From my experience, most executive leaders, and especially those with bleeding hearts for their causes, want to partner with and inspire their teams. Most want their employees to thrive and to see staff reinforce their organization’s brand values. Most want to understand who their employees are on a personal level and spend time engaging with them. So, a level-headed leader is never completely shocked when great employees leave nor do they deny being a key reason for the staff member’s departure. And then, there is the out-of-touch leader who is simply unaware of the impact that their actions have on their employees.

1. Effective leaders set the tone for their organization
leading by example. They ensure teams are open, e
and cohesive. They understand the need to align t
organization's mission and goals with individual con
They support openness, transparency, and organiza
agility. Effective leaders set the tone for their organ
by leading by example. They ensure teams are ope
engaged and cohesive. They understand the need t
the organization's mission and goals with individual
contributions. They support openness, transparenc
organizational agility. Effective leaders set the tone
organizations by leading by example. They ensure t
open, engaged and cohesive. They understand the
align the organization's mission and goals with indi
contributions. They support openness, transparenc
organizational agility. Effective leaders set the tone
organizations by leading by example. They ensure t
open, engaged and cohesive. They understand the
align the organization's mission and goals with indi
contributions. They support openness, transparenc
Leadership Self-Assessment for
8 Questions and Answers for the Mission-Driven Executive
Talent Retention
COPYRIGHT NONPROFITHR 2021
IMPACTSEARCHADVISORS.COM

2. ABOUT
NONPROFIT HR
WE WERE FOUNDED WITH ONE
GOAL IN MIND: TO
STRENGTHEN THE NONPROFIT
SECTOR BY STRENGTHENING
ITS PEOPLE.
Animal Rights
Healthcare
Professional Societies
Arts & Culture
Housing & Community Development
Research
Community Organization
Human Rights
Social Justice
Economic Development
Immigration
Social & Human Services
Environmental
Membership Organizations
Trade Associations
Faith-based
Museums
Women's Issues
Foundations
Policy & Advocacy
Social Enterprises
& many others
Nonprofit HR is the country’s leading
and oldest firm focused exclusively on
the talent management needs of social
impact organizations. We focus our
efforts on project-based human
resources consulting, HR outsourcing,
talent acquisition, and executive search.
Nonprofit HR also offers customized
trainings, research and events, all with
the objective of strengthening the
people management capacity of the
workforce.
Since 2000, our staff of credentialed
experts have advanced the impact of
some of the world’s most influential
brands in the sector.
MISSIONS WE SERVE:

3. 2
1
4
6
8
10
12
13
15
CONTENTS
T
A
B
L
E
O
F
H O W C R E D I B L E I S Y O U R
L E A D E R S H I P ?
I N T R O D U C T I O N
H A V E Y O U C L E A R L Y A R T I C U L A T E D Y O U R
V I S I O N T O Y O U R S T A F F ?
A S C E O , H O W C L E A R L Y H A V E Y O U
A R T I C U L A T E D Y O U R C U L T U R E ?
A R E Y O U O P E N T O N E W I D E A S F R O M Y O U R
S T A F F ?
D O E S Y O U R S T A F F S E E Y O U R
C O M M I T T M E N T T O D I V E R S I T Y ?
H O W W E L L D O Y O U C A L C U L A T E A N D
M A N A G E R I S K ?
H O W W E L L D O Y O U V A L U E Y O U R
L E A D E R S H I P T E A M ?
A R E Y O U T U N E D I N T O Y O U R
O R G A N I Z A T I O N ' S O P E R A T I O N S ?

4. 03
Introduction
"A level-headed leader is never completely shocked when
great employees leave nor do they deny being a key
reason for the staff member’s departure."
When it comes to executive-level social sector talent,
Nonprofit HR has seen it all. As the Executive Search
Practice Area leader for the firm, I also have seen it all in
terms of reasons why great talent flees great missions.
There are a host of reasons that lead employees to resign,
and sometimes that reason is leadership. You have heard
the old adage: employees do not leave organizations, they
leave bosses. And, yes, it is partially true! But having
coached leaders for years, I know that it is not a desired
outcome for leaders.
From my experience, most executive leaders, and
especially those with bleeding hearts for their causes,
want to partner with and inspire their teams. Most want
their employees to thrive and to see staff reinforce their
organization’s brand values. Most want to understand who
their employees are on a personal level and spend time
engaging with them. So, a level-headed leader is never
completely shocked when great employees leave nor do
they deny being a key reason for the staff member’s
departure. And then, there is the out-of-touch leader who
is simply unaware of the impact that their actions have on
their employees.
In this article, I will expand on a resource that is included
in a report that Nonprofit HR recently published based on
findings from our first-ever talent retention practices
survey. The resource and this article are for C-suite
executives, especially CEOs or Executive Directors, who
may not know exactly where they are leading poorly. It is
for those leaders that have seen droves of their direct
reports leave and have an inkling that their approach to
leadership is the likely culprit but have yet to pinpoint why
and how to remedy their missteps. If any of these sound
like you and you are ready to course correct, read on!

5. Leaders lose credibility when they are unable to structure communication effectively,
do not encourage two-way communication by making space for feedback, and are not
transparent about challenges. In practice, this looks like sending memos instead of
hosting town hall or personable discussions with stakeholders. This one-way approach
screams lack of transparency. Eventually, lack of transparency chips away at even the
greatest leader’s reputation especially when problems occur that have an impact on
employees, resources, or the community they serve. Credible leaders, on the other
hand, work to build trust through open communication.They even take it a step further
by backing up what they say with actions, admitting to mistakes, seeking feedback and
explaining why concerns cannot be addressed.
Open communication is a huge part of establishing and maintaining credibility but there
are so many other aspects to credibility. This is a great time to determine how you are
faring in all of these areas. Is your work siloed in ineffective ways? How organized are
you? Are industry facts and key mission-related details at your fingertips? Can you tell a
great story on the spot to encourage or motivate your team? You can tap into employee
perception without conducting a survey or initiating any other listening tools. Here is
how.
Pay attention to staff’s facial expressions when you talk. If you observe eye-rolling, lack
of eye contact altogether, folded arms and/or low engagement during meetings, then
your credibility may be at risk. Your meetings should be lively. Employees want to
impress leadership and will engage in discussions to demonstrate an understanding of
what is being discussed and they will seek clarification on direction provided.
04
TAKE OWNERSHIP OF EMPLOYEES’ PERCEPTIONS OF YOUR
CREDIBILITY

6. 04
If your meetings finish faster than normal with little-to-no interaction or questions
raised by staff, then...Houston, we have a problem! Watching behaviors may be more
reliable than what is said as staff will unconsciously exhibit physical responses -
particularly when there is incongruence in organizational values, mission, and leadership
style.
WHAT WE’VE GOT HERE IS … FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE
Perhaps you remember the old 1967 classic, Cool
Hand Luke. In the movie, Strother Martin’s
character, Captain, famously uttered a line about
communication failure. That line has been used
countless times since the movie debut, and it still
holds true today. Great leaders are clear
communicators. They are honest and
transparent, and they are especially good at
communicating their mission’s vision. When
there are grand scale issues that threaten that
vision, great leaders know
Perhaps you remember the old 1967 classic, Cool
Hand Luke. In the movie, Strother Martin’s
character, Captain, famously uttered a line about
communication failure. That line has been used
countless times since the movie debut, and it still
holds true today. Great leaders are clear
communicators. They are honest and
transparent, and they are especially good at
communicating their mission’s vision. When
there are grand scale issues that threaten that
vision, great leaders know that they cannot fix
them in a closet.

7. At Impact Search Advisors, we understand that an executive search
process is not just a recruitment activity but an opportunity to transform
your organization and impact of your mission for years to come. Our
approach to executive search is collaborative and focused. Our deep
knowledge of the social sector gives you access to a roster of successful
executive talent like no other search firm in the nation.
Tap into our extensive network of successful relationships that span
across industries and includes a rich diversity of individuals, and
organizations.
Helping you achieve your mission is our goal and we will manage every
element of your executive search, including:
Call us:
202.660.1462
Email us:
info@impactsearchadvisors.com
Visit us online:
www.impactsearchadvisors.com
YOUR SEARCH.
OUR EXPERTISE.
NONPROFIT HR’S EXECUTIVE SEARCH
SERVICES
Aligning search strategy with
organizational goals, values, and
mission
In-depth research in relevant
networks and communities
Marketing and advertising to
prospective candidates
Competitive compensation
market analysis
Full vetting of candidates and
due diligence of background
In-depth Behavioral Executive
Search Interview Toolkit
Negotiating offer and
employment agreement terms
Post search and transition
support
Executive coaching through the
first year of employment
Partner with us to find the most effective
leaders to execute your mission.
We have performed executive searches for hundreds of organizations and
have successfully closed 100% of our retained search engagements. We
deeply value diversity, equity and inclusion.
Our flat-fee structure takes the guess-work out of the equation. We’re
confident in our work and offer a one-year replacement guarantee.

8. 2019 Nonprofit
Talent Retention
Practices Survey Data
& Tools
2019 Social Sector Retention Survey Overview Data
Creating an Intentional Culture
Quantitative Retention Metrics
Qualitative Retention Metrics
Turnover Data – Voluntary and Involuntary
Compensation Insight
Building Engagement
Leadership and Retention
Survey Participant Demographic Data
What can your organization do to keep your employees engaged? The
first step is to understand where you stand when it comes to retention.
Evaluating where you are and benchmarking your retention practices
against those of other nonprofits is a great place to begin. At Nonprofit
HR, we know that there continues to be limited data available on
nonprofit talent management practices and as a result, we remain
committed to help close this gap.
Access these data regarding these survey talent retention and practices
topics:
DOWNLOAD
NOW!
Here's what a couple
survey respondents
had to say:
We have began
conducting capacity
meetings with the CEO
for employees to speak
directly to leadership
with their concerns and
suggestions.
We provide a variety of
ways for leadership to
hear from employees,
and for employees to
know that their feedback
is received and
thoughtfully considered.