Whether you’re a musician or a chess player, being awesome at your job will come down to putting the hours in. The more practicing you do, the better. But to see the absolute best results, you need to be strategic about it. This means being purposeful with your time and ensuring your practice is a varied mix of theory and skill.

The same is true of management. You can read dozens of management books and watch hundreds of TED talks on leadership, but if you don’t get some hands-on experience, then you’ll be missing out (and probably sink pretty fast when faced with a real-life challenge).

One of the best ways to get practical experience (aside from on-the-job learning) is to roll up your sleeves and get involved in some leadership activities. Not only are these a great way to get real-world experience, but they also mean you can make mistakes and get feedback from your peers in a zero-pressure environment. Sound good? Let’s get started!