In this article, the author shares lessons learned from her experiences as a nursing faculty member and a nursing leader. The most important thing the author has learned about leadership development is that it is a continuous process. The author recognizes that her family, peers, education, job changes, supervisors, and mentors have all influenced how she approaches life and how she leads. Although she has a basic understanding of management and leadership, the author formulates her leadership style by observing and interacting with peers, supervisors, and other institutional leaders at work. As a nursing leader, the author has selectively chosen her battles, recognizing that she needs to help nurses convey the complexity of the care they give and the clinical knowledge and judgments they use in providing quality patient care.