The leadership journey: from belief to reality 12

The leadership journey for nursing faculty begins during undergraduate education and extends throughout the career continuum. While leadership opportunities can include formal administrative positions, they also encompass roles such as project director and committee member. Using Barth’s (2001) definition of leadership as the basis, this article presents strategies for planning and engaging in a successful leadership journey. The alignment of interests and role expectations for the purpose of balancing work life, and the use of reflection and evaluation to enhance the leadership journey are presented.