The Path of Humiliation

Last summer, our daughter, Phoebe, was living in Indianapolis for an internship. She raved about this  local organization centered on art and neighborhood renewal. 

She told us about Joanna Taft. 

Joanna founded the Harrison Center and still leads it, 25 years later. In my experience, people in the arts are usually thoughtful and independent, marching to their own drum and inviting others to join the band. 

This was true of Joanna. But I was also surprised at how that feels for her. 

“You know what my biggest fear is? Humiliation. That is my biggest fear. So imagine how painful my job is. I'm always doing things that have this huge potential to fail and are very public. I am afraid of being humiliated. But yet I feel called to do something. That is a recurring theme and nightmare and blessing in my work.”

Most people assume top leaders are tremendously confident, Type-A winners. But my conversations with nonprofit CEOs have unearthed something quite different.