It’s Never Too Early to Start Building Your Experience

This week, I had the privilege of presenting at the Governance Wales Conference, where I discussed the importance of recruitment for diversity. While recruitment is relatively straightforward when there is a deep pool of high-quality candidates, the real question is: How do we ensure that we will have such a diverse, experienced talent pool in the future? How do individuals gain the necessary experience to stand out?

The answer lies in one simple truth: it’s never too early to start.

Whether you're a school pupil, student, early in your career, or already on a professional path, it's crucial to take initiatives to gain experience that will set you apart. (If you’re a parent encourage your children to do so too.) Waiting until later in your career, however successful it may be, and then deciding you want to step into leadership roles can be too late. Building the right experience takes time and intentional effort.

Here are some steps you can take to develop yourself into a well-rounded, future leader:

Start Early and Broaden Your Experiences

From your earliest days at school, through university, and into any social or professional clubs you join, seek out opportunities to volunteer, join, and even chair committees. These roles provide valuable governance experience and leadership exposure. Travel as widely as possible to gain a global perspective, and work with diverse teams to enrich your understanding of different industries and cultures.

Develop Your Public Speaking and Leadership Skills

Public speaking is a crucial skill for any leader. Seek out opportunities to practice and refine your communication skills. Attend conferences, observe seasoned professionals, and learn from their techniques (good and bad). Challenge yourself to take on leadership roles, even when they stretch your current skill set.

Study Widely and Stay Informed

Staying up-to-date with the latest business, industry and global trends is essential. Make it a habit to read influential publications like The Financial Times and The Economist. In addition to reading, regularly attend conferences and webinars to broaden your understanding and network with others. Aim to ask (intelligent) questions from the floor and work towards becoming a speaker at such events yourself;.

Take the Long-Term View in Your Career

While early specialisation can lead to rapid promotions, long-term success often favours breadth of experience. Be open to moving laterally across roles, departments or companies if it contributes to your long-term career goals. Versatility is increasingly valued at board level.

Explore Non-Executive Opportunities

If you are a high-performer in a large organisation, consider discussing the possibility of taking a non-executive director (NED) role in a subsidiary or smaller company as part of your professional development. NED roles provide unique governance experience that can significantly enhance your leadership credentials.

Build and Maintain Your Personal Brand

Never underestimate the importance of maintaining a strong presence on LinkedIn. Keep your profile up-to-date with an accurate CV, and actively engage by contributing articles and insights on industry-related topics. A well-maintained profile demonstrates that you are an engaged professional, continuously seeking growth.

Starting early is key, but wherever you are in your career, taking steps now to gain varied experiences and build your skills will position you for success in leadership roles in the future.

Good luck!

Richard Winfield is the author of The New Directors Handbook, creator of The Essential Directorship and Strategic Company Secretary masterclasses and curator of the CPD 2.0 Professional programme, which provides a stream of governance alerts and management insights.

With a successful career as a consultant, coach, facilitator, and trainer, he works internationally with individuals and teams at board level. He assists clients in bringing structure and clarity to their thinking.

Richard help directors and boards become more effective by clarifying goals, improving communication and applying sound corporate governance.

For individuals, he facilitates their career advancement by helping them clarify their life goals, discover forgotten or ignored talents and by developing a comprehensive package to raise their profile and break through barriers. He then provides editorial support for job applications and prepares them for interviews. https://threeticks.com/dream-job-guide

Clients approach Richard to help bring structure and clarity to their lives.

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