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By Michele, on November 21st, 2011% Whether you are setting a goal to become a cancer registrar, take your certification (CTR) exam, or you want to enhance your cancer registry skills, you will need to create an action plan. At first this sounds like a huge project, but it really is just a few simple steps.
Grab a 3×5 index card, something to write with and sit in your favorite chair. Now, just take a few minutes to think about what it is you want to accomplish. Now, at the top of the card write down, in one or two brief sentences, your goal.
Now, under your goal, write down at least one, no more than three, individual action items or steps to take to accomplish the goal. Once you’ve completed this part of the process you’re already way ahead of the “average” person. But, don’t stop. Keep going!
You’ve got your action plan in front of you, but who is going to help or mentor you along the way. Just by asking someone to help you stay accountable to your goal improves your chances of actually reaching it. Who are you comfortable with? Who understands your work and what you want to accomplish? Who will be honest and straight forward with you? Think of this person and write their name on the bottom of the card.
Your last action is to ask that person to help you. That’s all there is to it. Just ask. Even the most successful people have mentors and others in their life who help them stay focused and moving forward. The cancer registry profession is complex and changing rapidly, so why would you want to do this alone or jeopardize your ultimate success by isolating yourself from your peers?
Share your card, even make a photocopy of it, or email it, to your friend and mentor. Touch base with them routinely to update your progress and to solicit their feedback or suggestions. I guarantee if you do this you will see benefit and feel more successful about your plan and goal.
Congratulations! You’ve taken the first steps to achieving greater success! You have a plan and it is something you can monitor and track. Keep your card with you at all times and refer to it often. Update your progress as you go along. When you do reach your goal, celebrate you’re your friend or mentor.
At any point along the way, if there is something that I can do to help you achieve your goal please contact me. I would welcome the privilege to be your friend or mentor. You can also learn more about goal setting on our other blog by clicking here.
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Michele Webb creator of the cancer registrar continuing education program, http://www.RegistryMindset.com 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.
By Michele, on November 11th, 2011% Have you ever heard of anyone who was successful in their work, life or business that did not experience failure at some point in time? Probably not. And, if everyone was being honest they would probably tell you that they learned more from their failures than their successes.
In his book, Fail Up: 20 Lessons on Building Success Tavis Smiley talks about failing up and draws an analogy to what he calls “The Drum Major Instinct.” Simply put, is your motivation to help or lead others coming from a positive, constructive spirit within you, or are you more interested in leading the parade, like a drum major? Your motivation and intention are predictors of your success.
As a cancer registrar it is easy to want to be the drum major and lead the parade. You may want everyone to fall in line behind you and to simply do as they are told. While many may adopt this approach it is a journey that is headed for disaster and dictated by your ego. Ego-driven leadership leads to ineffective and negative influence in the workplace. Intentions driven by ego do not serve a useful purpose in any situation.
Learning from our failures and then using the lessons learned to “fail up” is what achieving success is built upon. Cancer Registrars will be successful if they set their ego’s aside, somewhat like laying down the drum major’s baton, and learn from their failures. Smiley refers to these as “success scars.”
Here’s the bottom line. You cannot have success without failure. You must learn from those failures in order to stretch, grow and to reach a new level of achievement. And, when you reach the new level, you will likely fail and repeat the cycle again. Successful Cancer Registrars must go through this cycle in order to achieve their goals and serve the healthcare communities. Period.
If you have not taken the time to evaluate your failures and to identify what you learned from those situations then I encourage you to do that as quickly as possible. To get maximum effect, briefly write down the scenario in which you failed, how and why you think you failed and then craft some constructive and positive statements on what you have learned and how you can use that situation to fail up. By adopting this mindset to failure and success you will achieve much and be the cancer registrar you are meant to be!
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.
By Michele, on September 20th, 2011% Just recently heard this song from Kristen Chenoweth’s newest album, Lessons Learned. The song is amazing! What is that you want to do with your life? How can you make a difference and help to make this world a better place?
Click here to listen to Kristin Chenoweth – I Was Here MP3 (lyrics below).
I WAS HERE
by Kristen Chenoweth
You will notice me
I’ll be leaving my mark
Like initials carved in an old oak tree
Just wait and see
Maybe I’ll write like Twain wrote
Maybe I’ll paint like Van Gogh
Cure the common cold, I don’t know
But I’m ready to start cause I know in my heart
I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on it’s ear
I wanna do something better
With the time I was given
I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this life
Leave nothing less than something that says
I was here
I will prove you wrong
If you think I’m all talk, you’re in for a shock
Cause this dream’s too strong
And before too long
Maybe I’ll compose symphonies
Maybe I’ll fight for world peace
Cause I know it’s my destiny
To leave more than a trace of myself in this place
I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on it’s ear
I wanna do something better
With the time I was given
I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this life
Leave nothing less than something that says
I was here
I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on it’s ear
(I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on it’s ear)
I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on it’s ear
I wanna do something better
With the time I was given
I know that I will do more than just pass through this life
And leave nothing less than something that says
I was here
I was here
I was here
By Michele, on August 12th, 2011% This short inspiring movie by the Freiberg’s says it all!
Performance Ideas for Life from Dr. Kevin & Dr. Jackie Freiberg on Vimeo.
By Michele, on June 28th, 2011% “He who stops being better stops being good.”
~ Oliver Cromwell
By Michele, on April 6th, 2011% Do you know how to drive yourself to happiness? Cancer Registrars can add this simple technique to their tool box and not only drive their personal levels of happiness upward, but you can help others be happy along the way.
Adults tend to pursue happiness by trying to get things that they think they lack. Cancer Registrars, for example, may  be looking for higher wages, job flexibility, recognition, autonomy or even authority and control. Finding happiness to simply meet these material needs will likely not produce the results that you are seeking. When attention and energy is focused on our own neediness, lasting happiness will not come our way. It is a dangerous trap we set for ourselves when we are seeking to fulfill our personal needs, because when we don’t get what we want, we may end up feeling victimized, depressed and even angry about our work.
Cancer Registrars who are serious about their influence as a leader in their organization’s cancer program activities will look to generate positive outcomes through kindness and helpfulness. In contrast to authority and control, kindness, service to others and helpfulness can dramatically impact the positive forces in our lives. Psychology has repeatedly shown us that one of the most powerful psychological conditions is gratitude.
To release positive feelings and create collaboration and partnership with your team, simply start expressing your gratitude. It is a known scientific and clinical fact that you cannot be angry, or feel fear, at the same time you are grateful or happy. And, expressing gratitude by serving others will bring you the lasting happiness you need. Positive feelings are as “contagious” as negative ones, but the outcome is dramatically different.
Martha Beck, life coach for O, The Oprah Magazine, says “For your own sake, do something that’s not for your own sake.” Wise words that cancer registrars can use each day.
Make a conscious choice to find ways to express your gratitude to the physicians and staff in your cancer program. Look for ways to help your partners to do their job better. Don’t wait to be asked and don’t worry about getting permission, or being asked to do this, or even how it will impact the bottom line. Choose to lead and serve others by using gratitude and positive influence, combined with your cancer registrar expertise, to drive yourself to happiness. Not only will you exceed your own expectations, but you will ultimately receive the recognition and gratitude you were looking for all along.
TELL US HOW YOU SHOW GRATITUDE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION? WHAT’S YOUR SECRET?
By Michele, on March 16th, 2011%  “Nobody can go back and start a
new beginning, but anyone can
start today and make a new ending.”
~ Maria Robinson
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