I didn't expect being a personal assistant to teach me so much about partnership. It's made me a better communicator.

• When I decided to start my career as a personal assistant, I didn't expect to learn so much.
• It's a much more intimate job than I expected, and I've become a better listener and communicator.
• I enjoy being relied on for tasks big and small, and taking part in my boss's successes.

Like many people, when I think of the unique relationship between a personal assistant and their employer, the first thing that comes to mind is Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada. And while I've worked with my fair share of Miranda Priestly-types, I've also had the privilege of developing meaningful relationships with others I've worked for as a personal assistant.

When I first made the decision to switch career paths and become a personal assistant, I didn't think I'd learn anything profound. I thought managing someone's life would be easy — scheduling appointments, responding to emails, grocery shopping, making travel arrangements, and being the point of contact for other staff members.

These tasks, while seemingly easy to complete, gave me a glimpse of the person I would be working for and how integral my role in their life would now be. I never expected the deep relationship I'd develop with my employer and what that would teach me about true partnership. A relationship built on mutual trust, understanding, and respect.

Being a personal assistant is a much more intimate job than I expected

They trusted me to handle the most delicate parts of their world, and being relied upon so completely was something I had never experienced before. I had only ever been responsible for myself, but now, I was also responsible for ensuring this person's life ran smoothly. I felt needed and like my contributions added value to the company as a whole, even if that contribution was merely rearranging the day's calendar to allow a last-minute meeting or an urgent doctor's appointment.

In the past, I have worked jobs where the most I knew about my boss was how they took their coffee. I didn't know their allergies, the intricate details of their personal lives, or their favorite place to vacation. Now, that knowledge is merely an extension of my job description. I know every single detail about this person who was once a stranger — their dreams of one day having a big family, their anxiety after a difficult health diagnosis, their determination and ingenuity when starting a new business venture, and even their anger when confronted with bigotry in the professional world.

Being a personal assistant is an unconventional partnership with your employer, one which forgoes typical workplace professionalism because of how closely you need to work together. I have gained so much genuine fulfillment because of how much I love having the opportunity to help someone pursue greatness, care for them when necessary, and ensure that their world continues to spin on its axis.

When my boss was on a business trip abroad, and their transport from the airport to the hotel failed to arrive, I was responsible for ensuring they got to their destination safely. It was this moment that I truly realized how important my role in their life was. I was holding the pieces of their life together and gave them the ability to dedicate their time to their fast-growing company, their family, their friends, and the parts of their life that they'd never had the opportunity to prioritize before.

I feel like my boss's success is my success, too

Many companies preach about fostering a collaborative work environment, but I had no idea what that really meant until I started working with someone so intimately and learned the value of "we" in the workplace. Their wins were my wins because I had played a small role in their success. When I helped organize a networking event for industry professionals, and the company was featured in a prominent publication, or when we secured a $10K brand deal with a well-known beauty conglomerate — these were milestones we achieved together because we had both put in hours upon hours of work. Our shared success had never felt so rewarding because we had done it together, as partners.

For us to succeed individually, we needed to work well together in order to achieve our goals. I believe that my success in this role can be credited to the fact that I didn't work for a Miranda Priestly type, and instead, was seen as the second half of a whole and not merely a job title.

Cementing my role as a meaningful counterpart in this unique partnership allowed me to look at the other relationships in my life and how they have grown because of my career. I am a better communicator and listener, and I am more empathetic, attentive, and adaptable. I know what it takes to be a great partner and how using our individual knowledge and skills can ultimately lead to our mutual success — whether that be in my professional or personal life.

People say life takes a village, but in this case, I think it takes a badass personal assistant.