2.8. What’s my Role?

As an administrative professional, you are often the link that keeps a project team connected. Your ability to communicate clearly, share information efficiently, and support collaboration tools makes you an essential part of any project’s success. Whether you are scheduling meetings, managing shared documents, or ensuring that team members have the resources they need, your role helps create a smooth and organized workflow.

Understanding how teams collaborate will help you anticipate challenges and find ways to keep things running efficiently. You may be responsible for setting up and maintaining tools like shared calendars, cloud-based document storage, or messaging platforms. Learning how to use these tools effectively – and helping others do the same – can make teamwork easier and prevent miscommunication.

Strong collaboration doesn’t just happen; it requires effort and coordination. By staying organized, being proactive in sharing information, and ensuring that everyone has access to the right tools, you help create a productive and supportive team environment.

Practical Tips

• Choose the right collaboration tool for your team – This may take a little research. Review what is available and provide the Project Manager with options to choose from. It may be necessary for you to set up training sessions for team members who are unfamiliar with the chosen tool.
• Standardize communication channels – Make sure that each team member is aware of which collaboration tool has been chosen for the project. For example – the team uses email for formal communication, PM software for task tracking, and messaging tools for quick check-ins and questions that don’t require detailed answers.
• Maintain shared documents effectively – Set up filing systems using the chosen collaboration tool and develop naming conventions (for shared files and folders) that are simple and logical so that everyone on the team can use them efficiently.