Another key leadership skill – Adaptive learning
It’s important to continue to learn and adapt all the time. Great leaders realize that the environment is in a constant state of change and that being able to spot the movement and capitalize on it rather than having to react is important. While we all realize the importance of this it is so easy to be in a routine that squeezes out the time need to recognize the changes occurring around us. This is particularly difficult for the leader who may be shielded from these changes due to the day to day issues that need to be dealt with. 
So how does the effective leader keep their eye on these potential shifts in the environment? Staying curious is one way to avoid being blind sided. Talking to people outside the daily routine, maybe a day spent visiting customers that you don’t normally see. Talking to people 2 or more rungs below you on the org chart can reveal interesting information. What ideas do these employees and customers have? How would they run the organization? What do they see others doing that your organization doesn’t do. Being curious keeps you on your toes because one good question leading to a new insight will lead to more and more discoveries. More to come….