Best Way to Implement a Priority Scoring System with an EA

Busy executives with overwhelming schedules often get frustrated about frequent scheduling bottlenecks or high-impact tasks that go unnoticed until they are urgently due. The best way to overcome these hurdles is to implement a priority-scoring system to determine the order of handling and delegating tasks.

The best systems account for how each task impacts the company’s strategic goals and the executive’s schedule, and ensure that the highest priority tasks are completed in time.

This article covers what a priority scoring system is and how to implement a framework for ranking tasks by urgency and importance.

TL;DR – What’s the Best Way to Implement a Priority Scoring System with an EA?

Quick Answer: The best way is to list the most recurring tasks and rank them based on urgency and importance.

Efficient priority scoring systems define a criterion for ranking tasks and translate it into a standard of practice (SOP) document that allows the EA to function with little to no guidance from the executive.

A well-implemented priority scoring system ensures:

• The EA assigns a score to each task as it comes.
• The executive receives only high-priority tasks that require their input.
• The EA protects the executive’s schedule so they can focus on high-impact tasks.
• The EA handles urgent requests before they disrupt the executive’s schedule.
• The executive-EA workflows are proactive, not reactive.

What a Priority Scoring System Is and What It’s Not

An EA’s tasks should align with the executive’s needs and reflect their priorities, as shared by Reddit user Disneyhorse in a recent thread:

“It’s whatever my execs’ priorities are. Calendar maintenance, travel arrangements, and expense reports are the mundane chores like brushing teeth and doing laundry…But I think it’s equally important to ask the exec what they would like to accomplish…My current exec is pleased with our relationship because I prioritize making things happen that they want to do…”

A priority scoring system helps EAs rank tasks or deliverables based on their urgency and importance. It helps executives and their assistants make consistent, aligned decisions about the tasks to handle first and those to handle later. 

Additionally, a priority scoring system helps remove guesswork from the way EAs organize their executive assistant daily checklist and prioritize projects to follow a criterion that reflects actual goals, deadlines, and bandwidth.

Based on the definition, a priority scoring system is:

• Data-Driven and Objective: Uses a pre-determined set of rules to compare projects and assign scores based on urgency and importance.
• Complementary: Helps support decision-making rather than replace it.
• Decision Filter: Helps identify which tasks executives should delegate to their EAs and which they should handle themselves, based on the anticipated strategic impact.
• Adaptable: Allows for re-scoring of items to adjust the EA daily checklist as priorities change.

In contrast, a priority scoring system is not:

• Rigid: It’s not a permanent ranking system that dictates how to prioritize tasks in the long term.
• A Replacement for Strategy: It doesn’t dictate what the business should focus on overall or set long-term direction.
• Bureaucratic Checklist: It shouldn’t turn every task into a scoring exercise, slowing down decision-making.

Why Most EA–Executive Relationships Lack a Priority System

Executive-assistant partnerships don’t fail because EAs aren’t capable or principals aren’t engaged; they usually fall short because they lack frameworks for aligning their efforts. 

Still, many executives never realize the missing link, and here’s why:

• Too Much Focus on Tools: Executives tend to prioritize EA tools during onboarding and forget that the software should be complementary, not the one shaping their workflows.
• Executives Assume Their EAs Will Figure It Out: Many principals expect that experienced EAs should intuitively understand their strategic goals and use them to prioritize tasks. However, without a priority system, EAs are forced to rely on their gut feeling, which can be wrong.
• Reliance on Popular Priority Systems: Some EA-executive relationships adopt inventory methods, such as first-in, first-out (FIFO), to manage their tasks. Unfortunately, these techniques can lead EAs to prioritize low-value tasks while high-impact ones go overdue.
• The Need to Micromanage Tasks: Executives who struggle with delegation often lack a priority system because they want their EAs to run everything by them. However, this limits an EA’s ability to make independent decisions and creates bottlenecks as they wait for guidance on which tasks to handle next.

Reddit user Yogiigogetter shared their frustration with a micromanager executive in a recent thread:

“It’s exhausting. I provide updates via Slack, Trello, emails, and our daily 1:1’s. I’m not sure what else I can do 😭 I put a task list on Trello of what I’m working on already, it’s just tiring and feels like there is no trust.”

The Best Way to Implement a Priority Scoring System with an EA

Creating a priority-scoring system requires clarity, collaboration, and an executive’s willingness to communicate their business goals and support expectations to their EAs. This helps replace vague urgency, which many EAs find frustrating, as reiterated by Reddit user Marten213: 

“A lot of my work lately feels like this:

• Boss forwards an email

• Says, “Can you take care of this?…”

• there’s a messy thread and maybe an attachment

• I have to turn it into a polished reply or cleaned-up document

A clear, repeatable scoring system reduces disruptions to the executive’s and assistant’s workflows, as they quickly identify which tasks need immediate attention vs. later.

Here’s how to do it right:

1. Identify the Top Priorities

Executives should first establish what drives the most impact for their businesses and align them to specific recurring tasks. Common areas include:

• Revenue
• Strategic growth
• Client relationships
• Operational efficiency

This clarity provides the baseline for implementing a priority system as tasks are evaluated against the expected outcomes.

2. Create a Scoring Matrix

Establish criteria for scoring tasks based on factors such as impact, urgency, visibility, and effort. Assign a score to quantify importance, such as:

• 1-To be ignored
• 2-Low urgency
• 3-Urgent
• 4-Very urgent
• 5-Extremely urgency

The scoring matrix should be straightforward, making it easy for EAs to evaluate tasks and determine urgency without frequent check-ins with the executive.

3. Create Actionable Tiers

Translate the scoring matrix created in step 2 into clear action tiers, such as “To be done today,” “Schedule for this week,” or “Delegate/Defer.”

The goal is to add utility to the scoring matrix and reduce the time spent between task analysis and execution. This also helps an EA make a mental note of when upcoming tasks are due so they can seek clarification in advance.

4. Test It with Real Scenarios

Apply the priority-scoring system to upcoming tasks and compare how they differ from applying human judgment. This helps ensure the system accounts for real-world complexities.

Lastly, stress-test the scoring system to identify misalignment and inconsistencies in high-pressure situations with competing priorities.

5. Document the System

Executives should partner with their EAs to convert the scoring system into a standard operating procedure (SOP) that outlines the threshold and criteria for prioritizing tasks.

A well-documented system also streamlines future onboarding, as new hires can follow the SOP with minimal guidance from the executive.

6. Trust Your EA to Run It

Executives should allow their EAs to “own” the priority scoring system and integrate it into their workflows. This helps build trust and autonomy, encouraging EAs to manage the executive’s time and focus proactively.

Additionally, executives spend less time on delegation, allowing them to focus on strategic tasks, which multiplies their performance.

7. Refine the System

Regularly review how the priority scoring system aligns with the intended outcomes. For example, is the EA operating more efficiently and without constantly seeking the executive’s clarification? Also, are some tasks slipping through the cracks?

These questions should help identify and address gaps in the scoring system, improving task prioritization over time.

Implementing an effective priority scoring system needs an EA who understands how they add strategic impact to their executive’s performance.

Elite EAs take time to deeply understand the executive’s priorities, which helps them prioritize tasks based on their impact on strategic goals. ProAssisting provides EAs with at least 5 years of experience supporting busy C-suites, and who understand how their support impacts the executive’s performance multipliers. Additionally, ProAssisting offers scalable support, allowing executives to utilize ⅓, ½, or ⅔ of an EA’s capacity.

Schedule a call with ProAssisting today to discuss the available executive assistant support options.

What a Priority Scoring System Looks Like in Practice

In practice, a priority-scoring system helps an EA determine the order in which to undertake tasks rather than asking the executive, “What should I work on next?”

Here’s how the system actually plays out in an executive-assistant setting:

• Tasks are Scored as They Come: The EA analyzes each task’s urgency and importance and assigns it a priority score that determines its rank on the daily checklist.
• The Executive Receives a Curated Daily Brief: Instead of a long to-do list, the EA presents only high-priority tasks that require the executive’s input.
• The Executive’s Calendar Reflects Priority: The EA proactively time-blocks the executive’s calendar based on when they’ll be undertaking high-impact tasks, such as meeting key stakeholders. 

Tools That Support Your Priority Scoring System

The goal of integrating executive assistant tools into a priority scoring system is not to add complexity to the executive-EA workflows, but rather to increase efficiency, a point confirmed by Reddit user elianna7 in a recent thread:

“…Using the tools that are ingrained in my workflow means I’m not disturbing said workflow and it works very well for me…” 

Below are some tools executives should consider:

• Task management Tools: These include Asana, ClickUp, and Notion, which let EAs build custom dashboards and define criteria for scoring and prioritizing tasks as they stream in. The tools then automatically sort the tasks based on total score, ensuring the highest-priority ones rank highest.
• Calendar Management Tools: Tools like Calendly, Google Calendar, and Microsoft Outlook let EAs block off the executive’s time when high-priority tasks arise. Additionally, the EA can quickly reorganize the executive’s schedule in response to changing priorities, such as a last-minute high-stakes meeting with a potential client. 
• Communication Tools: Executives and EAs can use platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams for communication based on task urgency. For example, they could use emails for tasks that can wait until the next day and Slack for same-day requests. 
• Integration Tools: These are tools like Zapier that help EAs integrate third-party tools, so they function seamlessly. This allows EAs to integrate automation software, such as filtering tools to sort through emails and messages, and get the email inbox under control.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section answers common questions about priority scoring systems for EAs:

How Many Criteria Should a Priority Scoring Model Include?

There’s no limit to the number of criteria a priority scoring model should include. 

However, an ideal system should incorporate about three to five elements, such as urgency, importance, and effort.

Can This System Work for Both Projects and Individual Tasks?

Yes. A priority scoring system can work for both projects and individual tasks. For projects, the system helps prioritize initiatives that align with the company’s bigger strategic goals. 

On the other hand, EAs can use the system to prioritize individual tasks based on urgency and importance to the executive.

What’s the Difference Between a Priority Score and a Weighted Criteria Matrix?

The main difference between a priority score and a weighted criteria matrix lies in their processes. 

The former uses a simple formula in which you assign a score to each task based on urgency, effort, and importance, then rank them by total points. 

The latter incorporates additional variables, such as ROI, risk, and customer satisfaction, and prioritizes tasks that offer the highest returns or reduce the company’s immediate risk exposure.

Should Every EA Task Be Scored?

No. Not every EA task needs to be scored. Elite EAs can leverage their experience and deep understanding of the executive’s business needs to determine a task’s urgency and need quickly. 

An example is receiving a customer inquiry for a service in a non-related industry. An EA can quickly mark the email as a low-priority task to respond to during routine email correspondence.

Conclusion

A well-structured priority-scoring system complements an EA’s workflows, helping them better support their executive. Additionally, elite EAs continuously refine the scoring system to reflect current priorities.

ProAssisting partners busy executives with experienced EAs who understand the significance of identifying and prioritizing tasks that have a strategic impact on the company’s performance. They rigorously vet EAs, of which fewer than 5% of applicants qualify for the role. Their ProAssistants understand the value of responsive communication to enable quick adjustments to the executive’s schedule in response to changing priorities.

Book a consultation with Ethan Bull to explore how you can partner with a ProAssistant to create a priority scoring system that aligns with your schedule.