"Public service is about making a difference that's felt, not just measured."

Kim Wright, Chief Executive of London Borough of Brent, tells us some of the lessons she has learnt from a career in public service.

If I could sit down with my 20‑year‑old self, the first thing I would say is this: stay curious. Curiosity will shape your life far more than any carefully written plan ever could. Ask questions, explore the world around you, and never be afraid to wonder, “So what difference could I make?” Looking back, every meaningful turn in my journey came from curiosity rather than certainty.

At 20, I didn’t have a clear career map - and that’s not a flaw, it’s a gift. I began by studying PE at Loughborough University, became a lifeguard at a leisure centre, before moving to Spelthorne in Surrey, and then finding myself in London in 1999, where I've been ever since. I worked at local authorities spread across London - Barnet, Hackney, Lewisham and Brent - and it's been a career that I wouldn't have changed for anything. Each place taught me something new - London’s diversity energised me, stretched me and places quietly shaped my values. I didn’t realise it at the time, but every conversation, every neighbourhood, every difference I encountered built my understanding of people and place.

I took opportunities, not because they were part of a grand plan, but because they were offered - and because my curiosity told me to say yes. With each step, I was given more responsibility. I grew into it, sometimes uncomfortably, but always learning. I fell into local government almost by accident and realised I had found my people. I love the impact, the privilege and the challenge. I came to understand that public service is about making a difference that’s felt, not just measured.

One thing I’d urge you never to lose is connection. Stay connected to people and to the place. Go out into local communities. Walk through parks. Talk to residents. Listen more than you speak. The real work doesn’t live in strategies or meeting rooms alone - it lives in the everyday experiences of the people you serve. It’s their lived experience, and your own, that matters most.

There will be moments when the weight of responsibility feels heavy. Remember that it is also a privilege. And remember that a different life might have been possible for me – I might have been a location scout for Hollywood films, say! - but this path allowed me to contribute, to lead and to leave things better than I found them.

So my advice is simple, but hard-won: stay curious about the world around you. Keep asking the “so what?” questions. Stay grounded in communities and places. And never forget that meaningful change starts with understanding people, and asking what matters most to them, rather than asking what's the matter with them. If you hold onto that, you’ll always be doing work that makes a difference.

Throughout March, Faerfield are marking Women's History Month by sharing short reflections from women leaders.

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