Practice Off the Field of Play

Practicing a skill is not the same as using a skill.  Just as there is a distinction between practice and performance in activities like sports and music, you should distinguish between practice and performance in building your leadership skills.  When you are learning a new skill you will be somewhat slow, awkward and clumsy.  This is not the time to use that fledging skill in a situation where performance "counts". 


Separating practice and performance doesn't mean that you can't practice as part of your regular job duties.  For example, giving feedback well requires that you construct the feedback script according to a specific set of rules.   You can observe performance and practice constructing scripts without actually giving the feedback to anyone.  Doing this will build your skills in observing and describing performance without affecting anyone else. 

If you don't practice a skill to at least minimal competency before you try to use it in a real situation you are likely to abandon your new technique and fall back on hold methods and habits.  It is just too hard to do something new well when the pressure is on.  Another risk is that, if you start to actually use a new skill before you have reached your desired level of competency, you will "lock in" your performance at that level and never reach your potential.