Here’s something we hear all the time from nonprofit leaders: “We can’t attract or retain top talent.”

They say it like it’s a market problem. Like talent is just scarce.

But here’s what we actually think: It’s a leadership problem.

At The Batten Group, we’ve spent decades working with nonprofit executives and boards, and we’ve noticed something consistent about the organizations that build exceptional teams. It’s not because they have the biggest budgets. It’s not because they’re located in tech hubs or offer fancy perks.

It’s because they have leaders worth following.

And there’s a massive difference.

The best people in the nonprofit sector—the ones who could make six figures in the private sector but choose mission-driven work instead—they’re selective. They want to work for someone who’s going somewhere. Someone who can paint a picture of the future that’s so compelling, they can’t help but want to be part of it.

That leader has five core traits. Not all of them come naturally. But all of them can be developed.

Let us walk you through them.

Here’s a brutal truth: Most leaders don’t know how to communicate their vision.

They can describe it. They can write it in a strategic plan. But can they paint a picture with words that makes people feel the mission?

That’s where most leaders fall short.

Vision isn’t just about knowing where your organization is headed. It’s about being able to translate that direction into something so vivid, so tangible, that your team can see it, understand it, and commit to it.

The Vision Communication Challenge

Think about the best leaders you’ve worked with. We’re willing to bet that when they talked about the future of their organization, you could see it. You could imagine it. You could feel what it would be like to be part of it.

That’s not accidental.

Great leaders approach vision communication like artists. They use multiple mediums:

• Speak it: Tell stories that bring the vision to life
• Write it: Use vivid language in emails, plans, and communications
• Draw it: Create visual representations or timelines
• Touch it: Make the vision tangible through small wins and milestones

Here’s what we recommend: Keep your organizational vision in your mind every single day. When you’re making decisions, when you’re talking to your team, when you’re at the board table—that vision should be your North Star.

Your team will feel the difference. They’ll see a leader who’s clear about where they’re going, not someone drifting along hoping to figure it out as they go.

Let’s be direct: Your team can smell inauthenticity from a mile away.

You cannot fake passion. And if you try? Your best people will leave. They’ll go somewhere else where leadership actually cares.

Passion is the fuel that drives extraordinary teams. It’s contagious. When you talk about your mission with genuine conviction, something shifts in the room. People lean in. They connect. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves.

Why Passion Matters More Than You Think

Here’s the reality: People who work in nonprofits take a pay cut compared to the for-profit sector. They do this because they believe in something. They want to work with leaders who believe in something too.

That belief is passion.

When you light the “fire in the belly” of your team—when you help them connect to the mission at a visceral level—you create something corporate money can’t buy. You create loyalty. You create discretionary effort. You create the kind of commitment that makes organizations exceptional.

The formula is simple: Connect your team to the vision. Do it with genuine passion. Watch what happens.

Your best people will move mountains for you. Your mediocre people will either step up or move on. Either way, you win.

One of the biggest differences between good leaders and great leaders is how they make decisions.

Bad decision-making creates chaos. It erodes trust. It slows everything down.

Great decision-making creates confidence. It accelerates progress. It builds a culture where people know the reasoning behind choices, even when they disagree with the outcome.

But here’s what most leaders don’t realize: Decision-making is a skill, not a trait. You can get better at it.

Introducing Q-CAT: Your Decision-Making System

We want to give you a framework that works. We use it at The Batten Group with nonprofit leaders all the time, and it transforms how organizations operate.

It’s called Q-CAT:

Q = Quick (But not hasty)

Make decisions with reasonable speed. Waiting too long is often worse than making an imperfect decision quickly. Momentum matters. But quick doesn’t mean reckless. It means deliberate speed.

C = Committed (But not rigid)

Once you make a decision, commit to it. Your team needs to see that you stand behind your choices. But committed doesn’t mean inflexible. Be willing to course-correct with new information. There’s a difference between adaptability and constantly second-guessing yourself.

A = Analytical (But don’t over-analyze)

Gather data. Run the numbers. Look at pros and cons. Create cost analyses. Get input from your team. But here’s the trap most leaders fall into: analysis paralysis.

At some point, you have to decide. More information rarely leads to certainty. It just delays the inevitable.

T = Thoughtful (But not obsessive)

Consider the impact on everyone involved—your team, your constituents, your organization’s mission. Think about unintended consequences. But don’t obsess. You can’t control every outcome.

How to Use Q-CAT

When a major decision lands on your plate, ask yourself:

• Am I moving quickly enough, or am I stalling?
• Have I committed to a decision, or am I flip-flopping?
• Have I done sufficient analysis, or am I stuck in analysis mode?
• Have I been thoughtful about stakeholders, or am I being reckless?

The Q-CAT framework tells you where you need to adjust. Are you too quick and not analytical enough? Are you so thoughtful that you’re paralyzed?

Once you understand your tendency, you can compensate.

And here’s the bonus: Teach your team this system. Help them make better decisions within their sphere of responsibility. Give them the framework and the freedom to use it.

This is where leadership really shows up.

Because building a great team isn’t about hiring the right people and hoping for the best. It’s about creating an environment where great people want to work for you and with you.

The Delegation Paradox

Here’s what separates leaders who build great teams from leaders who build mediocre ones: delegation.

But not the kind where you assign work and then disappear. And definitely not the micromanagement kind where you’re breathing down people’s necks.

Real delegation looks like this:

• You hand off responsibility clearly
• You establish expected outcomes
• You step back and let your team run with it
• You make yourself available for questions and problems
• You don’t swoop in at the first sign of trouble

This takes trust. And trust is built over time.

When Things Fall Apart (Because They Will)

Here’s where most leaders blow it: When a project stalls. When a deadline slips. When things aren’t on track.

That’s when the finger-pointing starts.

Stop.

The best leaders do the opposite. When things fall apart, they rise to the occasion. They inspire confidence. They let their team know they’re supported and ready to help.

They become a “tower of strength and endurance.”

This doesn’t mean you ignore accountability. It means you handle problems as a team, not as a firing squad. You problem-solve together. You adjust plans. You figure out what needs to change.

And here’s something people underestimate: Use humor. Seriously. When a crisis hits, a leader who can keep some levity in the room keeps people grounded. Don’t make light of the problem, but don’t suffocate in doom either.

Teaching Your Team to Decide

Remember Q-CAT? Teach it to your team. Give them permission to make decisions using this framework. Don’t require them to run every decision past you.

The multiplication that happens when your team is empowered to make decisions? That’s when organizations scale. That’s when you move from being a heroic leader (which is unsustainable) to building a system that works without you being in every conversation.

Here’s the hard truth: Without character, all the other traits are worthless.

Vision without character is manipulation. Passion without character is self-serving enthusiasm. Decision-making ability without character is power without accountability. Team building without character is using people.

Character is the foundation. Everything else builds on it.

Know Thyself

Here’s what we tell nonprofit leaders at The Batten Group: You cannot improve what you don’t understand.

Your personality, your strengths, your limitations—they all shape your leadership style. Some leaders are natural visionaries. Others are detail-oriented executors. Some lead through relationships. Others lead through systems.

There’s no “right” leadership style. But there is an authentic one for you.

And the only way to find it is to do the inner work.

Assessment Tools That Actually Help

If you don’t know your leadership style, there are proven tools that can help:

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This personality assessment has been around for decades. It helps you understand how you prefer to process information, make decisions, and interact with others. It’s particularly useful for understanding why you might clash with certain people or approaches.

360-Degree Feedback: This involves collecting feedback from people around you—your boss, your peers, your direct reports, even board members. You get to see how you’re perceived versus how you see yourself. That gap is incredibly valuable.

These aren’t just nice exercises. They’re mirrors. And as a leader, you need to look in the mirror regularly.

The Never-Ending Work of Character

Here’s what separates great leaders from good ones: Great leaders never stop growing.

They assess their character regularly. They ask for feedback. They work on their weaknesses. They lean into their strengths. They course-correct when they realize they’ve been operating in a way that doesn’t serve their team or mission.

They never arrive. They always grow.

Let us give you a simple assessment. Ask yourself these questions honestly:

Vision: Can I paint a picture of my organization’s future so clearly that my team sees it, understands it, and believes in it?

Passion: When I talk about our mission, do people feel my genuine conviction? Or do I sound like I’m reading from a script?

Decision-Making: Do I use a consistent framework for making decisions? Or am I reactive and inconsistent?

Team Building: Have I created a culture where my team feels empowered to make decisions and take action? Or do they wait for me to tell them what to do?

Character: Do I regularly assess my leadership style and work on my growth? Or have I convinced myself I’m “done developing”?

If you’re not hitting all five, you’ve identified your opportunity.

The Bottom Line

Great leaders aren’t born. They’re built.

At The Batten Group, we’ve worked with hundreds of nonprofit leaders and boards. We’ve seen organizations transform when leadership steps up. We’ve watched talented people flock to leaders who embody these five traits.

The best people want to work for leaders who:

• Know where they’re going and can inspire others to follow
• Care deeply about the mission and let that care show
• Make thoughtful decisions with reasonable speed
• Build teams that are empowered and trusted
• Never stop growing as leaders

You can be that leader.

It starts with honest self-assessment. It continues with deliberate development. And it compounds over time as your team sees what’s possible when you lead with vision, passion, good judgment, strong team dynamics, and authentic character.

Your people aren’t asking for perfection. They’re asking for leadership that matters. Leadership that has conviction. Leadership that brings out the best in them.

That’s what we help nonprofit leaders build at The Batten Group. We bring decades of perspective to serving nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. We understand the critical relationship between talent and organizational dynamics—and how to optimize both.

Because great organizations start with great leaders. And great leaders are always still learning.

At The Batten Group, we believe the right leader can transform an organization.

We’re a national nonprofit executive search firm with more than 75 years of combined experience placing CEOs, development officers, and senior leaders across nonprofits, healthcare, higher education, and mission-based organizations.

Our work goes beyond résumés. We identify mission-driven, transformational leaders who align with your culture, inspire your teams, and drive long-term impact.

👉 Learn more at thebattengroup.com, follow us on LinkedIn and X, or subscribe to our newsletter for leadership insights and nonprofit career opportunities.

The Batten Group: where mission meets leadership.