Giving Compass' Take:

· Medium interviews Accion CEO Michael Schlein about balancing work and life while pursing your purpose. Schlein explains the importance of motivation and balance in philanthropy and how investing in and supporting staff is key to running a successful nonprofit. 

· How can companies encourage a healthy work-life balance? In what ways can companies invest in their employees?

· Learn why it's important for nonprofit staff to take breaks.

Accion’s President and CEO, Michael Schein, is a busy guy. He travels to dozens of countries every year, manages more than 40 impact investments around the world, and directs a 150-person organization that spans a half a dozen time zones.

And that’s just his day job: Michael also has two young children, a wife, a family, and, occasionally, tickets to see The National or one of his other favorite bands.

It should come as no surprise that Michael prioritizes finding a work-life balance — both for himself and for the rest of Accion. During a recent conversation, Michael discussed how he helps raise his family and manages a global nonprofit that has done work with more than 90 partners in 40 countries. He also made it clear that, for Accion to succeed, the organization had to invest in its staff and provide them with the support, encouragement, and flexibility they need. Here is what Michael had to share about maintaining balance while working in the social good sector.

Q: What are motivates you to work hard every day?

A: I’m driven by the chance to make a difference in peoples’ lives. What we do here is extraordinary. We’re a small nonprofit organization of 150 people, and when I tell others how much impact we’ve had on financial inclusion, our worldwide reach, and our organization’s history, people are often shocked. The chance to make a difference on a global scale, while getting to work for an organization where you know everyone’s name, is rare. Accion is like a family where we’re all in it together with a common mission to try to make life a little easier for so many people who have been left behind.

Read the full interview with Accion CEO Michael Schlein about maintaining a work-life balance at Medium.