Sometimes you know what you want, or you think you know where your life is headed. The problem is, most of these times, you never know how to get to the destination. In my decade-long working life as a print and digital journalist, with a bias in cut-throat political and legislative journalism, that was one of my early challenges until… Pauline stepped in. She gave me that little push: An intellectual jolt and an emotional nudge, that simply told me to follow my passion, have fun with my career, enjoy it and get paid for it!
It was serendipitous that she was in the recruitment panel when I began my career at the Nation Media Group –East Africa’s largest media house. She nurtured me professionally. When she moved to Standard Group Limited – Kenya’s oldest media house—and the team there needed a boost, she knew where the talent was and how to match that talent (me) to the vacant role(s). Then she set the targets, set the systems and created the environment to ensure the team at SGL achieved its full potential. I had fun!
She is a scary judge of talent –in a gratifying way. She has a very open mind and she knows the trends. Pauline listens from the heart and understands with both mind and soul. She loves when everybody wins. She inspires you to open your mind to different possibilities to becoming a better you. All this is done effortlessly, with empathy, real-life personal examples and with a gentle professional discipline. When she’s got your back, you won’t ever reinvent the wheel.
At times, I wonder, what she gets out of it all. But, well, after a decade of watching and trying to understand her, I just concluded that, in life, there are people who truly want everyone to succeed. They live for others. They hold your hand and help you climb the staircase of life. In the journey of life and career, they know where the pebbles, boulders, rocks and potholes are. When you stumble, slide and fall, they pick you up. Yes, Pauline is one of those big hearts.
With Talent Guru 254, I am sure Pauline will touch many more lives and careers; shape more dreams and nurture them into reality; ignite individual passion and ensure that people, like you and me, don’t just exist; but that you LIVE your dream!
