Executive Vice President of Crossland Construction

Christopher Crossland serves as a senior leader of Crossland Construction, one of the country's top 200 contracting firms. Like many of us, Chris has struggled with work/life balance issues. We asked him to share some of his thoughts and experiences. WorkMatters is proud to recognize Chris as a real faith-and-work leader.

Q - You were a workaholic early in your career. How did that happen?
A - I never really believed I was a so-called "workaholic." It was just expected in my family that hard work was the key to success. All of my family works hard, and from the very beginning of joining the family business, 70-hour work weeks were common. I grew up with that standard.

Q - What did it take to realize the situation you were in?
A - When I was asked to start our Arkansas Division, I was single with no children. My typical workday was 7:30 a.m. to somewhere around 10:00 p.m. Later, when I got married and had children, my work habits did not change, and I could tell that it was a huge burden for my wife and kids. It all came to a head when I cancelled our family vacation to Disneyworld for something at work. The amazing thing is that I can't even remember what it was. This shattered my family, and my two-year-old wouldn't even talk to me. It was bad enough that I was never home for dinner or missing my kids' events, but this time they were visibly crushed.

Q - How did your relationship with God influence a change in your work life?
A - After I cancelled our vacation, I couldn't handle my family being so cold to me. So on a whim, I rented an RV and showed up after work and informed the gang we were going to Disneyworld. I was the hero at that moment, but God had bigger plans for that trip. I arrived in Florida and was driving on a Sunday morning, and my wife and kids were asleep in the back, and I started my quiet time like this: "God what am I doing in Florida in an RV?" And an amazing thing happened. God answered and said, "I brought you here so I could talk to you." Well, I'm just an average guy who goes to church and was not used to hearing God Himself answering me, so I was really shocked. But it was one of the most precious times in my life. Bottom line, He informed me that my life was not what He wanted it to be. He wanted me to be a husband and dad and, as funny as it sounds, he wanted me to leave work at 4:30 p.m. every day! He said He would take care of the rest.

Q - Do you feel that you are making business and/or career sacrifices in your quest to live a balanced life?
A - No, I don't feel like I'm making sacrifices in my business or career. It came down to who was in control: me or God. I am committed to trusting God in business and career. Though I fail frequently, I am reminded that HE is in ultimate control, and if He wants me to succeed or fail, who can stop Him? So I am going on faith that if I am in His will, He will place me right where he wants me, and that's where I want to be in my career.

Q - How do you commit to excellence in your work AND live your personal life the way you want to?
A - I simply try to do my best. I am not the brightest or the best out there, but I always try to be the best I can be, and I realize that without God, I can do nothing. So I go to work, give my best, and leave the rest up to Him. After I am gone, I would like it said of Christopher Crossland that he may not have been the smartest or the most talented, but he was blessed by God.

Q - What specific advice would you share regarding work/life balance?
A - Do you really have faith that God is in control of all things and that He can take you to the next level? Or do you trust in your own abilities? Are you successful at being a husband or father? Ask GOD what that looks like, and then hang on! Chances are it may be a crazy ride.