I’ve encountered “Founder’s Syndrome” in three different organizations, and in each case, anyone who was perceived as a potential critic (rightly or wrongly) or competitor has been aggressively punished and purged. In the first, an internationally-acclaimed environmental NGO that was operating in an area where I did research, mobbed its own social scientists, hired people to spy and report back to the organization on anyone they thought might critique it, controlled what reporters and consultants said, and engaged in vicious attacks in an effort to protect the image of its founder. In another case, a social movement about depleted uranium became controlled by a small faction that issued threats and warnings to and about anyone they thought might present alternative views and engaged in an unrelenting campaign against one of the movements own founders whose views differed from the faction. Finally, in the anti-bullying campaign, leaders Gary Namie and David Yamada have behaved so aggressively and boorishly in their efforts to dehumanize, discredit and isolate anyone with different views on the topic, or anyone they perceived as “competitors” that they have undermined their own credibility and moral leadership.
In all three cases, “threats” were perceived and responded to at the mere whiff of difference; leadership called on a small group to carry out the aggression; and they showed no concern for accuracy in either the data they used to support their mission or in the slander and libel they engaged in to discredit others. Gary Namie has indeed sought to discredit you, and has even contacted me and told me I would regret associating with you after I wrote a favorable review of your documentary. His efforts to smear you are unmistakable, unprofessional, and clearly intended to bully you out the door on this topic. Thank you for standing up to such tactics.
OUR BULLY PULPIT 
I’ve encountered “Founder’s Syndrome” in three different organizations, and in each case, anyone who was perceived as a potential critic (rightly or wrongly) or competitor has been aggressively punished and purged. In the first, an internationally-acclaimed environmental NGO that was operating in an area where I did research, mobbed its own social scientists, hired people to spy and report back to the organization on anyone they thought might critique it, controlled what reporters and consultants said, and engaged in vicious attacks in an effort to protect the image of its founder. In another case, a social movement about depleted uranium became controlled by a small faction that issued threats and warnings to and about anyone they thought might present alternative views and engaged in an unrelenting campaign against one of the movements own founders whose views differed from the faction. Finally, in the anti-bullying campaign, leaders Gary Namie and David Yamada have behaved so aggressively and boorishly in their efforts to dehumanize, discredit and isolate anyone with different views on the topic, or anyone they perceived as “competitors” that they have undermined their own credibility and moral leadership.
In all three cases, “threats” were perceived and responded to at the mere whiff of difference; leadership called on a small group to carry out the aggression; and they showed no concern for accuracy in either the data they used to support their mission or in the slander and libel they engaged in to discredit others. Gary Namie has indeed sought to discredit you, and has even contacted me and told me I would regret associating with you after I wrote a favorable review of your documentary. His efforts to smear you are unmistakable, unprofessional, and clearly intended to bully you out the door on this topic. Thank you for standing up to such tactics.
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