Your nonprofit organization is only as strong as the people behind it. When the right people are doing the right things, your mission moves forward with greater clarity, energy, and effectiveness. So how do you know if your team is set up to create the impact you’re striving for?
Right People
Getting your people right starts with defining who the right people are for your mission. That’s why identifying your core values isn’t optional—it’s essential. Your values shape how your team shows up, makes decisions, and serves your community. They’re the foundation of a culture built with intention, not by accident.
As leaders, we need to use those values when we’re hiring, giving feedback, promoting, or making the hard calls about whether someone is the right fit. Are they aligned with your mission? Do they live out your organization’s values day to day?
Even the most talented person can unintentionally erode your culture if they aren’t aligned. On the other hand, when your team is value-aligned, you build trust, unity, and momentum—creating a mission-driven organization that truly lives its purpose.
Right Seats
Once you’ve got the right people, the next step is ensuring they’re in the right seats.
This is where the Accountability Chart comes in—it’s not your typical org chart. Traditional charts show hierarchy and titles; the Accountability Chart focuses on function and ownership. It defines the key roles that move your mission forward and assigns one person who is fully accountable for each area.
Every role has clear responsibilities, and only one person owns each seat—so nothing falls through the cracks. This creates clarity, accountability, and better collaboration across your team and board.
Do They GWC™?
One of the most helpful tools for nonprofit teams is the GWC™ filter: Get it, Want it, and Capacity to do it.
- Get it – Do they truly understand the role and what success looks like?
- Want it – Do they genuinely want the responsibilities and challenges that come with it—not just the title or paycheck?
- Capacity – Do they have the time, energy, skills, and support to do it well? Capacity can often be built with the right training or resources; “get it” and “want it” are much harder to fix.
GWC helps you assess whether each team member is positioned for success. It’s not about effort—it’s about alignment between the person and the seat.
Using the People Analyzer®
To get a full picture of whether someone is the Right Person in the Right Seat, the People Analyzer® is a simple but powerful tool. It helps leadership teams evaluate:
- Right Person: Do they consistently live your organization’s core values?
- Right Seat: Do they GWC—Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do the job?
The People Analyzer removes emotion and subjectivity, giving your team a clear, shared language for feedback and people decisions. It’s not about judgment—it’s about clarity, alignment, and helping everyone thrive in their role.
When you have the right people in the right seats, you’ll feel it. Communication flows. Accountability sticks. Your mission gains traction—and your impact grows.
Want a free copy of The People Analyzer® or are you ready to learn more about running on EOS? Reach out: haley.patterson@eosworldwide.com
To learn more about how EOS can help nonprofits, join Haley for a free webinar on December 1st. Register here.
Haley Patterson is a Professional EOS® Implementer who is committed to helping leaders achieve real, measurable traction—so they can get everything they want from their business and their life.
She works with leaders who are ready to get unstuck and create sustainable, scalable businesses. Using the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS), Haley guides teams to create clarity, build a healthy culture, drive accountability, and grow with intention.
Her sessions are high-impact, help-first, and packed with real-world takeaways leaders can put into practice immediately—whether they’re brand new to EOS or just ready to lead their business with more confidence and less chaos.