If you want to progress in your career, and get promoted to a leadership role, it is important to be developing your leadership skills on an ongoing basis.
One of the most essential indictors of good  leadership skills is the most obvious – the ability and willingness to take the lead and to motivate the team to follow. This article will explore how you can develop experience in leadership and how your leadership skills can be developed through becoming a volunteer in your local community.
Generally speaking everyone falls into one of three categories:
1.      People who make things happen
2.      People who watch things happen, and,
3.      People who ask “What happened?”
The role of a leader is to make things happen.  A leader is the person, who not only develops the skills and abilities to make things happen, but makes them part of their lifestyle.  The role of a leader plays out, not only in the work environment, but in every area of life.  A leader takes the lead at work, at home, with family, in their church, in their community, and often this is in a volunteer position.  Leaders are the ones who step up to the plate and do what it takes to get the results that are needed. 
Here is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.
Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
Who took the role of the leader?
It was Nobody
Part of the leader’s role involves leading by example.  A leader is not just the person who takes charge or wears the “leader’s” badge.  True leadership is about serving, and making sure the job gets done.  The role of a leader is to be a role-model for those who follow.  You are there, setting the example by being part of the team. You start a little earlier, you work a little harder, and you stay a little later. You never ask anyone to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself.  As the head of the team, you continually look for ways to make it easier for your team members to do their jobs. You accept complete responsibility for the achievement of the overall goal, You are a leader because you continually lead.

Barbara White is an
author, speaker and trainer in
leadership development.

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developing leadership skills