Make site visits and engage with teams. Write a thank you note or email afterward and include how their work connects to the overall mission or the organization as well as something new that you learned from them.

Maintain the confidence of your stakeholders and direct reports.

Maintain open and respectful communication with stakeholders and colleagues.

Maintain a list of potential leaders that you hear about from other colleagues, staff, friends.

Listen to the Manager Tools coaching podcasts to learn more tips and tricks to diverse coaching strategies.

Leverage the strengths of a direct report in a different capacity by assigning them to a role that is unfamiliar to them.

Lead an underperforming working or subcommittee group.

Lead an orchestra, band or singing group.

Lead a volunteer work team and ask participants what they are good at and what they'd like to learn. Refocus duties throughout the day so that team members can grow their competencies.

Lead a community organization's project team, practicing one to two skills you want to improve. At the end of the day request feedback from team members (e.g., email, note, verbally). Apply that feedback to your job.