Experience is a wonderful teacher. You can read books, watch YouTube videos, and take courses on leadership — all of which are good and useful — but until you do it, until you lead others, you are missing a critical step in the learning process.
But how do you get leadership experience if you aren’t in a leadership role? And what do you do if it might be a while before you can move into a leadership role?
Two quick recommendations:
First Idea: Do not think that you can only lead if you have an official leadership role. You can lead from any role in the organization. Leadership is about influence. It is about helping others get where they want or need to go. There are many skills you can practice and develop from any role that will help you become a leader. Begin practicing them now.
Still, that isn’t the kind of leadership experience people want. They want an official role where they can formally lead people. How do you get that kind of experience?
Second Idea: Volunteer. There are churches, service organizations, and civic organizations throughout your city that always need volunteers. Always. Pick one that does something you care about, walk in, and volunteer. Keep going back week after week. Be faithful in your volunteering and, sooner than you imagine, you will be given a leadership role where you can get all the experience you want. If there is one thing volunteer organizations need more than volunteers, it is volunteer leaders.
This is also some of the best leadership experience you can get. Why do I say that? Because leading volunteers, in many respects, takes more leadership skill than leading employees.
Volunteers aren’t paid. They show up for free because they care about the cause, those they are serving, and those they serve alongside. If they don’t like you, trust you, or respect you, they won’t follow you. They will simply stop volunteering. Leading a successful volunteer team will require you to become a better leader.
When you lead employees, on the other hand, you have leverage. If they don’t follow you, they could lose their job. That leverage can sometimes mask leadership deficiencies.
If you want leadership experience, go volunteer. Then lead volunteers. Take what you learn and practice it at work, regardless of the role you are in. It will either be noticed, and you will be given opportunities where you are, or you will have the experience to find leadership roles in other places.
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Thank you!
Great advice for anyone trying to grow their leadership and influence ability!