. You're an HR generalist. You're an, you know, HR specialist. Whatever it is, you're in human resources. So you primarily focus on, let's say, recruitment, employee relations. Let's dust in some compliance here and there. Right? So your focus is on human resources type of work. That's a full plate.

Debra Coleman [00:11:29]:
No doubt. Like, there's a lot to people in talent and human resources. Right? But think about doing that work. So you're traveling along. You're doing your recruitment. You're doing employee relations. You're working on compliance, whatever area that you specialize within human resources. And then the VP of HR comes to you and says, hey, Deb.

Debra Coleman [00:11:47]:
You're thank you for, you know, working on all the compliance issues. We appreciate that. But what I'm gonna also need you to to include in your workflow, like, your new responsibility in addition to working on compliance, I'm going to need you to manage my calendar and set up a series of meetings for the year that need to happen every other month that involve 10 people because it's a committee, 3 of which are external stakeholders. So I'm gonna need you to communicate with their HR techs or HR compliance specialist on their calendars and come up with workable dates. The meeting needs to be an hour. It needs to be held in a conference room that includes some sort of video conferencing because there will be some of us in house here when others coming in, of course, externally phoning in or joining us virtually. So I'm gonna need you to also reserve a conference room. It needs to be every other month.

Debra Coleman [00:12:40]:
It needs to be an hour. This is the topic. I want you to manage my calendar. I have a couple of vacations and conferences in in coming up, so I'm gonna need you to circle around those and ensure everybody can make it. And then I'm gonna need you to type up an agenda for all of these so we stay on track. And do you see where I'm going here? And on top of all of that, I'm gonna need you to really stay on top of all the compliance issues and work that you're doing. Now if you haven't run screaming from the room yet, you are a bigger person than me because, that welcome to the life of an admin professional. Okay? We do all of those things and more.

Debra Coleman [00:13:24]:
You in HR have the luxury day in and day out or I'm sorry. Not just HR, but again, like, you know, marketing, purchasing, wherever you fall, whatever your area of specialty is, engineering, software engineering, user experience, whatever it is, data analysis, you have the luxury friend of focusing on that one area. All the work you do. Yes. You have a full play. No doubt. Your position is a value without question, but it's within that world. Administrative professionals deal with your world, the other world, that world over there, the world 2 streets over, the world in the next unit.

Debra Coleman [00:14:06]:
Like, we are consistently operating in all of those worlds. Here's another example. Okay. So you're an accounting technician. Your focus is on financial reporting, budget management, maybe audits. You know, you're in the accounting world. You are an accounting tech, accounting specialist, you know, assistant controller, whatever it is. You know? Forgive me.

Debra Coleman [00:14:29]:
I don't know all the job titles in that area. So, again, your boss comes to you and says, you're working on, financial reporting. That's great. You're trying to get that report in by the end of fiscal. Fantastic. Good for you. You know, in addition to that, friend, what I'm gonna need you to do is I need you to hop into Concur, and I have about 3 conferences coming up. I'm gonna need you to go in, book my travel.

Debra Coleman [00:14:56]:
For one of those conferences, it's local to me. And so I can take a train. So I want you I'm gonna need you to get on the Amtrak and find me a train to that conference. The conference starts at noon, so I would prefer a train that either gets in before noon or shortly after so I don't miss too much of the opening keynote. I'm won a hotel near the conference venue. So for the other hotels, I definitely for the other conferences, I need to fly in. I'm taking my family out with me on one of those because it's in Orlando. So I'm gonna need you to find a hotel that will accommodate my family but close to the expo so I could in addition to your financial reporting, I'm gonna need you to also coordinate travel for 3 upcoming conferences.

Debra Coleman [00:15:38]:
One involves my family, and one involves a train. Okay. You see? So you see what I'm saying? Like, you would be like, I'm sorry. What now? What are you talking about? But that's what we do as administrative professionals. That's what we do. While we are reconciling accounts, creating purchase requisitions, asking vendors to get signed up into the system so we can pay them for the services they provide, Ensuring invoices get paid on time and when they don't, researching and working with you, fellow accounting professional, on why it wasn't paid on time, what was missing, what do we need to do to turn this purchase wreck into a PO so the vendor gets paid on time. Now we're 30 days past due. Why was that? And at the same time, you have to placate the vendor who's angry because they haven't gotten paid yet, all while you are planning your boss's conferences and trying to do travel, managing this recurring calendar meeting that's good for 10 that involves do you see what I'm saying? Do you get do you are you picking up what I'm putting down? So for those of you that think, oh, you're just doing, like, coffee runs and you're taking meeting minutes, and you're just scheduling meetings, and you get to, like, plan parties for us and buy swag.

Debra Coleman [00:17:00]:
And you make sure the copier doesn't run out of paper. And you make sure I have my favorite little colored sticky notes because you know I'm a purple girl. And you make sure that we don't nuke last night's fish dinner in the microwave. And if we do, you go around and clean it up. And you just basically, you know, sit at the heel of our VP, and you just do whatever they want all day long. Oh, yeah. Fuck you. Yeah.

Debra Coleman [00:17:23]:
That's not it. That's not it. And I'm gonna need you to wake the fuck up and understand that this role does so much more than you even comprehend. And let me tell you that this role is not for everybody. Because if the scenarios I provided didn't make you, like, break out into a sweat a little bit or make you, like, white knuckle it a little bit. And, like, for some reason, you're clenching your your earbuds right now and you don't understand why because you're not an professional and what the scenario I just provided made you a little nervous? Welcome to our world. Unlike you, marketing professional, unlike you, accounting professional, unlike you, engineering professional, unlike you human resources professional, unlike you facilities professional, unlike you travel professional, we manage and dip our toes into all of your jobs on a daily basis. So do you understand what I'm saying? So really, as admin professionals, we're not just dabbling in these areas.

Debra Coleman [00:18:42]:
Let me also just expand on that. We're not just dabbling in these areas. We are expected to perform proficiently across all of them. We are the go to person for HR issues when HR manager is unavailable or our people and talent partners unavailable. When the accounting questions where the accounting go to when questions about accounting, come up and our finance team is too swamped to answer them. We're with the marketing support when there's a last minute campaign that needs to be done or a last minute PowerPoint that needs to be corrected or even created on the spot. We're the data report expert when immediate insights are needed. And we're the purchasing assistant when supplies run low or there's a break in the supply chain or, we have remote teams that need to get equipment shipped out.

Debra Coleman [00:19:37]:
We need to work with IT to get it done. Oh, IT. Let's not forget. IT professional. Please. We are you are not the go to when there's a problem. Trust me. Again, I will die on this hill.

Debra Coleman [00:19:49]:
When there is an IT issue, whether it be with a remote team member or someone in house, we are the go we are the first line of defense. I hate to break it to you, IT professionals, but you are secondary to the administrative support staff and their team. We are the ones they go to first. Hey. I can't get Outlook to do x y z. Hey. My OneDrive isn't loading. Hey.

Debra Coleman [00:20:11]:
Do you know how to do this in Teams? How do I share a file in Teams? I don't have access to this file. Can you grant me access to this? For some reason, my computer isn't loading. What do I do? My computer keeps shutting off. What do I do? My camera that I've attached to my laptop isn't like what do I do? Hey. The copier isn't syncing to our network drive, so I can't send files there. What do I do? My mouse has died. Do you have any batteries? Some reason, my Jabra headpiece isn't connecting with my laptop. What do I do? Have you had this before? Yeah.

Debra Coleman [00:20:46]:
Thank you. We are the first line of defense for IT issues, not IT. You all have the luxury of saying submit an submit a job request and we'll get to you in a timely manner. We don't have that luxury. You we can't say submit a job request and I'll see why your your Jabra headset's not connecting to your laptop. No. We are expected to solve it then and there. Again, we are expected to perform proficiently across all of these areas.

Debra Coleman [00:21:16]:
Yet despite this incredible versatility, our roles are often undervalued and misunderstood. And that's what I'm seeing in some of these job postings. Let me just case in point. Allow me. Allow me. Here's a job description. I'm just throwing this out there. Okay.

Debra Coleman [00:21:37]:
Here's an example of what is being asked. Okay. Maintain calendars, manage, you know, schedules, coordinate plans, implement and coordinate high level meetings. Fine. Serve as a writer and project manager for speeches, articles, case studies, briefing materials. Are we dabbing into marketing and comms? We sure are, friends. Serve as a backup in the coordination and administration of activities may be related to a board of trustees. Okay.

Debra Coleman [00:22:12]:
Serve as a backup. That's cool. I get that. Here's another. That's a part of our role, so I can't really say anything about that. Here's one. Assist in the maintenance of existing websites. Check that that links are regularly working.

Debra Coleman [00:22:28]:
And if they're not, figure out why and ensure the accuracy of the information posted. So now we're a website manager on top of everything else. So I'm supposed to manage a website while I'm booking travel, while I'm attending a meeting and capturing minutes, while I'm prepping notes for the next board of trustees meeting. I'm also and ensuring that people get paid correctly and ensuring vendors get paid correctly, ensuring payroll goes through. And, and then I'm also ensuring that the board of trustees agenda packet is is is is, you know, collated and ready to go. Okay? Do you hear what I'm saying? Oh, don't let's not forget this. Assist with event selection, to include locating venues, managing registration lists, ordering food and materials, creating name badges and other program materials while assisting on-site. And I guarantee you while I'm assisting on-site for this wonderful glorious event, my phone is going off because the printer ran out of paper or someone's headphone isn't connecting to their laptop or a vendor is angry because they haven't gotten paid and it's 2 weeks past.

Debra Coleman [00:23:35]:
See what I'm saying? Whereas if you are just an event coordinator, that's all you're doing. You're on-site. You're coordinating the event to make it glamorous and wonderful and perfect. You are not, in addition to that, getting pinged about a meeting that needs to be set up, conferences that need to be scheduled, travel that needs to be coordinated, vendor management, paying vendors on like, you're not getting being pinged for all of that. Your main focus is event coordination. Okay? So these job postings, you know, that that that require so much more. And then you look at the pay and you're like, what are you really though? You want me to be literally 5 people for that annual salary? No. No.

Debra Coleman [00:24:25]:
No. We need to have a conversation. You didn't understand the assignment. Okay. So this this is what I'm talking about. In many of the job descriptions out there today, they don't match what we you what we do fully. They don't appreciate what we do fully. Listen.

Debra Coleman [00:24:44]:
As somebody who is posting for help in that area, you have every right and flexibility to post whatever you want in that job description. All I'm saying is when you when it comes to the annual salary posted, don't insult the job seeker or the prospective candidate by posting a salary that is below market value. Because please appreciate and know that you are asking this person to do literally multiple roles within your organization. So treat that position posting with respect. And when you're setting compensation levels or a compensation, range for this role, read it through again with just a fresh set of eyes. And don't look at it like, well, they're just doing admin work. What does that admin yes. You're right.

Debra Coleman [00:25:36]:
They are. But what encompasses that admin work? It encompasses a multitude of departments within your organization. So have a little healthy respect about that. That's all I'm saying. So as you reflect on all that I have said today, if you are outside this role, please understand on the importance of the admin professionals in your organization. Understand the complexity of our roles, the challenges we face and navigate daily, and the invaluable support that we provide daily. That's just built in to our job description. Right? And if you're an admin professional yourself listening, I implore you to take pride in the diversity of your skills and the crucial role you play in your team or your organization's success.

Debra Coleman [00:26:33]:
You are not just a support system. You are a vital and dynamic part of the organization and the team. Please know that. And my last my I have to leave you with a little tip. So I'm not going to sit here and lecture you without offering some sort of tip. If you are if you are an admin professional listening to this, one, there are 2 2 things that I have used throughout my 20 plus year career that speaks that helps me remember just what I spoke about. Like, my my contributions are of value. Right? One thing is my very first thing, and this is something that I've had to remind myself and actually execute personally recently, is really don't try your hardest to not take things personally.

Debra Coleman [00:27:25]:
This is a role. You are more than this role. When they speak about the role, it provide like, the value the role provides, the responsibility of the role. That's exactly what it is. It's not Deborah's value. It's not what Deborah brings to the role. It's the role itself. So I know that's extremely difficult to do.

Debra Coleman [00:27:49]:
It's like it's it's really like, oh, it's like, you know, when you have a sticker and you gotta separate the back from the the sticky from the regular part? It's so hard. Like, it's just, like, it's so fine. Because so much of what we do, we are, like, we make the role our own. But honestly, there are moments though in your career or moments in your day or moments in your, you know, as you go about your life in your career or in your career life, I think it's important to remember it's the role. It's not you. They're placing value on the role itself, not your personal value. It's not Deborah. It's the role.

Debra Coleman [00:28:27]:
So that has helped me to really try to separate the 2 in those moments when I feel like I'm getting punched in the teeth by people who just don't fucking get it. I sit and go, okay. Wait. Hold. Hold. Hold. Hold. Hold.

Debra Coleman [00:28:39]:
They're talking about the role. They're not talking about Deborah. They're talking about the value of the role. And so that has helped me. So try to separate yourself if you're able to when you get those kick in the teeth moments. And then the other the other tip that I have that, again, has worked for me from time to time throughout my career is just being proactive in communicating your role. Like, make sure our colleagues and supervisors even understand the scope of your of your responsibilities. Because, honestly, let's be fair.

Debra Coleman [00:29:13]:
Sometimes people just don't realize the full extent of what you do. Like, if you are an HR professional or an accounting professional or an engineering professional or a marketing professional, I'll admit, I don't fully understand the full scope of what it is you do. Right? So why would that so it's only fair to say that at times, others just don't understand the full scope of what it is we do. So let's just be fair. Like, I, you know, I don't wanna be too disparaging. So this is where we can educate. You know, this is where, you know, people say, oh, educate. You know, the more you know.

Debra Coleman [00:29:46]:
You know? So that's sometimes we do have to put on that role, put on that hat and of the educator and just explain. Make sure that our colleagues are aware of what we do. So maybe in a team meeting or even on a 1 on 1 or even when it comes to, like, evaluation time. Whatever, you know, whatever environment or whatever conversation feels right for you, just remember to highlight your challenges, highlight what you've overcome, things that you have accomplished, showcase maybe some problem solving skills like, well, you know what? I was up against x y and z and this is how I solve it. I just wanted to share it really quickly. You know, just anything that you feel will help communicate to others, to help better let them appreciate the complexity of your work. We sit around and we listen to that time and time again. How many times have we sat in meetings where others have done just that? And yet, we don't do the same for our role.

Debra Coleman [00:30:45]:
I'm guilty of it, man. I do that, like, you know, so often and I know it's bad. But, you know, that's just something that I have to work on all the time. And so that is just something that will help. And I'm not saying all the time. Like not every time there's a team meeting or every time there's a 1 on 1 or every like you don't have to always be like on. Right? But when the when you feel it's appropriate or when you're maybe point blank asked, like, what have you been up to this past week? What's going on in your world? Hey. Take that as an opportunity to say, well, you know what? I'm glad you asked.

Debra Coleman [00:31:19]:
Let me share with you just something that I recently I feel pretty good about because I was faced with x y z challenge and this is how I solved it. So, yeah, I'm pretty, you know and it just, like, brief little conversations like that just pepper more of those types of shout outs and showcasing, throughout your, you know, career life or or when you get the opportunity to. Just again to educate others on the complexity of our role and how and just the depth and breadth of what we do. So that is what I wanted to talk about today. So thank you so much for, letting me, you know, just go off and, share with you some of my thoughts that just on this topic. I hope that this episode has given you some food for thought, and a renewed sense of pride in the incredible work you do as admin professionals. And if you're not an admin professional, I hope this has given you a little bit more insight into what we do day in and day out. Again, I like I stated in the beginning, I literally just touched the surface.

Debra Coleman [00:32:26]:
There is so much more we can talk about and dive into. So if you are so moved, I just want to kindly remind you to check out the show notes to, the link to the Have A Seat website where you can register to be a guest or send me email and let's get get you on the show to talk a little bit more about this. Because again, I know I just touched the surface. There is so much more we can talk about on this. So maybe you're an admin professional yourself and you'd like to continue the conversation and join me and maybe I know there's things I left out and didn't touch on. So maybe you can be that person to kinda highlight some of those areas that I may have missed. Or maybe you're not an admin professional but you work alongside 1 and you'd like to weigh in and share your thoughts on some of the things that I expressed today. So either way, I would love to have you on.

Debra Coleman [00:33:12]:
So please check out the show notes for a link to the episode. I mean, to link to the podcast website where you will also find additional mini cast just like this, where I just grab the mic and share with you. And so feel free to check those out at at at your leisure as well. So thank you so much. You know, I'm always open to hear your thoughts and experiences. So again, feel free to reach out to me. But remember, take pride in your work, celebrate your achievements, and continue to advocate for and for the recognition we all deserve. Keep doing what you do best and let's keep this conversation going.

Debra Coleman [00:33:46]:
So you know your homework assignment. Stay safe, be well, and remember, keep having those conversations. Until next week, friends.