This article encourages nurses to explore the concept of leadership in the constantly changing field of health and social care. All nurses have an important role in leadership, and they should consider what type of leader they want to be and what leadership skills they might wish to develop. This article examines what leadership might involve, exploring various leadership styles and characteristics and how these could be applied in nurses’ practice. A core component of nursing and nursing leadership is the ability to provide compassionate care. This could correspond with the idea of servant leadership, an approach that moves the leader from a position of power to serving the team and supporting individuals to develop their potential.
Nursing Standard. 32, 16-19, 53-63. doi: 10.7748/ns.2017.e11035
Correspondence Peer reviewThis article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Conflict of interestNone declared
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Received: 01 October 2017
Accepted: 07 November 2017
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