‘I have followed my manager to different agencies because of her supportive leadership’

Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career. It is part of Community Care’s ongoing Choose Social Work campaign, which aims to champion the brilliant work social workers do every day and inspire the next generation of practitioners.

In this entry, senior social worker Katya Kobuszko celebrates her manager, Pauline Griffith, whom she has followed to different agencies over the years because of her ‘thoughtful’ leadership style.

Dear Pauline,

You have been my manager for seven years over several settings, and now my head of fostering.

Over the years, I have followed you to differing agencies to ensure I continue to have access to your amazing management and leadership. You are so inspiring, with your infectious smile, laughter and warm approach.

You have also been a source of support through difficult times, professionally and personally, which I have greatly appreciated. During lockdown, you offered emotional support when my husband was suffering with his mental health, checking in on me daily and reducing my workload to give me space to manage the difficulty I was experiencing at home.

You have a huge wealth of knowledge that you happily share with the team, and you manage to connect and resonate with so many people, including foster carers, who work with you in a hugely positive manner.

Thanks to you, we’re all in a team where we feel listened to and supported – even when we don’t get quite what we wanted!

You inspire me daily to have the same warm, thoughtful and down to earth approach as you. I hope I can one day be the point of strength for someone else, as you have been for me.

How to nominate a colleague

You can nominate anyone who has inspired you in your career – whether current or former colleagues, managers, students, lecturers, mentors or prominent past or present sector figures whom you have admired from afar.

Nominate your colleague or social work inspiration by filling in our nominations form with a letter or a few paragraphs (100-250 words) explaining how and why the person has inspired you.

*Despite the need to provide your name and role, you or the nominee can be anonymous in the published entry.*

If you have any questions, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com.