The range of leadership opportunities available is tremendous and can be found in all industries and organizations. These opportunities can be divided into four categories: direct supervisor, task-oriented leader, middle management and executive leadership. All of these leadership opportunities can be found in a range of different industries and organizations.
The skills necessary to become a leader include communication, interpersonal and prioritizing skills. These skills are often obtained over time through group leadership activities that are commonly found in schools, sports and volunteer opportunities. People who become successful leaders took advantage of leadership opportunities during their youth. Through these experiences, leaders can experience both failure and success in situations where the consequences are fairly small.
A direct supervisory leadership opportunity is a position of authority and responsibility for at least one person. In most cases, the supervisor is expected to lead a team of people to complete a specific task or function. The primary responsibilities of this type of leader are to ensure the process is followed and to resolve minor conflicts. The supervisor role has limited power and is primarily responsible for maintaining the current process.
A task-focused leader is often someone with detailed expertise surrounding a specific topic or skill. These leadership opportunities include project-management roles in which the leader provides guidance and direction to a team of skilled staff members. He or she works under the strategic direction of the process owner but has significant impact on the daily operation.
In middle-management positions, senior staff members provide direction and goals, which are communicated to the supervisors and task focused leaders by the manager. He or she is responsible for maintaining communication channels between the two groups and ensuring that decisions are based on the relevant information. This role is central to the smooth operation of a large organization.
Executive leadership opportunities require many years of experience to achieve. These roles are focused on strategic direction, long-term planning and problem resolution. The skills required to be successful in the position include communication, negotiation and critical thinking. Although these positions are far removed from daily operations, a firm understanding of the business process is essential to the decision-making process.
Success in leadership opportunities requires a combination of personal aptitude and learned skills. Although anyone can take leadership courses, most leaders possess natural talents that encourage others to follow them. Fine-tuning these talents requires the ability to take advantage of as many leadership opportunities as possible. There are certain mistakes that all leaders make, and it is best to get them out the way early.
