The Women of Baird - Angela Pittman Taylor

 

Angela Pittman Taylor

For decades, women have been building rewarding careers at Baird, with no limits on their ability to advance in the organization. In this series, some of our most successful women talk about how Baird has helped their careers and talents to flourish. Here, Angela Pittman Taylor, Public Relations Manager, discusses what’s special about the people at Baird, and what she learned about leadership from Paul Purcell.

What led you to a career in financial services at Baird?

I realized in high school that I wanted to build a career in public relations. In the simplest terms, public relations is the practice of reputation management, and it’s a very portable skill set. It travels well, and every organization needs it. So as I started to seek work experience, I was fairly open about which industry I’d be practicing in. I landed at Baird through INROADS, which is a program that identifies talented minority youth and places them in recurring internships with sponsoring companies. Baird was my sponsoring company and I realized immediately how special it is. More than two decades in, I’m still excited about the opportunities in front of me every day.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy mentoring, coaching and motivating others to do their best work, and helping them address any obstacles to their success. There are so many talented and kind people at Baird, which can be a rare combination at other companies, especially in our industry. We’re not perfect – no organization is – but I know that our hearts are in the right place and that will keep us headed in the right direction.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten and who gave it to you?

The best advice I’ve ever received was from Paul Purcell. I was fortunate to work closely with Paul on a number of his public appearances, and had the opportunity to talk with him about his views on leadership for a program I was enrolled in. He said a leader’s role is to make people better. Show up every day ready to listen and learn. Be present and engaged every minute. There are no shortcuts to success. You will win some and you will lose some, but you will only really fail if you stop showing up. I carry that with me.

How do you like to spend your time outside the office?

I like to spend time with family, read and travel.