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The American Nephrology Nurses’ Association’s (ANNA’s) Career Fulfillment in Nephrology Nursing: Your Guide to Professional Development (2nd edition), which will be published in October 2007, will provide focus- driven direction and can serve as your personal guide and mentor to career development. The book is a guide. You know your own potential, so you are best to decide the career trajectory you wish to take. Self-directed professional development can incorporate your passion and talent while reaching the overall goal of fostering the development of critical thinking, skill capability, and expertise that improves healthcare delivery. This chapter will look at leadership development. What leadership is, characteristics of leaders, and the critical importance and value of having a mentor during a leader’s development will be addressed. Finally, a self-assessment and plan for personal development as a leader will be proposed.

Mary Schira, PhD, APRN, BC, ACNP, is Interim Associate Dean for Master in Science Nursing Program and Director, ACNP and ENP Programs, University of Texas, Arlington, TX. She is an NNJ Editorial Board Member, a member of  ANNA’s Advanced Practice SIG, and a member of ANNA’s Dallas Chapter.