They seek out new ideas from other people who they come in contact with and incorporate and find ways to apply this newfound knowledge in their own business activities. They have an always-learning mindset, this being one of the highly valued qualities of good leadership.

Managing like this seems to come naturally to some people, while others have to learn how to manage in this way. The thing is that such leadership skill development can be taught and learned. Any one can do this. In the end, it is nothing more than ordered common sense.

The focus in such learning must be on working in a collegiate manner on specific business concerns with each other. This is achieved by following the five steps listed below:

Understand What is Going On

There is an old adage that says two heads are better than one. This is not always true, but where people in a management role are thinking about the same business issue and discussing it freely and honestly, it is more likely than not that they will get a better handle on it.

The different perspectives that can be brought to bear in a management situation are invaluable. Some managers filter information through the lens of finance and accounting, others through the impact that a management decision might have on people. Others will be focused on the present and current realities, while still others will be future-oriented in their interpretation of the information. All these predispositions and many others bring invaluable insights to bear in contributing their perspectives and gaining a total picture of an important business concern.

Clearly Articulate the Agreed Objectives

Once a clear picture and an agreed understanding have emerged from this collegiate approach to addressing specific business issues, it is much easier then to establish an agreed set of objectives. This is achieved by ensuring that the shared meaning is translated into clearly articulated business objectives that must be met to resolve the issue at hand.

Develop an Action Plan

Once the objectives have been outlined, it is relatively easy to create an action plan that fulfills the relevant objectives within the agreed time frames and with the proper delegations and accountabilities assigned.

Implement the Plan

Effective managers get going and they act. Once the situation is clearly understood and clarity has been gained around the objectives that have to be met, taking into account inherent risks and opportunities, responsibilities and accountabilities, they act.

Evaluate and Incorporate New Learning

Effective managers work with and through others using common approaches to matters of concern. In so doing, they are in constant communication with their colleagues and their direct reports and vice versa. Because of this they are able to deal quickly with emerging issues during the implementation of any small business plan. This ongoing and immediate feedback allows for incorporating new knowledge into the successful ongoing management of the business situation being addressed.