I chose to interview my aunt, Irene, because she has always been a role model to me, both in life, and in my nursing career. She has been a nurse for about 20 years and has taught me so much about kindness, patience and how to be caring. I haven’t ever seen her in action at work, but when I visit her at home, she displays characteristics of a nurse leader. The traits that make her a leader are: she is calm in stressful situations, she can make you laugh when you are crying, and she is kind and non-judgmental. I feel that the leadership position she holds is informal, and maybe even unknown. I feel that she has been at her current job for so long that many people go to her with questions, and her team knows who she is and how hardworking she is. 

To me, a formal leadership position is a position where leadership is stated in the job description or inferred based on what the job is. In my nursing experience, I feel that a preceptor or clinical instructor have been formal leaders. I also think that a charge nurse would have characteristics of a formal leader. An informal position is one where the traits a person holds make them a leader. An informal leader may be a leader without knowing, and someone that others turn to when they need advice or help. An informal leader has a good reputation in the workplace and has an abundant amount of experience. I believe that any form of leader must have specific qualities that define them as a leader.  

From this interview, I want to learn about how my aunt sees herself and whether she believes she’s a leader, because I believe that she is a leader. I want to learn specific things my aunt does at her job that might make her a leader. I want to ask whether she feels that she provides leadership/advice to others. I want to know what she feels are traits of a leader and how I could work to become a leader one day. I feel that my aunt has an impact on everyone she meets, and this is just one of the many reasons that she is a leader.