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Lead from where you are
A common question from future leaders is how to get experience leading before the job is thrust upon them. They may think they have to be promoted into a leadership role first, and then the experience will come naturally. As with most skills, this is the hard path and can easily lead to disappointment all around. Those who promoted the person see them struggling with the new responsibilities. The person themselves feels overwhelmed and doubts their choice to accept the role or their ability to do it. If you’re looking for a leadership role, don’t wait for this approach. Instead, remember leadership is a behavior, not a role.
To build your leadership skills, bring them into your life now. No matter what you’re doing, you have an opportunity to lead. At first, you may only be leading yourself, but depending on how you spend your time, you may have opportunities to lead others as well. Through volunteer organizations, schools, or your local community, the opportunity to lead is often present. If you intend to lead at work, learning to lead outside of work can be a great way to build and demonstrate these skills. Even within your job, you can find opportunities to lead. It could be as simple as putting together a study group for a certificate you and your teammates are interested in getting. Or leading a donation drive to connect a cause you care about to your company’s giving programs.
