#27 - John Horn: Leading Through Discomfort: Equity, Inclusion, and Employee Engagement in Nonprofits

Host Jocelyn King welcomes John Horne, Vice President of People, Culture, and Development at the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, for a thought-provoking discussion on people leadership and organizational culture within mission-driven nonprofits. Bringing over 30 years of leadership experience—including 20 years in direct service program operations—John discusses the unique dynamics of supporting a workforce spread across 30 distinct community centers throughout LA County. He addresses the specific challenge of managing an organization where 80% of employees are part-time workers, explaining why traditional turnover metrics are insufficient and how focusing on engagement scores helps measure whether staff feel connected to the core mission. John reflects on his previous tenure at LA Family Housing, where the workforce nearly tripled in size, sharing the critical warning signs that signaled a need for intentional cultural alignment. He details a comprehensive three-year journey to build an equitable pay system and inclusive framework, illustrating why organizations must move beyond informal "family-style" dynamics as they scale. John highlights the hard conversations, personal reflection, and willingness to sit with discomfort that genuine diversity, equity, and inclusion work requires from leadership at every level. The episode concludes with a deep dive into servant leadership, active listening strategies, and employee performance management. John explains how his background leading frontline homeless services informs his executive HR decisions, helping him balance genuine empathy with firm organizational accountability. He shares why he empowers employees to set the agenda for their own one-on-one meetings, emphasizing that leaders must listen to understand rather than respond, receive tough feedback without defensiveness, and foster an environment where staff feel truly valued and heard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices