The transition from direct client care to nursing management is an important step in the development of nursing leadership skills. Here we, as nurse leaders, begin directly influencing the care of clients and the worklife of the client care team. We also begin to learn how to influence the organization as a whole. This said, it is not an easy step. It takes tremendous courage and commitment to "making a difference" in an environment that is increasingly complex and fluid. Stevenson-Dykstra clearly articulates the challenges of such a move and the experience of becoming a "novice" once again as the complexities of the real world create tensions between management principles that are learned and the real-life skills required to manage day-to-day operations.