Interview with Claudia Herrmann

This week, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Claudia Herrmann, an Executive Assistant at Okta, based in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area! With over three years of experience supporting the People team, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table that I know you'll find incredibly valuable. Get ready to learn from her insights!

Working at Okta, a leading identity and access management company, likely involves a fast-paced and technologically driven environment. How do you ensure your high quality of work is consistently maintained even under tight deadlines or high-pressure situations?

Staying organized is key to keeping quality high, especially when under pressure. I thrive on setting clear priorities and using structured time blocks to focus. When I have tight deadlines, I focus on what’s most urgent and impactful, making sure I give those tasks my full attention first. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, I break down complex projects into smaller, manageable steps, and I never hesitate to ask for clarity or adjust expectations if needed. A big part of my approach is staying flexible; if things get particularly hectic, I know I can lean on my calendar and reminder systems to keep everything on track without missing a beat. I make sure to balance quick wins with longer-term, thoughtful work, ensuring that I can manage everything without sacrificing quality.

Given your drive to take on new challenges, are there any new technologies or administrative tools you've recently explored or adopted that you believe could significantly benefit an executive assistant's efficiency or impact?

Okay, so it’s not the flashiest new tool out there, but I recently dove into a Microsoft Excel course to level up my skills. I knew the basics, but I figured it was time to get serious and really unlock Excel’s full potential. One of my favorite discoveries was the magic of turning a simple dataset into a table. I’m planning to use this for a calendar audit for my execs by adding data about meeting types and durations and then turning it into a neat visual. It’s going to be so helpful when I want to show them how much time they’ve spent in 1:1s, planning meetings, or whatever else. Plus, it’ll give me a fun way to analyze their schedules and help them make the most of their time. Excel’s a bit like a secret weapon when you know how to use it right!

If you were asked to coordinate a virtual team building event for your colleagues at Okta using Zoom, what are a few key elements or features you would leverage from your "Zoom guru" knowledge to make it engaging and successful?

Ah, virtual team-building! To start, I’d ask everyone to join the meeting with their favorite vacation spot as their virtual background already in place. It’s always fun to see where everyone likes to spend their free time! Then, I’d break folks into smaller groups using breakout rooms for introductions. It's a great way to get people talking in a relaxed setting before we all come back together. To keep the energy flowing, I’d throw in some polls with fun icebreaker questions like “Team Jacob or Team Edward?” or “cat person or dog person?” It’s a playful way to get everyone chatting. The goal would be to keep it lively, engaging, and fun from start to finish!

How do you personally stay organized and manage your own task list to ensure high quality of work is consistently delivered, even when juggling multiple executive requests simultaneously?

Staying organized while juggling multiple requests is something I take pretty seriously, especially when there are executive priorities involved! My secret weapon? Slack’s scheduled reminder feature. It’s my go-to tool for staying on top of everything. When a message hits my inbox, I quickly decide if it’s something I can knock out in a couple of minutes. If it’s quick, I handle it right away. If it needs more time or focus, I schedule it to pop up during one of my designated work blocks. I love blocking out time each day to tackle my “background work,” and those reminders are the perfect way to keep me on track without feeling like I’m drowning in requests. Prioritization is key, of course. Anything from my executives gets top priority and is handled right away. After that, I take a step back, assess the urgency of other tasks, and schedule them accordingly to keep things moving smoothly without missing a beat. It's all about working smarter, not harder, and I’ve got my systems in place to make sure it all flows! And of course, I live by my calendar. Tasks, especially recurring ones, go straight onto my calendar. For example, I always do expenses during the last week of each month, and I’ve set a weekly reminder every Monday to review the new hire report and make sure those new hires are added to the right distribution lists.

In a role that often requires you to be "on" and problem-solving, how do you ensure you take time for your own well-being and recharge? What's one strategy you use to maintain your motivation and energy?

It’s so true; this is a role where we constantly have to be “on” and it can truly be exhausting. I’ve learned that the best

way to stay energized and motivated is to actually let myself take time off. I mean, seriously, we all need a break, and remote work has made it too easy to just keep going. But trust me, your body and mind will thank you when you step away. My go-to strategy for recharging is spending time in the garden with my husband and my mom. We grow vegetables in our backyard, and honestly, it’s one of the coolest things ever! There’s something magical about planting a seed, watching it grow, and then getting to harvest it and cook with it. It’s a reminder that some of the best things take time, and patience is key. Plus, it's a fantastic way to unwind.

I also wholeheartedly believe in the power of PTO. Take it! Seriously, use it! Work will always be there, and I read something recently that really stuck with me: "The only people who will remember you worked all that OT is your family." So true! Your boss isn’t going to remember that random Tuesday you logged an extra hour and finished a project. You know who will? Your family…when you're on vacation, sneaking off to finish that last-minute project. So go ahead, take the time off and let yourself recharge. You'll come back more motivated and energized, ready to take on whatever comes next!

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Claudia Herrmann is an Executive Assistant at Okta, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she’s supported the People team for over three years. Known for her seamless orchestration of team onsites and her ability to build strong cross-functional relationships, Claudia brings heart and strategy to everything she does. A two-time finalist for the Admin Awards, she is passionate about operational excellence, community building, and stepping up to make an impact. Outside of work, Claudia and her husband are proud cat parents to four quirky felines.

Claudia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiaschwartz27/