In Your Leadership Development You can ask any nursing leader who their mentor was as they developed their leadership style or career, and every one of them will be able to name a name immediately. The importance of a role model in your leadership development cannot be overemphasized. A mentor is someone who models behavior, offers advice and criticism, and allows you to grow into your own leadership style. I will suggest that you identify a mentor at the begin- ning of your quest for an office.
Mentors pop up in the strangest places.
You cannot simply select someone and then just attach yourself in order to soak up all the experience and information. Mentorship is a two-way street. The mentor must agree to work with you and must have some interest in your future development. Everyone cannot be mentored by the President of the American Nurses Association. The ANA President has neither the time nor the ability to mentor thousands of aspiring leaders.