What do you do if you want to gain leadership experience early in your strategy career?

Volunteering for extra projects or committees within your organization is an excellent way to showcase your leadership potential. Seek Mentors by find a mentor who is experienced in strategy and leadership. A mentor can accelerate your learning curve by providing guidance, feedback, and opportunities to take on more responsibility. Expand Your Knowledge by continuously learn and stay updated on industry trends, best practices, and emerging strategies. Attend conferences, workshops, and participate in strategy forums online. Network Strategically by engage with professionals in your industry.

Acquiring leadership skills takes a long time. For a Strategist role, leadership skills are important. You can assume leadership role, with your strategic thinking and plans. Volunteer roles provide leadership opportunities, in small but steady manner. With your dynamic participation and contributions, you can gain visibility to assume larger leadership roles gaining more leadership attributes.

Personally I feel this should be a requirement for many roles in business. Being able to be a human/ have empathy and strong soft skills is essential. Volunteering does this. People can learn certain strategy skills but life experiences and lessons should be seen as key in business and personal growth. I have often made sure I have worked on core leadership skills be giving time to volunteering. I have volunteered for Shout Crisis Support which helped me understand peoples mental health and those discussions in a different way and also The Diana Award to help our younger generations.

Look for opportunities to lead any kind of project or organisation, it doesn't have to be in your particular specialism. This gets you started and gets you transferable skills to talk about at interviews.

Volunteering frequently within your organization can significantly boost your visibility and leadership skills. Engaging in additional projects or committees allows you to demonstrate your strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and willingness to take initiative. Leading volunteer projects offers the chance to gain recognition from senior management and collaborate across different departments. This cross-functional experience is crucial for achieving a holistic understanding of the business and showcases your ability to manage and lead diverse teams and projects.

Mentors add tremendous value if it’s the right fit, and a mentee can also share perspective for a mutually beneficial relationship. Finding a mentor is no more than building a relationship with a professional you look up to who can offer perspective and experience in areas that you are developing. Considering a board of mentors who can all contribute an individual perspective, which in combination gives you a holistic understanding. Be clear on your goals, make sure that communication is effective, and always express your appreciation for their time. The best mentors will tell you that which others will not, which is a sign of respect and care. If you find this, cherish it, cultivate it, and pay it forward!

Finding a mentor in your organisation who is in leadership allows you to benefit from their expertise but will likely also give you an insight into strategy at your business. This enables you to think critically about real life situations at play and also gives you the chance to reflect on how you would handle a situation they are facing.

Be open to work with leaders in your organization when they need any support. Be the first to raise your hand for such opportunities.

It's absolutely crucial to have right mentor within the organization in early career. If you're lucky enough, you might have your line manager as your mentor. Otherwise, pursue someone from the mid-top level management and establish yourself as the right mentee. As a mentee, "being sincere" would be one of the greatest traits.

You need to seek the guidance and support of an experienced leader, as your Mentor. You can learn from him and from his experiences nuances of leadership skills. With the feedback from your Mentor on your progress and on your shortcomings, you can use your strategic thinking to modify yourself to achieve the desired objectives.

With over 30 years of leading people, it’s all about assuming the mantle with humility. You don’t need the title, just that calm, “look to” person who can step back and support the team. In the late 90s, I was in a HUGE engineering department. I slipped into a leadership position within the team without title, recognising the gaps within the team. Fill those gaps for the greater good - everything else follows.

Leadership is also about working with less experience staff and showing them how you reached a conclusion - the steps and though processes along the way. I often would invite younger staff to think through the issue with me and encourage them to figure out the next steps. People can do much more than their job titles; something they just needs someone with experience to trust their perspectives.

Be brave enough to express your views during discussions and strategy team meetings. This will demonstrate that you can think clear and structurally.

"Leadership" is all about empowering the others to achieve what they earlier thought was impossible. You don't need any title or qualifications to become a leader. You can scan the environment around you and spot opportunities that require some direction and influence to volunteer to serve the people in that situation. All that you need to do is build trust and rapport and make them feel that you can unite them for their common cause. Even without any formal leadership position or authority, you can demonstrate your ability to be a leader.

Leading without a formal title demonstrates your innate leadership qualities and strategic thinking. You can assume leadership roles in situations needing direction and show your ability to guide and influence others, irrespective of your official position. You can focus on uniting your team around shared objectives and propelling progress. Exhibiting such initiative and capability enhances your reputation as a natural leader and strategic thinker, underscoring that effective leadership transcends formal titles and positions.

In the realm of strategy, genuine leadership emerges from the fusion of varied perspectives. It entails stepping out of one's familiar territory and embarking on a journey of exploration. This journey is pivotal for anyone aspiring to excel in the strategic domain. True leaders understand the importance of venturing beyond their comfort zones, seizing every chance to broaden their knowledge across diverse fields. Such endeavors not only enhance comprehension but also refine adaptability and critical thinking abilities – qualities indispensable for effective leadership.

You need to expand your knowledge base staying informed on current trends in the business and social environments. You can expand your knowledge and augment leadership skills by attending in-person leadership courses, participating in workshops, conferences and seminars. You can interact with people in your profession and gain insights from their experiences also.

Read articles, blog posts that address the business needs of your industry, even if they seem to not be currently applicable to your position. When you are at a seminar, pay extra attention to the sessions that discuss the big picture. If you read or hear something interesting, ask questions of others in your company as to whether there is any applicability.

If you work for a decently large organization, get to know the key players and departments. One of my early mentors taught me to study the PnL of any organization I work for and understand the departments that drive the biggest results for the firm. Then, take it upon yourself to meet with individuals and leaders in those departments to understand their career paths and what they do on a daily basis. This will allow you to get good perspective on the business as a whole and also build alliances across the organization.

You need to expand your network by interacting with your peers in the profession and with your acquaintances in the workshops, conferences and seminars. With the new relationships established, you can build trust and rapport that will attract more/better leadership opportunities for you. With effective networking with your peers and seniors in the profession, you can enhance your leadership attributes.

Know what you know and then expand from there. Offer your opportunities by offering to help people on difficult projects - go to the project manager and offer your help if a research questions arises. Show that you can and will do more.

Identify Relevant Technologies: Research and identify technologies that are relevant to strategic problem-solving in your industry. This could include data analytics platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, machine learning algorithms, simulation software, and strategic planning software. Learn New Tools and Techniques: Invest time in learning how to use new technologies effectively. Take advantage of online courses, workshops, tutorials, and certifications to build your skills in using technology for strategic problem-solving.