This is a guest newsletter from team member Leslie Hansen.

People who work at nonprofits don’t just show up for a paycheck. They show up because they believe in the work. That shared sense of purpose is a genuine competitive advantage, and the research backs it up.

Studies, for example from Gallup, consistently show that purpose-aligned employees are more productive, more innovative, and far more likely to stay. In Gallup’s analysis, highly engaged teams deliver 18% more productivity and see 78% less absenteeism. That’s the secret sauce behind how nonprofits get so much done with so little.

But there’s a flip side worth paying attention to. Researchers at Duke and the University of Groningen have identified a pattern they call “passion exploitation,” finding that passionate, loyal workers are more likely to be targeted for unpaid overtime, unreasonable demands, and poor treatment, precisely because their commitment makes it easy to justify. And critically, those workers often accept it, because they care too much to push back.

Respect and Trust Your People isn’t just a nice value; it’s a leadership responsibility. When you ask your team to go above and beyond, make sure it’s a moment, not a default. Pay people well, protect work-life balance, and give credit where it’s due. Your people’s belief in the mission is a gift. The way you honor it defines your culture.

  • If you’re honest with yourself, has your organization ever treated passion as a substitute for fair pay, reasonable hours, or clear boundaries?

  • What could you do this week to show your team that their belief in the mission is genuinely honored, not just assumed?

Watch this very short video where Jim Morgan talks about communicating culture.

Or watch this 8-minute video where Jim talks with Irene Chavez about “Cultivating Culture, Creativity, and Purpose in Organizations.”