Alpha vs Sigma
The war that Sigmas never win
The important thing to understand about hierarchy, and what both Sigmas and Gammas tend to miss, is that there is no such thing as being “right” inside the hierarchy. There is only being “in alignment” or “out of alignment” with it. Alphas, Bravos, Deltas, and women all understand this intrinsically. Omegas effectively get it, although they’re so out-of-alignment with everyone and unlikely to challenge anything that their natural instincts tend to lead them the right way in these environments.
Due to their effectiveness, Sigmas often win battles inside hierarchies, but always at a cost. Because no matter how many battles they win, each victory is Pyrrhic and further erodes the organization’s ability to tolerate him.
Dag may well be right. He may well be saving the company from a debacle. But he is doing so at the expense of his further rise within the organization.
When gammas are right they spend the rest of forever reminding everyone. When sigmas are right, everyone else spends the rest of forever reminding each other.
I can't think of an employee with more write-ups and PIPs than the one trying to keep an organization from hemorrhaging money and breaking several laws.
I can see why sigmas just start to ignore all external cues and do what they see best. Most corporate feedback is foolish but it is almost always inactionable as well. An institution that cannot execute its stated mission is not going to be able to direct its employees.