This leadership characteristic has been the most thought-provoking of all the characteristics defined in this book. Nurses as a whole are inherently kind and I have always recognized myself as excellent at showing kindness to others. But the point that taught me the most and the quality that I am actively working to improve is that of active listening. According to many of my friends, I have always been a good listener. But the way this term is described makes me reconsider my previous ideas that I was good at it. Hunter says that even though we think we are good listeners, we often make judgments about what the speaker is saying. We often listen only selectively, because we think about what we want to say in response to their words. Active listening takes effort and practice and doesn't happen when we're thinking about how to please ourselves. This means we need to stop thinking about how we will react and actually become a part of this person's world. It means putting yourself in their shoes, feeling empathy and being present in that situation.