Jenny Wells Pyle is the Director of Development for the College of Communication & Information Sciences at University of Alabama. When asked about her ideology, her response was, “Just Ask.”
“Not "Ask for the manager" but--with the utmost respect and deep empathy--just ask. I work in philanthropy. If I was not willing to just ask, so much would be left unsupported by people who are willing and able, but ignorant to the opportunities to help. Beyond philanthropy, I know this 'philosophy' applies to networking, negotiations, and even among friends and family. I think many people, especially women, are hesitant to ask out of fear of being too pushy or aggressive or burdensome. But I worry about how many missed opportunities occur because no one asked.
If you are interested in a job and know a contact who might be able to help, just ask. If you were in their position, and found out after the fact that you might have helped, would that not make you sad? If you are nervous the conversation will be awkward, put yourself in the other person's shoes and think through what would be awkward and how you might make your request as compassionate to those concerns as possible. Are they busy and requesting a letter of recommendation would mean asking for a lot of time? Send them your resume as well as the characteristics you need them to highlight in recommending you so that you are doing some of the work for them, while also getting the strongest possible result that they can feel confident providing and truly helpful. Rather than feeling burdensome, reframe some of these 'asks' as chances to deepen relationships because--so often--people feel closer when they feel needed and appreciated and helpful to someone for whom they care.
....and if you get a yes, thank them immediately. Then, thank them again upon receipt of the request. Then, thank them again when you can share the impact of their help. Then, thank them again randomly to brighten their day. Then, act out your gratitude by paying their generosity forward when given the chance. “
Jenny feels that although she would have answered this question differently at various points in life, her greatest influence has been her best friend. She adds, “I have been truly blessed with an abundance of supporters and mentors. Today, and so frequently as I pour my passion into my work, I am grateful for my best friend from childhood. We remain best friends, and her daughter is my goddaughter. She came from parents who taught her lessons about professional life around the dinner table and on car rides from before she can remember. This may sound odd, but we have laughed together often about writing a book sharing how the lessons were presented (often with hilarious anecdotal examples--humor makes lessons stick) and how she has applied them throughout her life. In sharing those lessons she became my de facto career coach, especially because so many of them prepared me to face challenges specific to ambitious women. While my ambitions did not lead me to corporate America, she coached me to present myself authentically, own my worth, and recognize when people believed in me vs. when I had to believe in myself. She did it all with radical honesty, which is what everyone needs in a BFF, but is not always what gets cultivated or rewarded in gal pal relationships. Because of her, I try to pay it forward to my fellow professional women who I see struggle to talk confidently about themselves because they worry it sounds like bragging, or who never ask for the raise because they do not know how to objectively state their value added without feeling too aggressive or undeserving. “
Learning to set boundaries has been Jenny’s greatest accomplishment thus far. “It is hard, uncomfortable, vulnerable, and emotionally challenging work, but I cannot overstate how important it is to learn--especially as a professional woman who loves her family. “
The advice that currently impacts her life is two fold, a combination of 2 nuggets of wisdom.
One, Rather than seeking out an institution to work for, find someone you respect and admire to work for and from whom you want to learn; and Two, People rarely quit jobs, they quit bosses. “I realized the value in this first nugget when I learned the truth of the second nugget (from by BFF).” she says.
Jenny feels her biggest adversity was the affect of a loved ones mental health struggles. “I dealt with it--and deal with it--through therapy.” She believes we never really leave adversity behind, because it shapes us. She adds, “But therapy can certainly help keep that shaping from negatively impacting us forever. It certainly shapes my belief that mental health is just as important as physical health and should be approached with just as much respect for prevention, routine maintenance, and support from the community as physical health. Why do we not think of mental health as equivalent to something like allergies? There is no shame in allergies. There is also a serious expectation that both the individuals with allergies stay on top of their health for the sake of their lives, and also that the community respects necessary precautions and regular care to treat allergies. Why do we not approach mental health similarly? We all have allergies and we all have mental health concerns.“
A recent milestone, Jenny closed a record-breaking gift--the largest gift ever given to her college. Moving forward, Jenny is considering a terminal degree after years of persistent encouragement by a mentor… “but I am still in disbelief that it is even in consideration, even as I begin the application process.” she adds.
When asked about something most people do not know about her, she said, “While I am a proud graduate of The University of Alabama, it is their Speech and Debate Team, not their football team, that brings me the most pride in my Alma Mater. .... Also, I met my husband competing against him in Speech and Debate. He competed for WKU. (Here is where all the jokes ensue about how we must argue and who won/wins).
Jenny feels that her best day would be between her wedding day or honeymoon. “Hard to decide, I would gladly relive those events with my husband on a loop forever.”
For fun and relaxation, Jenny enjoys reading and/or watching period drama. “which is the only genre my husband would prefer I enjoy solo.“ She is also working her way through reading everything Brene Brown has written. She enjoys listening to podcasts, including You're Wrong About, My Favorite Murder, and Gangster Capitalism.
On the top of Jenny’s bucket list is travelling more with just her husband. “I want to go back to Disney World, where we honeymooned. I want to show him where I studied abroad in Spain. I want to explore new places with him with little planned agenda, just see where curiosity takes us and enjoy every moment.”
The best way to connect with Jenny is via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-pyle-b587091a/
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