7 Ways to Hone Your Leadership and Management Skills while in College

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Leadership Competency Model (25-slide PowerPoint presentation). Behavioral competencies have long been utilized across many organizations to assess the competencies and potential of leaders. The competency models are prevalent due to several reasons--shared vocabulary to express the expectations from people, a basis for performance management planning, clarity [read more]

Also, if you are interested in becoming an expert on Organizational Leadership (OL), take a look at Flevy's Organizational Leadership (OL) Frameworks offering here. This is a curated collection of best practice frameworks based on the thought leadership of leading consulting firms, academics, and recognized subject matter experts. By learning and applying these concepts, you can you stay ahead of the curve. Full details here.

* * * *

Contrary to popular belief, attending college has way more to offer than just earning a degree in your field. It can also be an amazing opportunity to grow in many ways, expand your worldview and learn important life skills!

Advancing in any career is rewarding and may seem like a natural process. But the chances are that the higher up the ladder you go, the more of a leadership role you’ll have to embody. Showcasing management, organization, and responsibility may seem a bit hard to you right now, but don’t worry. No one was born with a perfect set of those!

The benefits of management skills are immeasurable, and people, especially students, who dedicate their time and effort to advancing themselves in that area reap many benefits. Some of those are being:

• Responsible
• A good communicator
• Understanding
• Goal-oriented
• Adaptable to change

Like any other skill, those can be mastered and sharpened in no time. Here are seven ways to perfect your leadership and management skills while you’re still in college.

1. Leadership Classes

This was probably the first idea that came to your mind. Today colleges offer a plethora of engaging and real-life optimized leadership classes. If your program doesn’t have something like that, try searching for classes related to communication, management, or organization skills. If nothing of that kind is available, you can always take online leadership and management courses and practice those skills by yourself.

Some classes aren’t offered for credit, and it may seem overwhelming to take up so much at one time. Don’t worry; there’s hope. There are many platforms that are designed to provide you help with achieving your studying goals where you can buy essay, get help with homework, resume writing, and so much more! Make sure to check it out whenever you have too much on your hands.

2. On-campus Jobs

The cost of studying can be pretty high, not to add the expense of other, more fun college activities. Nonetheless, an on-campus job is an amazing opportunity in many ways. It can help cover your expenses quite well, and more importantly, it gives you a chance to learn management skills.

Although it may not seem so at first, it’s a helpful first step in developing your leadership persona – you’ll get first-hand experience in working with others, and you’ll find out how well you do in a team. That dynamic may be challenging, and that may be a good opportunity to apply social and decision-making skills, which give rise to leadership and management.

As you continually show up, you may be promoted to the position of shift manager or the head of the team. These will help you even more in achieving your leadership goals.

3. Try Out Volunteering

Charity events, tutoring, fierce political campaigns, or donations are just some of the ways to help the community. By doing so, you’ll mingle with students with all sorts of backgrounds and life experiences, opinions, and actions. This is more than vital in becoming a leader, as it allows you to learn how to interact with many different people.

If you’re extra lucky, you can find a volunteering position with management already in it, such as organizing different events or forming a volunteering group with other students. Two birds with one stone scenario!

4. Extracurricular Is the Way to Go

Sororities and fraternities are more than just exploring the feeling of community and college friendships. They can offer valuable lessons that are more than helpful in your leadership journey.

You can boldly apply for roles such as club presidents, sports captains, and community organizers and have direct experience in a leadership environment. The main concept you’ll explore here is cooperation by evaluating the group dynamic and serving as a mediator, too. Remember, leading doesn’t mean being in any way superior to your team; it’s more about helping them work together more effectively.

By putting yourself out there, you’re making sure to put management principles into action. While it may be scary at first, it’ll get easier as time goes on. And don’t forget, your team is here to give you support.

5. Get Political

Joining a student government can actually be a refreshing, exciting experience. Being in charge of different programs, policies, activities, and college events is a fantastic way to grow. Not only will you help other students by achieving a beneficial college government, but you’ll also help yourself by learning how to manage and organize.

This is an excellent way to brush up on your communication skills. Persuasive, direct, and open communication is nothing but an asset. Here are some ways that you as a student can contribute to your government:

• Boldly reach out and voice your opinions
• Encourage others to express how they feel in an open way
• Cooperate and bring change peacefully

6. Group Experience

Group projects are something many students would like to escape from. Some tend to get stressed with their group, and they either do all the work themselves, while some choose to slack off and take credit when it’s over. Neither is quite appropriate for a good leader.

Of course, you may sometimes consider group projects a dreadful responsibility, but they’re actually here for you. The more you interact, communicate and reach out to your group, the more confident in your skills you’ll get. You can try to make group projects fun for all included by sharing activities while hanging out or discussing them in a relaxed and easy manner.

7. Consistent Practice

It’s important to develop a sense of leadership in both your daily and student life. Whenever you spot an opportunity you would like to take, make a list of every management skill you can think of that you could practice or create. Go through them one by one, evaluating how well you’re doing – and adjust accordingly. Some skills may take more time than others, but remember, it’s a process, and it’s essential to keep moving. Slowly but surely!

Soon you will be able to see the world through the eyes of opportunity and achieve great success as an intuitive, cooperative, and assertive leader!

Opportunities Everywhere

Everyday life is full of leadership roles. Whatever job or career opportunity you’ll be a part of, management skills you’ve learned while in college will follow you diligently. Others will see you as a responsible adult that can handle any challenge that comes their way!

To sum up – take your time while being a student to explore different ways to help others organize and cooperate. While at it, you’ll develop compassion, creativity, patience, and dedication – all of which make you a natural leader.

Want to Achieve Excellence in Organizational Leadership (OL)?

Gain the knowledge and develop the expertise to become an expert in Organizational Leadership (OL). Our frameworks are based on the thought leadership of leading consulting firms, academics, and recognized subject matter experts. Click here for full details.

For both the current executives and leaders of tomorrow, our frameworks address 2 facets of Leadership:

1. How to elevate your management skills to becoming a Leader in your organization.

2. How to elevate your organization to becoming the Leader in your Industry.

Learn about our Organizational Leadership (OL) Best Practice Frameworks here.