I speak to a lot people about their career goals. One of the most common goals people strive for is to move into leadership. However, the toughest part about achieving that goal is finding a way to hone your management skills before you have to do it for a living.
Take a look around your company or your community and you’ll find that there are lots of opportunities for you to take on a leadership role any time you want. Most companies have brainstorming groups, peer review boards and project committees. Your community is undoubtedly in great need of leaders for charity drives, book clubs or even coaches for sports teams. Any one of these groups can offer you an opportunity to test your skills as a leader and get a taste for what a professional management role might require.
Finding a way to exercise active leadership behavior before you are employed as a manager is a good idea for many reasons. First, getting involved in one or more of these activities will give you the chance to practice your leadership skills in a safe environment where you’re not paid or expected to be the expert. It’s a simple fact that most of us learn by trial and error; it’s always a good idea to get some of your early mistakes out of the way in a low-pressure environment. You may not be the best at leading a local book club or you may start out as a lousy little league coach, but making mistakes in these settings won’t cost your company a penny and people will be quicker to forgive your shortcomings in a volunteer position.
Additionally, taking on leadership roles in non-core areas can send a message to your superiors that you are interested in being an example. As your skill set improves, it will give you an opportunity to showcase your talents. No one has ever been passed over for a management position because they were too involved in leadership roles in the company or their community.
Finally, testing your management capacity in a non-career area gives you the opportunity to make sure that leadership is something that you really want in the first place. Over the years I’ve seen many people who chased after management roles because they thought it was the next logical career move, not because they really wanted it. Leadership is a team sport and requires you to work as an example and a motivator, not a doer. When it comes down to it, some people just don’t like it. It’s a great idea to give yourself a taste of that role before you accept a new position and find out it’s not for you.
The only real key to landing a leadership role is a commitment to developing the skills you’ll need to excel one that job becomes yours. Why wait until the next position opens up when you could start your leadership journey today? Get out there and find out what you’re made of!