Ever considered trying out or stepping into any leadership role? Well, it’s advised that before doing that, it is paramount that one first considers if they really want to, and most importantly, why you should do that. Ange Thaina Ndizeye, a mentor for young people believes in the power of seeking out leadership opportunities if one wants to become a successful leader. From her experience, she says, when you actively seek out this opportunity, it allows you to develop leadership skills and show others that you are striving to grow irrespective of the area you are working in. She mentions that this could be as simple as consulting or working closely with your immediate supervisor or manager, which she believes will help you put your leadership skills into practice. “Practice makes perfect, if you are really into leadership things, you start by leading or chairing small meetings. Through this, you will be able to collectively learn new skills that will guide you or improve your confidence,” she says. Mathias Nkeeto, an educator and counselor at Green Hills Academy says when you are passionate about taking up any leadership role, there are high possibilities that such individuals will end up being successful. He explains that this is so because, in case of any challenges along the way, they see this as an opportunity to learn, rather than a task that needs doing, therefore, they won’t find it hard to invest more time in doing a great job. Why does it matter? Patrick Sibomana who heads one of the vegetable cooperatives at Kimironko, Gasabo District says when you want to make a positive change, be it in your community or those around you, you have to first desire to be a leader who will act as a role model to others. He says this comes with other benefits as well as it helps you gain extra skills that will be part of you all the time. “As a leader, you will be able to impact not only your life but also those around you, meaning that your position will help you do better than others in all areas,” he says. In addition to this, Nkeeto says if one seeks a leadership role, especially when it comes to having more impact, they will definitely focus less on what they do as an individual. This, he says means that such people will be able to recognise that it's more about what the team or community can do and how it works together that matters, thus making you build high-performing teams and lead effectively. Also, Thaina says taking up a leadership role is another opportunity to build different skills, as leaders always draw upon very different skills than individual contributors. The skills, she says helps one navigate difficult situations thus preparing one to give effective feedback or influence those around them. Meanwhile, it has also been established that when you acknowledge that you need to invest in different skills as a leader, you will grow much faster and even enjoy it because it will be an opportunity to develop in different ways. One will also have the opportunity to learn and practice leadership skills such as active listening, coaching, mentoring, and influencing. In addition, as one focuses on developing these skills, one will feel like one grows much more as a person and into a more capable leader in the future.
