Leadership Lessons from Abercrombie and Fitch

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Leadership Lessons from Abercrombie and Fitch

Abercrombie and Fitch. Just saying the name will cause some to suffer severe anxiety. It seems that they are proud to be exclusionary. They only want to sell clothing to young people who have a specific body type and self-image.

Sometimes they put messages on their clothes that offend people.

I’ve held off on this issue because I wanted to see how it played out. If stock prices are any indication, they seem to have survived the storm. This isn’t a discussion of whether A&F is a bad company. It’s a commentary on what leaders can learn from the company’s current woes in the marketplace.

1. The rise of social media and the 24 hour news cycle cannot be ignored. The latest hullabaloo about A&F was largely the result of a few people posting comments and getting public notice for their opinion. I say a few people because compared to the overall population, the number who are truly offended is very small, but very loud.

2. What you say and write these days lives forever. Part of the controversy stems from a comment made by A&F CEO Mike Jeffries in 2006. That interview resurfaced 7 years later as more grist for the mill in 2013. Be careful what you say; it could come back to haunt you.

3. Especially in today’s world, there seems to be an ever increasing likelihood of offending people. This is true in the workplace as well and leaders must be careful. The best way to minimize problems is to be fair in your treatment of everyone. At the same time you must be what you are. A&F has decided they want to market exclusively to a certain segment of the population. As a leader you must be true to your own values and vision. You will not please all the people all the time. Of course, taking a less divisive approach will make you more successful.

One other point from all this. A&F markets to a relatively small niche and some of their efforts offend anther small niche. The vast majority either aren’t offended or don’t buy from them. The idea that we must be quick to righteous indignation toward those with whom we don’t agree isn’t helpful. Leaders must swiftly address this dilemma if and when it arises and not allow one person’s discontent to spoil the entire team.