New cohort enrolling now: Fall 2026 Operational Partner Intensive starts September 8th in Chicago.

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Curriculum

Full Feature List

A detailed breakdown of every module, topic, and deliverable in the program. Read through to understand exactly what is covered and what you will have at the end.

How the program is structured

The program runs over five weeks, one module per week. Each week includes a half-day working session (in person in Chicago), a set of reference materials, and a template or tool you build during the session.

Modules are designed to build on each other but can also stand alone. If you have a specific area you want to focus on, that's worth discussing when you reach out.

5 weeks One module per week, half-day sessions
In person Chicago, IL — 2501 Des Plaines Ave
Templates included Full template library for every module
Follow-up included Check-in session 3 weeks after completion
Module 01

Calendar Management That Protects Deep Work

Most executive calendars are reactive documents — meetings get added as they get requested, and the executive's actual priorities get squeezed into whatever space remains. This module addresses the underlying architecture problem.

What this module covers

  • Understanding the executive's actual priority structure and how it should map to calendar time
  • Designing a weekly calendar template with protected focus blocks, meeting windows, and buffer time
  • Writing and communicating a calendar policy that sets expectations with internal and external stakeholders
  • Decision criteria for when to accept, decline, or reschedule meeting requests
  • Handling recurring meetings: auditing what's on the calendar, what should be removed, and what's missing
  • Managing time zone complexity for executives who work across multiple regions

What you build

Calendar Architecture Template

A structured weekly template showing focus blocks, meeting windows, and buffer zones, customized for your executive's role.

Calendar Policy Document

A written policy you can share with colleagues explaining how to request time and what the scheduling constraints are.

Meeting Request Decision Tree

A simple flowchart for evaluating incoming meeting requests consistently and quickly.

Module 02

Travel Booking Systems That Anticipate Preferences

Travel logistics become a source of friction when the assistant is always asking the same questions. A well-built preference profile and booking workflow eliminates most of that back-and-forth.

What this module covers

  • Building a comprehensive travel preference profile — flights, hotels, ground transport, dietary needs, loyalty programs
  • Creating a standard booking workflow that covers every element of a trip in the right sequence
  • Designing a trip itinerary format that gives the executive everything they need without requiring them to search through emails
  • Managing changes and disruptions: what to monitor, when to act without being asked, and how to communicate changes
  • International travel considerations: visas, currency, time zone transitions, and local logistics

What you build

Travel Preference Profile

A structured document capturing all preferences, loyalty numbers, dietary requirements, and booking constraints.

Booking Workflow Checklist

A step-by-step checklist ensuring nothing is missed when booking any trip, from domestic day trips to international multi-city itineraries.

Trip Itinerary Template

A clean, scannable format for presenting all trip details in a single document the executive can reference on the go.

Module 03

Meeting Prep Packets in Five Minutes

Meeting prep is one of the highest-value things an assistant can do for an executive. It's also one of the most time-consuming. The goal of this module is to make it fast enough that it actually happens consistently.

What this module covers

  • Anatomy of a useful meeting prep packet: what information the executive actually needs versus what's nice to have
  • Building meeting type templates — internal one-on-ones, board meetings, client meetings, vendor reviews, and others require different information
  • Information sources and how to retrieve them quickly: CRM, email history, LinkedIn, internal documents
  • When to prepare a packet and when it's not necessary
  • Delivering the packet in a format the executive will actually read before the meeting
  • Post-meeting follow-up: capturing action items and next steps while the meeting is still fresh

What you build

Meeting Type Template Library

A set of templates for the most common meeting types your executive attends, each requiring only information substitution to complete.

Information Source Reference

A guide to where each type of background information lives and how to retrieve it in under two minutes.

Module 04

Inbox Triage Methods

Managing an executive's inbox is less about volume and more about judgment. The question is always: what actually requires this person's attention? Everything else needs a clear path that doesn't involve them.

What this module covers

  • Establishing a categorization framework: what requires the executive's decision, what can be handled by the assistant, what can be routed to others, what can be archived
  • Writing response templates for common categories of emails the assistant handles on the executive's behalf
  • Setting up filters, labels, and folder structures that make triage faster
  • How to summarize what's in the inbox for the executive without requiring them to open individual emails
  • Managing the relationship between the executive's inbox and their calendar (meeting requests, scheduling emails)
  • Handling sensitive or confidential communications appropriately

What you build

Triage Decision Framework

A written framework for categorizing any email quickly and routing it appropriately.

Response Template Library

A set of response templates for the most common types of emails that come through the executive's inbox.

Daily Inbox Summary Format

A concise format for presenting the day's inbox highlights to the executive in under two minutes of reading time.

Module 05

Building Institutional Knowledge That Survives Turnover

When an experienced assistant leaves, the organization loses more than a person. It loses years of accumulated context about how the executive works, what they need, and how things get done. This module is about preventing that loss.

What this module covers

  • Identifying what knowledge is at risk: what lives only in your head and what would be lost if you left tomorrow
  • Documentation formats that are actually usable — not exhaustive manuals nobody reads, but practical references people reach for
  • Building an executive profile document: working style, communication preferences, decision-making patterns, and operational quirks
  • Process documentation: capturing recurring tasks in a way that a capable person could follow without prior context
  • Relationship maps: key contacts, their roles, and what the executive needs to know about each
  • Maintaining and updating documentation without it becoming a burden

What you build

Executive Profile Template

A structured document capturing working style, preferences, and operational context for the executive you support.

Process Documentation Framework

A template for documenting recurring tasks in a format that's both complete and readable.

Relationship Map Template

A structured format for capturing key contacts and the context needed to work with them effectively.

Have questions about what's covered?

Reach out before enrolling. We're glad to answer specific questions about whether the program fits your current role and organization.