Purpose
This study aimed to identify leadership development needs among novice and advanced beginner nurses sand provide empirical evidence for developing targeted leadership competency enhancement programs. Methods: Data were collected through a nationwide online survey from January 15 to February 28, 2025, using proportional quota sampling. The sampling quotas reflected hospital region and hospital type. Data from 283 nurses were analyzed. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, were calculated using IBM SPSS version 27.0. Results: Participants had a mean age of 27.5 years and a mean clinical experience of 1.75 years. Self-leadership was the leadership type most desired for development (3.97±0.84). The need for leadership programs was high among nurses with 1–3 years of clinical experience, with a mean score of 3.90. The most desired competencies were clinical performance and practical skills (49.1%), stress management (40.3%), and communication (39.2%). Intention to use mobile-based leadership programs was moderate. Short video lectures (70.0%) and self-directed learning (42.8%) were the most preferred content format and learning method, respectively. Conclusion: These findings indicate a need for practical, systematic programs centered on self-leadership that address clinical performance, practical skills, stress management, and communication during the early career stage of nursing.