Gammas With Authority

A reader asks the Sigma about how to handle a Gamma in a position of power

People in the late ‘80s thought NWA were alarming, but the reality is that few things are more terrifying than a Gamma With Authority in an organization. Because you can be absolutely certain that he is going to abuse it in some way, quite often in a manner that you didn’t anticipate and quite possibly in one that you never imagined.

I’m on a board of a non-profit organization where the treasurer is a gamma. He’s made the non-profit a charitable one so he can be more of a bottleneck. He’s blocking spending on the basic function of the organization in order to save it all for charitable donations. It’s quite the pain and he’s having gamma fits trying to control everything.

The three other members of the board would like to remove him with minimal pain if possible. Here are a few options we’re considering.

• Encourage him to retire after this year’s reporting requirements are done? Ideal if it can be done.

• Vote him out with considerable pain, potential gamma spiral and bad transfer of responsibilities?

• Have him donate the money in the bank, nuke the organization and start fresh under a new org?

We have already backed up the repository of information.

Something else?

First, never refrain from dealing with Gamma-related problems for fear of Gamma spiraling. They rely upon the fear of their tantrums and ability to cause problems to forestall others from acting against them. That’s why they instinctively, and proactively, set about gathering power, revising rules, putting themselves in positions of influence and control, and setting up at the chokepoints and bottlenecks.

Second, the Gamma should have been fired the moment that he unilaterally altered the nature of the organization. The treasurer is not the strategic director of the organization, and so he exceeded his authority by doing so, even if he somehow possessed the ability to do it.

Third, it’s pretty evident that there are nothing but Deltas in this organization. The fact that the Gamma felt bold enough to essentially take control of the direction of the organization from his position strongly indicates that there was no one in authority who commanded enough respect to keep him in line. The response of the board is telling in this regard; they are still reluctant to take direct action against the Gamma for fear of “considerable pain”.

This inability to control Gammas and command respect from them is why Deltas can NEVER be in charge of any organization. They are too narcissistic and conflict-avoidant to be capable of policing anything or inspiring the Gammas to police themselves.

So my advice is Option 2: vote him out. Vote him out at any cost, no matter how much upheaval is threatened and regardless of whatever drama and histrionics may ensue.