How can EAs make leaders stronger? Insights from Kiara Hancock, executive assistant at Slack

Kiara Hancock has spent 25 years shaping how leaders operate: building systems, frameworks, and trust that make leadership itself look effortless. She has built her career supporting leaders at Amazon, T-Mobile, and now Slack, where she is executive assistant to the Chief Product Officer.

In our conversation, Kiara shared her perspective on what it means to be more than just an executive assistant. She views her role as being about anticipating needs, building trust, and creating systems that make leadership look effortless. Below, she reflects on how executives can get the most out of their partnership with an executive assistant, why emotional intelligence matters more than ever, and how remote support can deliver just as much impact as in-person assistance.

Table of contents:

1. What’s one thing an executive assistant can do that makes leaders say, “I didn’t know you could do that”?
2. How can executives turn their assistants into trusted thought partners?
3. What can an executive assistant do that AI cannot?
4. Can remote executive assistants deliver top-level support?
5. What’s the most difficult task you’ve taken on?
6. What’s one specific thing you do that makes your executive more productive?
7. How should executives delegate Slack management to their executive assistants?
8. What kind of impact can executives expect when supported by a strong EA?
9. What’s the secret to building a strong and lasting relationship with your executive?
10. Do only big companies need executive assistants?

1. What’s one thing an executive assistant can do that makes leaders say, “I didn’t know you could do that”?

There are so many things an executive assistant can do that surprise people. One of the most common ones is anticipating decisions before they are on the table. I translate the messiness of everyday work in Slack and email into clear decision frameworks. That way, my executive can focus on what matters without worrying that they have missed something.

I design decision frameworks in Slack that filter noise into clarity, and I use the calendar as a strategic document; shaping flow, priorities, and recovery time, not just scheduling.

Another part of the role is running the backstage of leadership. I build systems so my executive’s leadership looks effortless. These include Slack workflows or repeatable processes that happen quietly but keep everything moving.

2. How can executives turn their assistants into trusted thought partners?

I love this question because I absolutely consider myself a thought partner. The key is giving your executive assistant access to the why, not just the what. We often get the task, but context unlocks creativity. When I understand why something matters, I can not only execute but also anticipate what is coming next.

I also encourage executives to loop us in early, even when things feel half-baked. We can help shape ideas before they harden. And test things with us. We are a strategic filter. Run messaging or priorities by us and see how they land. You might be surprised by the perspective we can add.

3. What can an executive assistant do that AI cannot?

This is a question I get a lot right now. The truth is that emotional intelligence is where an executive assistant shines. I can read the room. I can sense the fallout of a decision. I can build bridges between people. AI can approximate support tasks, but it cannot replicate emotional intelligence or human intuition.

After 25 years in this role, the calendaring, travel, logistics, all of that is second nature. But the thing that makes me valuable is my emotional intelligence. It is my ability to connect, to understand, and to use intuition in a way that helps my executive and the team.

4. Can remote executive assistants deliver top-level support?

I am definitely biased here because I have worked fully remotely for over five years, but yes, remote executive assistants can absolutely deliver. The key is intentional visibility and deep integration into the way your executive makes decisions.

In-person presence can accelerate trust, but trust itself comes from reliability, discretion, and judgment, not proximity.

As a remote EA, proactivity is everything. Because you are not physically seen, you need to make your work visible in other ways. That means being ahead of what is coming, surfacing decisions at the right time, and ensuring your executive feels supported no matter where you are.

5. What’s the most difficult task you’ve taken on?

The hardest moments are always crises. Those moments when it is not just about ticking off a to-do list, but about staying calm and orchestrating fast.

I describe crisis management as being like a duck on water: calm and peaceful on the surface, paddling furiously underneath. In those moments, I know my job is to absorb the stress, take a breath, and then move into action without adding more panic to the situation.

There was a time when I returned from vacation to discover a trip had been arranged for the wrong month. My executive needed to leave within 12 hours, and nothing was in place. I immediately got to work fixing it. And I brought the person who had made the mistake into the process with me. That helped us recover faster and also helped them regain confidence.

Of course, I was upset, but frustration does not help in those moments. Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is how you respond and whether you can turn it into a learning moment.

6. What’s one specific thing you do that makes your executive more productive?

Running the calendar as a strategy doc. It is not just about scheduling. It is about designing flow, recovery time, focus time, and priorities.

I also act as a noise-to-signal filter. In Slack, my executive gets pulled in a hundred directions. I manage the velocity of information so that what truly matters gets to him in real time, and everything else waits until it is convenient. That is how you protect focus and ensure energy goes to the right places.

7. How should executives delegate Slack management to their executive assistants?

First, let your executive assistant be the architect of your Slack environment. We can help decide which channels exist, who belongs in them, and what purpose they serve. That keeps information clean and structured.

Second, give us permission to draft messages on your behalf. It is a learning opportunity for us to understand your voice and brand, and it helps you show up consistently.

Finally, trust us to manage information velocity. We will surface what needs your eyes right away and roll up everything else into daily summaries. That way, you are never distracted by the noise but still stay fully informed.

Read this blog for a step-by-step guide to delegating Slack to your executive assistant.

8. What kind of impact can executives expect when supported by a strong EA?

When executives are supported by a strong EA, it looks like they have superhuman capacity. They are on top of everything, they are everywhere they need to be, and their team feels heard.

It also leads to greater clarity across the organization. With someone behind the scenes curating and transmitting what matters, you avoid confusion and keep people aligned.

9. What’s the secret to building a strong and lasting relationship with your executive?

The secret to a successful relationship between an executive and their executive assistant is radical trust. Many executives hold things close to their chest. That is natural. But the sooner you extend trust, the faster your EA can guard your blind spots as fiercely as your calendar.

It is also about fast, ego-free feedback. We tell each other the truth quickly. And humor matters. If you can laugh in the chaos, you can thrive in it.

When interviewing for a new role, I always ask questions that help me gauge whether our working styles will mesh. For example, I know I do not want to be micromanaged. Asking the right questions upfront helps ensure the match is strong.

10. Do only big companies need executive assistants?

Not at all. Series A companies benefit enormously from executive assistants. At that stage, processes are being formed. Having someone who is thinking both strategically and logistically can be invaluable.

It is not about company size. It is about whether you want clarity, organization, and defined processes. If the answer is yes, then you need an EA.

As Kiara’s story shows, an executive assistant at Slack or at any scaling company does so much more than manage calendars and book travel. The role is about creating leverage, unlocking capacity, and ensuring leadership feels seamless to everyone else.

The executives who win aren’t doing it alone, and the best ones know that a great EA is their competitive advantage.

At the end of the day, my role is about making leadership itself feel seamless—turning complexity into clarity, and chaos into momentum. I call this my ‘Landscape Theory’: not fixating on a single tree or task, but zooming out to observe the entire landscape, and ensuring everything works together in harmony.

For executives in high-growth environments, partnering with an EA is not a luxury; it is essential. Book a call with our team to find an executive assistant just like the ones supporting leaders at Slack who can help you focus on what matters most.

Fadua Caicedo Díaz del Castillo

Fadua is a bilingual advertiser and holds a master’s degree in creative writing. With over ten years of experience, she has written countless advertising and social media campaigns, blogs, interviews, and everything in between. She writes about startups, the impact of executive assistants, and the stories behind their work. When she’s not writing, she is spending quality time with her husband and son, hiking, reading, or discovering new cafés.