The pendulum may be swinging back from the far reaches of micro-management. The US Army expects its medium brigades to operate over wider areas, making micro-management difficult. The 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division (the first of the Medium Brigades to be organized) is teaching junior officers and senior sergeants a concept known as "initiative within intent" (i.e., to empower junior leaders to make decisions as long as they say inside the limits set by their commander). Three programs are in process. 

@ A series of 80 "tactical vignettes" written by Training and Doctrine command are used for group discussions on what would be the correct decision in a given case.

@ Every three months, 40 sergeants are selected to attend a two-week course in leadership science taught by college professors.

@ Every three months (usually while the sergeants are away at class), each battalion gives its junior enlisted people a variety of courses designed to raise their "General Technical" ratings, which make them eligible for other schools and courses that could enhance their careers and get them promotions.--Stephen V Cole