Finding

• Experience. Important, but not as important as the willingness to learn.
• Ambiguity. A high tolerance for uncertainty and change.
• Play well with others. No place for lone eagles. Comfortable and patient with people who lack understanding.
• Collaborative. Understands a cooperative approach to doing things, both within the organizational team and in working with other organizations. Can see the bigger picture.
• Openness. No room for ideological rigidity (OS righteousness).
• Honesty. This refers not only to interpersonal dealings but also in giving feedback to the organization on what does and doesn't work. For people you hire who work with children, it also means checking backgrounds.
• Diversity. I don't mean be locked into a politically correct formula, I mean an institutional disposition to inclusion and broad representation on the staff, including volunteers. By this I mean all kinds of diversity: color, background, education, age, experience, physical ability. It is very important to be open-minded about who might be a good fit for your organization.

Keeping

• Thank you.
• Release time.
• Ongoing training.
• Tools
• Regular evaluations.
• Clear expectations.
• Flexible work style.
• Pay.
• Paths for growth.