However, one of the secretaries stated:But once you have been a secretary and gone to the top of the tree then you see other avenues open up.This secretary had used secretarial work as a basis for career progression in tourism, whereas another one had used it as a basis for progression in personnel and training. The vicarious relationship is compounded by issues of loyalty, which one secretary advised entrants to develop. Loyalty is essential if the secretary and her boss are to be a team, but it may mean that the secretary’s contribution is neglected.During the observation difficulty was experienced in identifying initiative, but examples were found in that one secretary chased up items which were required before her boss demanded them.As a result of the observation the most frequently undertaken tasks were as shown in