Congratulations to all the National Cancer Registrar’s Association (NCRA) 2011 award winners! Awards were given at the 35th Annual Education Conference held in Washington, D.C., in April, 2012.
Achieving cancer registry success is not easy. It is challenging to keep operations moving smoothly while ensuring your team is pleased with your work and then trying to stay on top of the many reporting standards and guidelines. You may be wondering if you will EVER step off that treadmill or if you’ll be sent flying off the end of the belt like a Frisbee out of control!
Do the Opposite
There’s a rule in business that you may find helpful. It’s called “The Law of Holes.” I have no idea who coined this phrase, but it is incredibly powerful and one of the most useful laws you may ever come across. The rule says this, “When you find yourself in one, stop digging!”
Have you ever had that feeling that the deeper you went into a problem or situation, the darker it became? If you have, that was The Law of Holes “speaking” to you. If you have not been in this position yet, give yourself a pat on the back. But, remember this, it is not a matter of if you ever experience hole digging, it is only a matter of when. So, how do you avoid the dark holes and the pits in the cancer registry?
Brian Tracy, internationally renowned self-help author and motivational speaker, offers an alternative. Our natural tendency when we find ourselves in a hole is to dig deeper. And, the deeper you go the darker it becomes. Sometimes, doing the exact opposite will turn out to the better, or perhaps even perfect, solution.
Do the opposite of what you have been doing, with joy and positive expectations, and you will likely get results. Maybe not 100% of the time, but don’t underestimate it’s power and potential for change. When you do have a success moment, drop back to this blog post and tell us what you did and how it worked. By sharing with your cancer registry network you will expand your success potential and develop a community of expertise and support.
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Michele Webb creator of http://www.RegistryMindset.comthe cancer registrar’s best online resource, is a nationally recognized, certified cancer registrar, committed to Cancer Registry leadership and professional education as a coach, mentor, motivational speaker and author. You have permission to repost this article as long as do not alter it in any way and give a link back and credit to the author and this URL.
RegistryMindset released the April 2011 continuing education course this last week titled “Distinguishing Characteristics of Primary Hematologic Malignancies.” This course, eligible for 1.0 CE credit hours from NCRA, guides the cancer registrar through identifying and understanding the differences between leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes. Using simple and easy-to-understand analogies cancer registrars who take this course will be able to “step up their game” in case-finding and abstracting of these primary site cases.
To become a member, click on “Register” in the menu bar above and get started today!
(Part Five of our series titled “Agility Training for Cancer Registrars”)
Every business today is about relationships, including cancer registry. The quality and impact of your work, and the success of your cancer registry, depends on your relationships. As a Cancer Registrar you are facing new challenges in terms of reporting standards and data quality. As professionals it is important that you shake things up to stay fresh and viable in the business by reinventing yourself and your relationships. Cancer Registrars must figure out the next chapter in their lives, despite ever-changing requirements, economic struggles or organizational cutbacks. Standing still is not an option because if you are not growing, you are becoming stagnant or even dying professionally.
So, you’re probably asking yourself why you need to reinvent your relationships. As healthcare business changes, as the cancer registry operations change, so should you as a professional and now is the perfect time to get started. It’s time to re-evaluate your life and work and to objectively assess where you are now and where you are headed. And, since you’re starting over, dream big and bold!
Use these eight questions to evaluate where your situation and to take action to ensure that your career and professional success keep pace with cancer healthcare. In fact, use these questions with your staff or co-workers to align yourselves for even greater success.
What fundamental activities or aspects about your work is important to you? Why?
What is your mission in life and as a cancer registrar?
What is your philosophy in life and as a cancer registrar?
To find your passion, think back to a time when you were operating “in the zone.” What were you doing to get to that place in your life?
Look at the people in your circle of influence, are they helping or hindering you? What, or whom, do you need to add to your circle of influence?
Look ahead three years, where would you like to be in your professional life? What would your ideal cancer registry career look like? Then, frame your responses in the form of professional goals.
Ask yourself, if you are sitting here in this same spot three years from now, what would have to happen for you to feel fulfilled and content with your work?
Look at the cancer registry masters who have accomplished what you are trying to achieve, what strategies did they use? How can those strategies work for you?
If you honestly answer these questions you will have a good framework and idea of what your professional life should look like. Take each response and form it into a step, activity or goal that you need to accomplish. Always keep the end goal or picture in your mind and then work backwards to create an action list to get to your goal.
Reinventing yourself is hard work and reinventing relationships will require patience, thought and planning. However, if you choose not to do this you will likely be left behind or miss out on the success and professional recognition you deserve. Always keep your eye on the end goal and “prize.” Take responsibility for how your interactions at work impact others and the healthcare business. Make a commitment to take your work to a higher level and one that is dedicated to serving the needs of your organization, your professional community, and the customers they serve. Capitalize on the value that cancer registrars and the healthcare team brings to their work and find new or different ways to collaborate and serve the needs of others. This kind of focus will ensure that your business relationships remain fresh and productive and that you, as a cancer registrar, achieve success.
What are you doing to reinvent your business relationships? Post a comment below to tell us what ONE thing you have done that has made a positive difference in your work and life.
http://www.RegistryMindset.com. Michele Webb is a nationally recognized, certified cancer registrar (CTR) who is committed to Cancer Registry leadership and professional growth. She helps cancer registrars around the world as a motivational speaker, author, and educator. You have permission to repost this article as long as you do not alter it in any way, give credit to the author and link back to her website.
Every year millions of us celebrate a new beginning with family, friends and our favorite party favors. The traditions continue forward as we make resolutions for our lives in the coming year. The “usual” list of resolutions are no surprise, spending time with family and friends, getting fit, losing weight, stop smoking, stop drinking, enjoy life more, and get out of debt. Now, you may (or may not) be surprised to learn that over 88% of us never live out those resolutions.
I have an idea for cancer registrars! Let’s just toss out all the resolutions. Let’s stop making promises that you know you cannot keep or making excuses on why you didn’t get to your goal. Instead, let’s look at a positive alternative to New Year’s Resolutions. Are you ready?
Let’s pledge to each other to make a positive difference in each other’s lives in 2011. No boundaries, no rules, no prerequisites or cash required. When it is all said and done it is how we impact each other’s lives and how we make a difference in this world that matters anyway. So, quit wasting your time with resolutions and instead, choose to focus your time and energy in something much more meaningful.
Making a difference is really not that difficult. Here’s a simple 3-step program: 1) listen to your inner voice and be true to yourself. Some call it being “authentic.” Listen to your spiritual self and know what makes you truly happy to set the foundation for making a difference. Then, 2) be generous and kind with your words. Develop an awareness of others around you and find something positive to say to people each day. Be there to encourage, support and listen. Your words and time spent with others matter more than you know. Finally, 3) take action. Don’t be afraid to take action on your thoughts or to respond quickly to a situation. Never underestimate the impact your support and encouragement will have on others.
As cancer registrars we are linked together around the globe by a common passion for our work and common need to be supported and inspired by one another. All of us have equal responsibility, as a allied health professionals, to make a difference in someone’s life. Here are some suggestions:
Leave a voice message with a cancer registry “buddy” who lives across the country saying you were thinking of them and just wanted to say “hi.”
Write a short, handwritten, thank you note to a fellow cancer registrar, employee, manager, administrator or physician. Just send a simple “shout out.”
Throughout your day take a few minutes of your time to speak directly to somone else. Reach out to them with your voice, a smile, compliment for a job well done, or to inquire about their health or family. Take just a few minutes to engage in a personal conversation.
When you’re standing in the long line at your local coffee shop, turn around and smile and say “hello” to the person behind you. Put the iPod or Blackberry away and engage in greeting someone with a smile and warm “hello.”
I know you’re already excited about getting started! Don’t underestimate the power of one cancer registrar helping another, even with the simplest and most basic courtesy or kind word. Would you like to get some extra “mojo” from making a difference? Come back to this blog post every couple of days and let us know what you did for someone and how it made you feel? You can make a difference in someone else’s life just by sharing what worked well for you. I can guarantee that once you begin practicing making a difference that you will want, maybe even crave, helping someone else. Before you know it, it will be a way of life and an important and positive part of your day.
I look forward to helping you make a difference in 2011. Happy New Year!
http://www.RegistryMindset.com. Michele Webb is committed to cancer registry leadership and to making a difference in the lives of cancer registrars worldwide. She is a nationally recognized, certified cancer registrar (CTR) who cares passionately about her work and serving her community. She is a motivational speaker, author and educator. You have permission to repost this article as long as you do not alter it in any way, give credit tot he author and link back to this article on this website.
Seasons Greetings everyone! As the year comes to a close we wanted to share with you how grateful we are for your time and attention and offer you a free gift. Look below at a short video and link to download your free gift!
(Part Four of our series titled “Agility Training for Cancer Registrars”)
Changing out mindset or how we automatically respond to our work or life can make us uncomfortable. However, this is necessary if we are to be responsible and achieve success and happiness.
In his book, Excuses Begone, Dr Wayne Dyer gives a description of individual accountability and a process for stepping out of “autopilot” and into conscious thinking. In my own experience, I know that by examining my past experiences, beliefs and value I hold I can challenge their validity and create a new mindset that is focused on positive outcomes, meaningful relationships and being the a good person and cancer registrar.
Albert Einstein said, “The world we have created is a product of our way of thinking.” So, the degree to which we practice mindfulness, or how we allow ourselves to become uncomfortable and the resulting change in our way of thinking, is what determines our success in life.
It is not enough to briefly question a thought and simply dismiss it with a statement of, “that’s the way I was taught,” or “that’s just who I am.” Accountability for our thoughts requires continual examination of past experiences, beliefs and values. As cancer registrars, our mindset is constantly challenged. Our personal value systems are often in competition with others and need to be put into perspective with the clinical and scientific facts as well as the patient and emotional components of cancer care. Often this seems like a “stacked deck” against us. But, by practicing conscious thinking, evaluating the facts and not emotions, and by making a mindful choice in how we will respond to the situation, we will earn our place as valuable members on the healthcare team.
If you find that your first thought about a situation or proposed change is negative, then you can be encouraged by the knowledge that by simply thinking another thought, you can change your mindset and the outcome of a situation. The first step to take is to replace the negative thought with a positive one. Remember, your thoughts and behaviors are under your control. Pessimistic and negative thinking are simply habits that can be changed.
Here are three action steps to take in practicing mindfulness and accommodating change with positive results:
Evaluate the evidence. When you have that negative or pessimistic thought, stop and evaluate the evidence. What are the facts, not the fears?
Think about positive alternatives and outcomes. For example, as you are doing your work on “autopilot” and encounter a new reporting rule, instead of complaining about it, stop and evaluate the facts, acknowledge the changes in medicine and patient care, and visualize how the change will improve the cancer patient’s care and quality of life.
Practice daily affirmations. Each day practice saying to yourself, “when I have a negative thought I will immediately evaluate the facts and think of positive alternatives.” This will be a little awkward at first, but after practice it will become easier and automatic. Each time you use this affirmation you will rewrite the negative thoughts in your mind and create new and positive solutions founded on fact and not emotion.
Practice these three steps until it comes naturally and automatically. You will be amazed at how easy it is to develop positive mindset to whatever happens in your day. Use positive affirmations to reinforce your attitude and to build up core strengths and talents. Cancer registrars who focus on their accountability and development of a positive mindset will be uniquely positioned to serve as leaders in their community and profession.
Tell us, what are you doing to change your thoughts and reactions to your work and life? Do you use positive affirmations? If so, what have you found to have the most profound, positive impact on your life?
http://www.RegistryMindset.com. Michele Webb, America’s Cancer Registry Coach, is a nationally recognized, certified cancer registrar (CTR). She cares passionately about helping cancer registrars around the world to grow personally and professionally and serves her community as a motivational speaker, author, and educator. You have permission to repost this article as long as you do not alter it in any way, give credit to the author and link back to her website.
One thing we know for sure today is that change and uncertainty happens daily. How we choose to react to uncertainty can either paralyze us with fear or thrust us into a world of new possibilities. In this article cancer registrars are given four ways to explore uncertainty in their life that will help them accept and accommodate change in order to bring about higher levels of growth and success and to develop agility and flexibility in the cancer registry.
We’ve created a video blog that compliments the complete article on this website. You can watch it here!
(Part Four of our series on “Agility Training for the Cancer Registrar”)
Much is said today in business, healthcare and Cancer Registry about change. In fact, one thing I know for sure is that we, as cancer registry professionals, are undergoing an unprecedented degree of change right now which will continue well into our future. Thinking about change today or projecting how it will impact our future can settle in on us like a dense fog and cause us to lose our bearings and sense of where we are. We may not be sure of which way to go when we reach a fork in the road because we can’t see the choices in front of us because of the fog. Uncertainty can paralyze us with fear or it can thrust us into a world of new possibilities.
Change brings chaos into our normally well-ordered lives and introduces levels of unpredictability and uncertainty that make us uncomfortable. Dealing with change is challenging, tiring and even threatening, but the flip side is that it provides the cancer registrar with tremendous opportunities for growth. Let’s look at how we can focus on accommodating the change instead of railing against it.
In the first article of our on developing agility in the cancer registry, we introduced embracing uncertainty as one way of becoming agile, or flexible in business. Agile cancer registrars will drive out uncertainty by developing working solutions and adjusting the registry’s operations in order to accommodate change. Dealing with uncertainty in a positive manner and being willing to accept things that are unknown or unpredictable are big parts of learning to be agile.
To help you face the challenges in a positive manner and to increase your agility in the cancer registry and healthcare business, here are four ways you can explore change:
Accept reality without fussing about the outcome. Face reality with no judgment. Think of the unknown as neutral rather than good or bad. Let go and detach from any outcome you cannot control. Keep your options open.
Explore the unknown. Ask yourself these questions:
What are all the things that are great about being a cancer registrar?
What is the worst that can happen?
What is the likelihood that the worse will happen?
If the worst were to happen, what do I need to do prepare?
Interrupt worry. The unknown can cause us to worry to the point of doing physical harm, but only if you let it. When worry starts to creep into your thoughts, interrupt it! Simply do not allow it to take hold of you. Here is how you can interrupt worry:
Get busy: occupy your body and your mind will follow.
Put it off: decide to enjoy today and maybe you’ll worry tomorrow – if it feels right.
Turn it over: write down your worry, put it in a box, and turn it over to a higher power.
Hum a tune: it is impossible to worry when you’re singing or humming, even if it is not out loud. Find a song that gives you strength. “A Beautiful Day” by India.Arie is a great one.
Trust yourself. You’ve probably faced change and challenges in the past. Reflect on those times and remind yourself how well you handled them, even though you may have been uncomfortable at the time. Trust in your abilities, thoughts and experience to take you through the transition.
None of us can be certain about tomorrow or the future of cancer registry. We can fret and fume about it, but no matter how much noise we make, we cannot control it. What we CAN do, each of us as cancer registry professionals, is make the most of each moment…each NOW….because that is really all we have. Only you can bring peace and acceptance of the unknown to you.
Accepting change and allowing uncertainty into our lives can lead us to a higher state of functioning as cancer registrars. Embracing uncertainty, then, is really just an engaging process in which we let go of control. Think of this as a spiraling UP in complexity, moving up the ladder of intellectual, emotional and professional growth. Engage your co-workers, peers and leaders in the process of embracing uncertainty. Don’t be afraid to network and ask for help and guidance where needed. By welcoming uncertainty and unpredictability into your life you will be expanding your horizons and developing agility in your cancer registry that will lead to great success and self-fulfillment!
WHAT DO YOU THINK? How are you accomodating change and uncertainty in your cancer registry and life? Send us your feedback or thoughts on this article and critic topic today.
http://www.RegistryMindset.com. Michele Webb, America’s Cancer Registry Coach, is a nationally recognized, certified cancer registrar (CTR). She cares passionately about helping cancer registrars around the world to grow personally and professionally and serves her community as a motivational speaker, author, and educator. You have permission to repost this article as long as you do not alter it in any way, give credit to the author and link back to her website.
