Interview with Shireen Dreyer

This month I am honored to feature a powerhouse leader in the administrative profession and my dear friend, Shireen Dreyer. Based in Johannesburg, Shireen is a "tactical transactionalist" who is radically reframing the way we think about our roles by proving that execution isn't the opposite of strategy, it’s how strategy survives reality. With a project-minded approach honed across three continents, she cuts through the "fluff" of the admin world to focus on governance, systems, and the raw craft of getting things done. Shireen is a straight-talker who values results over titles, and her insights are the exact wake-up call our industry needs.

Shireen, you describe yourself as a "tactical transactionalist." That is such a refreshing take! Can you explain why you challenge the "strategic vs. transactional" binary and why you believe execution is strategy?

The strategic versus transactional binary serves only to divide a profession that is not formally codified and is heavily preyed on by the coaching economy.

Without clear role definitions, “being strategic” becomes a catch-all for stretch work that is unpaid, unmandated and quietly absorbed. It is role inflation without compensation. Execution is not the opposite of strategy. It is how strategy actually survives reality.

You’ve supported leaders across South Africa, Australia, and the United States. What have you noticed is the "universal language" of executive support, and are there specific cultural nuances in how these regions handle "flow and friction"?

Everywhere I have worked, executives want the same thing. Fewer surprises. Cleaner thinking. Less friction between intent and outcome.

What changes is how that friction shows up. Australians are pragmatic and impatient with drama. South African environments carry more contextual complexity and relational awareness. The US moves fast, sometimes faster than its own clarity.

You help admins recognize the structure and systems already embedded in their daily work. For an EA who feels like they are just "putting out fires," what is the first step they can take to turn that instinct into intentional impact?

Putting out fires is not failure. It is evidence of system gaps.

The first step is noticing what keeps burning. Repeated interruptions, last-minute decisions, unclear ownership. Once you can see the patterns, mitigation becomes obvious. Firefighting only feels endless when no planning is embraced.

You mention managing "flow, friction, and follow-through." Can you give us an example of a time you encountered significant friction in a project or workflow and how you tactically smoothed it out to ensure follow-through?

I describe myself as a project-minded EA. To me, everything has structure. Systems, frameworks, dependencies.

If something is stuck in someone’s head, it needs an SOP. If deadlines are missed, the risk was never planned for. If decisions bottleneck, time and energy need protection. Managing flow of information, executive energy and decision cadence is how follow-through happens.

In your bio, you talk about "honoring the craft of getting things done" rather than just chasing the next title. How has this mindset changed your approach to your own professional development and mentoring others?

Chasing titles is temporary. It is also deeply rooted in ego. I do not hold space for either.

Too many organisations have plenty of cooks and no one willing to peel the potatoes. Be that person. Always.

This mindset pushed me toward understanding how work actually moves. Projects, governance, risk, evidence. For those I mentor, the shift is toward being useful in repeatable, measurable ways.

As a project-minded EA, how do you approach a new executive or a new goal? Do you have a specific framework or mental checklist you use to map out the "project flow" of their day-to-day operations?

I default to project management methodology. An executive’s day already functions like a project.

My job is to make the system visible so it can run with less noise, fewer surprises, and better outcomes. Once the flow is clear, the role becomes far more sustainable for everyone involved.

Event planning often requires a perfect blend of the tactical and the strategic. Could you share your experience managing a high-stakes event or meeting? How did your "execution as strategy" philosophy play out in that scenario?

High-stakes events are rarely about the event itself. They are about what breaks if it goes wrong.

Strong logistics are built on anticipating worst-case scenarios. A well-thought-through risk register and proactive stakeholder engagement are not optional extras. They are the backbone of delivery. This is execution as strategy in its purest form.

You are a writer and a mentor. What is the most common "reframe" you find yourself offering to administrative professionals who feel undervalued or stuck in the "transactional" label?

I have changed my thinking over the past year. I no longer believe the issue is individual confidence. The system is broken.

You do not need another leadership course. You need to understand the structural constraints of the profession and make decisions from there. Clarity beats confidence.

The reframe is this: transactional is not the problem. Unexamined is. Admins are undervalued not because of what they do, but because they cannot trace how their work creates outcomes. When flow, decisions, and risk reduction are evidenced, the label loses its power.

Based in Johannesburg but working internationally, you must be a master of asynchronous communication and time-zone management. What are your top tactical tips for maintaining "flow" when you aren't in the same room (or time zone) as your executive?

Communicate often, clearly, and with intent. Write so the next person can act without a meeting.

Create a communication system. Tools, style, structure, even branding. It saves time, directs attention, and reduces rework. Early starts on my side ensure executives have what they need when they log on. After that, planning carries the load.

Finally, Shireen, managing flow and friction for senior leaders is high-energy work. What is your personal approach to self-care and wellness to ensure you can continue to show up with intentionality and impact?

I have shifted from being the ‘gap-filler’ to working within my contracted remit. Anything beyond that is negotiated.

That boundary alone has been the biggest change. It creates space for life, interests, thinking, and curiosity. Sustainable impact requires restraint. Otherwise, the system simply eats you next.

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Shireen is a tactical transactionalist and project-minded executive assistant based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

With experience supporting senior leaders across South Africa, Australia and the United States, managing flow, friction and follow-through in every role.

Shireen challenges the reductive binary of “strategic vs transactional” by owning the middle ground — where execution is strategy. She helps administrative professionals recognise the structure, systems and project flow already embedded in their day-to-day, turning instinct into intentional impact.

Connect with Shireen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shireendreyer-zar/