Susan DrummCEO Advisor & Executive Coach | Leadership Change Agent

The Moment That Shaped My Leadership #shorts

14 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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In this short video, Susan Drumm recounts a formative childhood memory in which her father, returning home in a bad mood, abruptly changed the TV channel and shouted at her, making her feel invisible. She explains that this incident, along with a household rule to "manage dad's energy at all costs," taught her early to read the room, keep situations calm, and avoid demanding too much. From these experiences she developed a leadership style centered on anticipating emotional dynamics, managing others' feelings, and staying one step ahead of conflict, which she now describes as her super‑power.

Chapters

I remember one day as a kid, maybe I was 6 or 7, my dad came home in a mood and he'd had a very long day and was pretty disgusted with his work. And when he walked in, he didn't even say hello. And I was watching TV and he just came in and changed the channel without a word. And I said, "Hey, I was watching that." Well, he didn't say sorry. He just yelled, "Get out!" That hit hard, not because what he said, but because how invisible I felt. And that wasn't the first time. The rule in our house was manage dad's energy at all costs. Read the room, keep it calm, don't ask for too much. So I learned to lead by anticipating, by managing emotions, by trying to stay one step ahead of conflict. And that became my superpower.