How Courtney's Career Shift Moved Her Towards Work-Life Balance
I was in a hurry for almost a decade. In October 2009, I was offered a job to advocate for a cause that I cared deeply about — helping students from educationally under served communities develop the knowledge, skills, character, and habits necessary to succeed in college and beyond.
Taking this role meant I had to move quickly cross country. Since then, it seemed I’d been running against the clock. Being an advocate is like having homework every night for the rest of your life. It’s an all-consuming affair.
I gathered up some incredible experiences in that decade of hustling and pushing, including: leading a coalition of more than 800 schools, seeing a federal piece of legislation I advocated for signed into law by President Obama, and helping to raise nearly $2B in federal investment.
While I felt an adrenaline rush for a time, after so many years of pushing, I was on the verge of burning out. I was so focused on making sure my work didn’t miss a beat, that I didn’t fully address the stress this pace placed on my heart, my health, and my personal relationships.
I eventually realized I needed to invest in myself and seek a better work-life integration strategy. Alisa is that buddy who keeps me honest. She served as a sounding board and thought partner as I laid out plans for a new vision for my career and my life.
In Alisa, I’ve found a coach to run alongside me. With her support, I’ve left behind biting off more than I can chew. For me, that meant shifting from a role where I was on the front lines of advocacy—a daily political battlefield—to one where I’m helping to lead a network of nearly 90 education organizations whose mission is to build a better tomorrow for our nation’s students.
I’ve partnered with Alisa to ensure that I’m living a values-based leadership approach. One that requires looking closely at the present I’m constructing, to match the future I’m dreaming of creating. With Alisa’s guidance, we have focused on building my capabilities to:
Coach a team to pursue excellence in service to the greater good and celebrate our progress along the way.
Demonstrate consistently that my team can rely on one another, assuming the best intentions of each other, problem solve as a team, and exhibit a bias toward action.
Have the courage to be vulnerable and say what I think, especially when it’s inconsistent with my organization’s values.
Understand how to provide constructive feedback in service to our individual growth and our collective growth as a team.
Seek balance between hustle and rest – starting the day mindfully and maintaining our sense of urgency by not clocking out until we’re proud of our productivity.
Alisa helped guide me through the process of seeking out a new role, building a team, and helping to strengthen my team culture, all through a prism of values-based leadership.
About Courtney
Courtney Criswell is Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Program at PIE Network. She brings more than 15 years of experience in education policy-making and is a seasoned advocate and coalition builder. Courtney’s leadership centers on ensuring that all students have access to a great education, a pathway to go to and through college, and be empowered to lead a choice-filled life. She’s led a coalition of the nation’s highest-performing charter school networks that have successfully advocated on policies spanning K-12 education, higher education, immigration, and school nutrition. When Courtney needs a moment to recharge, you are likely to find her walking her energetic pair of dachshunds, channeling Joanna Gaines on home improvement projects, or out sailing.