In "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," managerial guru Steven Covey reminded his readers of how important it was to stop and sharpen the saw. The gist of the rule is that if you haven't maintained your tools (or procedures, or organizational practices), your work becomes increasingly inefficient.

This rule is as important for your support staff as it is for you. Cleaning and organizing computer files, filing paperwork, and updating contact information doesn't seem like high-priority work, and it's easy for managers to insist that their own projects take precedence. But it's necessary for support people to have some uninterrupted time to organize themselves and tackle some personal projects that will make their work life easier or more efficient.

Particularly if your support staff juggles projects for several managers, it's easy for them to get overloaded. It's important for you to create an environment where your subordinates can come to you with concerns about work loads and scheduling conflicts, and where they feel comfortable negotiating with the managerial staff about projects they are asked to take on. If your assistants feel that their own needs in the workplace are honored and their work and time respected, you'll find that you will have their enthusiastic support when you need it.