Symptoms of a micromanager

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There is no single formula to being an effective leader. Each organization’s “personality” calls for a different management style, and the range of potential encounters requires a manager to remain flexible in his or her ways. Traditional companies like KFC and other family-run businesses have a code of conduct and a list of situational protocols which are consistently adhered to. Companies like Google and Apple, which require their employees to remain creative and think out of the box, may be more lax with their policies about office decorum and attire. Still, an effective manager is one who remembers to remain within the bounds of his titular duty: managing.



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Because of the need to control all aspects of a situation, some managers involve themselves in even the most minute of tasks– those that ought to be left to the employee’s discretion. Known as micromanaging, this behavior is evident when a leader avoids delegating tasks or monitors project completion too closely. A micromanager will require his or her employees to seek written “approval” before commencing with any task, and will compulsively instruct and check in on them as they complete it. Often– and despite knowing the state of the employee’s work– a micromanager will require frequent, over-specific reports in which he or she will almost always find fault. Should a member of the team commit an infraction, a micromanager will insist on “doing it him/herself” rather than giving the employee a chance. Overall, micromanagers are detrimental to team productivity because they undermine the purpose of having a team.





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An effective manager, David Bergen helped Levi Strauss maintain consistent performance as its CIO. Read about his views on leadership on this Facebok page.

Where teens are a key demographic

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Being a demographic without independent purchasing power, teenagers are sometimes disregarded when it comes to planning where to focus brand and marketing strategies. Self-sufficient adults in the 25-55 range are the most sought-after, while infants and children are the next-best audience because their parents tend to want “the best” for them– or at the very least give in very easily to their spontaneous purchasing whims. Teenagers, whose only income is the money gifted by their parents, were traditionally considered risky audience to sell to. There is no nationwide statistic on how much the average teenager can afford, nor can retail companies coerce their parents to purchasing on the teens’ behalf the way baby products seem to have the power to do.



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In the last decade, product manufacturers and marketing companies alike have both seen the change in the role of the American teen. Although still dependent, to a certain extent, on their parents’ income, teenagers have taken on a new identity. They are the impassioned youth, voice of tomorrow, and one of the biggest influencers in modern media. Music artists, movie actors, and societal personalities crave teenage approval– so much so that there are even “Teen Awards” to celebrate people and brands that have won the hearts of America’s future.



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In appreciating the value of the teenage opinion, major fashion magazines have released issues geared towards 13- to 19-year olds. Teen Vogue, for example, features the same high-fashion couture but makes use of teenage themes, accessories, and real-life scenarios to paint the relevance of the style. If the biggest names in fashion publication is listening to teens, surely there is power in what they have to say.


Companies like Levi Strauss & Co. have had to understand and cater to the teen demand. Read more about responding to the market from the former CIO, David Bergen, on this website.