Based on the pitchfork stacking on LinkedIn, Simon Sinek has committed the great sin of pointing out that nonprofits have a perception problem.

The word alone evokes images of positive penury, of volunteers glistening in the African sun as they stand side by side with villagers digging a well, their Birkenstocks tossed aside for a pair of TOMS because that’s the sensible brand to wear.

I’m working on writing something more in-depth, because as someone who’s worked in the nonprofit sector and regularly thinks of himself as an idealist with a mortgage, I’d like to better understand the animus around Sinek’s podcast episode.

Part of the problem is that, as Sinek points out, the word alone already is stating what you’re not about, and that’s a problem for us as humans.

It’s like describing the Mona Lisa as being not a big painting. You’re not wrong, but you’re also not giving me a picture I can get my brain around.

Plus as someone pointed out to me when talking about the fuss, “a hit dog always hollers”, which is probably the most country/Southern phrase I’ve ever put on paper before.