Social worker, newly qualified, just started in an inner city team: “We’re on to a loser here, there are no resources and things are going to get worse; everyone in the team is either depressed or off sick; colleagues in other agencies don’t co-operates; it’s really bad here and I’m thinking of getting out”.

Residential Social Worker, in a Children’s Home: “There’s a fortress mentality at the place, all the staff lock themselves in the office all day, the kids run riot, smashing down doors, smoking weed, they don’t go to school. What do you expect, there are no resources, we’re paid a pittance and with only 2 staff on for a large group like that we have no chance of making a difference”.

Both stories are about a year old, they're a sad indictment on our society, what can you expect, there are no resources and things will get worse, colleagues are depressed, the government can’t be trusted, there are too many regulations.

Maybe, but I find it interesting that both professionals have stuck around and their stories are different now.

They now tell me that things did change for the better, but they don’t talk of lack of resources, the need for more skilled and qualified staff, of better conditions.  

For example, in the Children’s Home, a woman arrived, rang the door bell, was greeted from an upstairs window by one of the staff, too frightened to come out of the office to let her in. A buzzer sounded, the door opened, she walked through the home being faced down by large and threatening young people, some with knives.

She walked in to the office where all the staff were cowering (literally), had a cup of tea and a chat with them and then walked out closing the door behind her. Ten minutes later, one of the staff ventured out to see if she was ok and found her sat at the table chatting with most of the kids; having a laugh.

This was the beginning of the outstanding changes that occurred in that home, I say ‘Outstanding’ because the home has achieved that status from Ofsted.

Who’d have known eh!

This has nothing to do with ‘resources’ in the traditional sense.

The key resource was the person, someone with a belief in herself, a belief that she could make a difference, with the other resources at hand – her colleagues.

Within 4 months, most of the staff on long term sick had returned, young people were going to school, the number of serious incidents had reduced dramatically, staff – and young people – were smiling and welcoming.

The manager had applied the same principles that great managers have applied over the years – over the centuries – leadership.

She had no buzz words, no theories, she wasn’t particularly well qualified, she hadn't written on the subject. She just installed confidence in the staff, she made them believe in themselves.  To begin with, that they were in charge, not the kids. Over time, she expanded this confidence and self belief to the whole community, getting the young people to start believing in themselves.

No magic wands, just one person working with her team.