How to Acquire Leadership Skills

Be aggressive about becoming a leader.

Becoming a leader does not occur by osmosis. If you want to be a leader, you need to work at it. You probably have some of the skills mastered already. You may have excellent communications skills, or you already have a pretty good idea of what your vision is. You may even have that gift to inspire others. but if you lack some skills, knowledge, or experience, go out and get them!

How? Here are some suggestions:

Enroll in formal leadership programs. There are plenty of management training programs; aim for the ones designed specifically for leaders. Offered by consulting companies or universities, these programs may include focused weekend workshops or yearlong programs that cover the whole range of leadership skills. The training techniques may vary from case discussions and role playing to games that simulate analytical or decision-making situations.

Learn from experience. Even here, however, don't learn passively. Think strategically about how you will gain the experience you need. here are some ways to gain real leadership experience:

Ask to be assigned to challenging projects that will provide new and unusual problems to solve, such as joining a cross-functional team or a team working on a merger or acquisition.

Stay Alert. Try to observe situations from different perspectives. Watch how different people approach and solve similar problems.

Don't be afraid to fail. You probably learn more from failing once or twice than from succeeding all the time. The important thing is to take responsibility for your failure and recognize how you could do better the next time.

Get involved in a variety of assignments; don't just do the same old tasks over and over again.

Ask for feedback. Find out from others how you are doing. Be open to helpful criticism.

Elect to join job rotation programs. These programs can help you develop your managerial, technical, business, and communication skills in diverse roles.

Find a true mentor. Mentoring may seem like an excellent source for gaining knowledge about leadership, but the results have been mixed. The mentor should have the experience you want to gain, a genuine willingness to help you along, and a positive relationship with you.

ACTION POINT: Identify the programs, experience and mentors that will develop your leadership skills.