On expansive thinking with Lucie Drummond

Lucie, what are the most impactful leadership skills you use?

The leadership skills that I think have had the most impact are my drive to continually learn, using humility to be adaptable and my tenacity to persist through setbacks.

You've made some bold career moves, from law to sustainability and more. What keeps you stepping out of your comfort zone and taking these risks?

I did a little self-stock-take recently and realised that I’d done 18 different roles since finishing high school and six roles over the time I’ve been at Mercury. They have covered a very broad range of industries and work types – from music to cooking, call centres to hospitals. My career path has been very squiggly, and I think that's what has made it powerful and (most importantly) enjoyable.

My drive for learning is probably the thing that propels me to continue to take leaps outside my comfort zone and do things that really scare me.

Why is Mercury partnering with Powrsuit?

At Mercury, we have a programme of activities that support delivery against our diversity, equity and inclusion goals. The Powrsuit partnership fits in well with the activities we have underway to support women in leadership (including participating in sector-wide work on this).

Can you recall a specific moment or experience that shaped your leadership style?

Being authentic has been a key element of my leadership style. At times, this has felt uncomfortable, and one specific moment was the first all-company weekly newsletter I wrote as an executive member. Mental health awareness was one of the topics, and I chose to talk about my own experience with depression. Being that transparent was really daunting, and I received a huge range of responses, but it was worth it for the people who got in touch to say that it helped them. I try to be as authentic as possible, with responsibility, particularly on topics where this can help others.

What has been one of the more challenging decisions you've made in your career, and how did it shape where you are today?

The decisions I’ve made to stop continuing in a role or down a path because it wasn’t working like I thought it would are probably the most challenging. There have been a couple of instances where I have invested much time, effort, and training in particular opportunities but for various reasons, they didn’t end up being the right thing for me at the time.

I really needed to sense check pride getting in the way of making the right call to stop or change direction.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career that you’d pass on to others?

You can do it.

It's very simple to say but difficult to apply, but try to believe in yourself as much as others do.

This remains one of my biggest work-ons. While on the one hand, I tell myself I can do anything, on the other hand, I often wonder what value I bring. If you can intentionally work on instilling your own self-belief and self-compassion, it can set you up to make bold moves.

Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give to women who feel stuck or unsure about their next career move?

Share the dilemma and get curious.

I find that when I feel stuck on something, talking to a wide range of people means I'll get a really broad range of perspectives and ideas. Almost like a discovery process, I can take something from each conversation and gradually use it to develop my own map of a path forward and find options for my next step.

Lucie Drummond, Executive GM Sustainability, Mercury

Lucie is responsible for the overall strategic framework and environmental, social, and corporate governance at Mercury. She also leads their external communications, regulatory and government relations functions.

A major focus for Lucie and her team is on identifying new possibilities for Mercury in the future of energy. She joined in 2012 and has held a range of roles across the business. Prior to Mercury, Lucie practised environmental and energy law in New Zealand and the UK.