December 2009

I don’t like restraints; I’m a mobile user. I can pick up and go at a moment’s notice and I don’t like to be held down. Vickie snaps her fingers and I say, “How far are we going and how light are we packing?” That means my laptop and wireless card go with me just about everywhere. I use them on planes, trains and even in speeding automobiles (with someone else driving). I use my laptop at home, at work and at the CLNC^® 6-Day Certification Seminars. I also use it at Starbucks^®, preferring the security of my own wireless card’s network to one that might possibly be spoofed by some villain.

At each of these locations, I have a different configuration for the program icons on my desktop. What this means is that I have my mobile (laptop only) configuration. At home I have my w-i-d-e screen monitor (docked) configuration. At the office I have my dual monitor (docked) configuration and at the seminars I use the laptop screen as one monitor and have an extra monitor shipped ahead for me (come on, once you go dual, going single is cruel).

Here’s the issue. Every time I boot the laptop I end up with a different arrangement of my icons. Even if you’re one of those BORING legal nurse consultants who have right-clicked in an open part of your screen, then selected “Arrange Icons By” and then selected “name” and “align to grid,” chances are if you move to a different screen-size or screen resolution those icons will shift around. Maybe there’s a little OCD working here, but gosh darn it, when I line up my icons logically, I want them to be in the same place even if I’m not. You don’t want to end up spending your legal nurse consulting business’s billable hours looking for certain icons. Early this year I downloaded and installed RocketDock to get most of those icons off my desktop. That works pretty well but I’m lazy by habit, if not by nature, and still keep some icons on the desktop representing short-cuts to certain programs that either won’t run on the RocketDock or that I just don’t want to have to fish for.

Having icons go wild can also be caused by Windows^® issues. Sometimes after you’ve installed or uninstalled a program or when you boot Windows, it may completely rearrange your icons for you, no explanation – just sorry dude here’s your new layout. Then you have to spend hours (well, minutes) laboriously rearranging them until they’re “just so” once more.

If you’re like me and don’t like Windows rearranging your icons at will and wish you could find some way to restrain them, now there is! You can follow this link to CNET and download a wonderful FREE product called DesktopOK. It will allow you to set and save different layouts for your desktop icons. You simply arrange them the way you want, fire up the program, hit “save” and it will save the layout for you by screen resolution (I haven’t figured out a way to rename the layouts yet to simple things like home, loose, drudge, seminar, etc.).

This program works on Windows XP and Vista (I don’t know about 7) and is easy to install and download. You can set it to run when Windows starts up (which I like) or whenever you want to trigger it. Then, next time your icons are more scrambled than the eggs you had for breakfast, you simply left click the DesktopOK icon in your Windows tray. When the program pops up on your screen, you then double-click on the screen resolution setting you’re using and it will reset your icons back to that state. Cool!

I will toss out my usual warning that this is pretty much unsupported freeware so you use it at your own risk. I’m taking the risk and I like it!

Keep on techin’ (in good order),

Tom

I just got back from four wonderfully luxurious days sitting on a beach in Mexico with nothing more on my mind than my stack of novels. You’d think that for a woman who grew up in New Orleans, in a home that didn’t have air conditioning, I’d only like warm weather places like beaches or jungles. Surprisingly it’s exactly the opposite! Many of my favorite travels have taken me to colder climates.

I’ve been snow-shoeing in the high Rockies, explored Iceland, the Antarctic, the Arctic (600 miles from the North Pole), trekked the Everest and Annapurna sides of Nepal and stood among prayer flags on a 13,000-foot high mountain pass looking across Bhutan’s Haa Valley and the Himalayas into Tibet. Standing in rushing water up to my waist while fly-fishing in a Canadian river in a cold drenching rain, I remarked to

Vickie at Chelela Pass in Bhutan

If you plan to go somewhere or start something big, whether it’s a vacation or a legal nurse consulting business, you need to be sure that you’ve completed all the necessary preparations. You need to dress yourself and your CLNC^® business appropriately if you want to enjoy success. Just like you can dress badly for an outdoor event, you can also dress your legal nurse consulting business badly with poorly designed marketing materials, an unprofessional-looking website and unclear communications with attorney-prospects.

As a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, you need to always dress yourself and your business for success. Today, as you begin your day, I’d like to know what clothing you’re planning to wear for your legal nurse consulting business.

Success Is Inside (but the fun’s outside!)

One of the most famous paintings in history, DaVinci’s Last Supper, is about 13 well-known people sitting around a table sharing bread and wine. From the beginning of mankind people have used food as a way of bonding. The tradition of “breaking bread” goes back to before knives were present at the table (probably before manners too). Bread was considered essential to life and it was the ultimate act of sociality to break or share bread with another party – friend, stranger or foe.

Today, all Certified Legal Nurse Consultants expect and enjoy dining with family and friends and probably take the act for granted (unless they’re the one stuck with the dishes). Even breaking bread (although in some hospital cafeterias, it’s so hard you may not be able to break it) with our nursing colleagues is part of our day, even if a hurried one. Certified Legal Nurse Consultants understand that the act of dining with attorney-clients and attorney-prospects is a way to create and strengthen bonds. I routinely dine with the CLNC^® Mentors, vendors and attorney-clients and look forward to it. As Tom said after one dinner with an old attorney-client, “I haven’t laughed so well or eaten so hard in a long time.” (Just like Tom to mix metaphors and still make some sense.) I’ve had some great times with business associates and while there’s no better way to “let down our hair” and informally talk the business of business than dining with an important client (especially with a good bottle of red wine in the mix), it’s important to remember that there are rules of business etiquette that must be followed.

1. Dress the Part

Always dress appropriately for the occasion – business attire for a business lunch, casual attire for a casual lunch such as an outdoor picnic you are invited to. For an event calling for cocktail dress, keep it professional. If an attorney remembers what you wore to a party or a meeting, you probably wore the wrong thing. We once had an employee’s date show up at a company function wearing a Marlon Brando “Streetcar Named Desire” style white T-shirt that was totally inappropriate for the situation. He stuck out, but not in a positive way.

2. Arrive Early

Timing is everything – show up 5-10 minutes early. Speak with the maitre’d, server or person behind the counter and explain that it’s a business meal and the bill should be presented to you. If the server asks for your order first, you can respond by saying, “please take my guest’s order first.” This confirms with your guest that you are responsible for the tab and reminds the server that you should receive the bill. Do not take a seat at the table until the attorney(s) has arrived (of course a female Certified Legal Nurse Consultant in the bar by herself may present its own issues). While you’re waiting, use your notepad to look busy.

3. Act the Part

Attorneys are people, and people are attracted to individuals who are happy, positive and excited. They love doing business with Certified Legal Nurse Consultants who bring these natural traits to the table. Smile and look happy even before the attorney arrives.

4. Focus on What Counts

The meal is all about the attorney, not the menu. Decide on your meal choice quickly or even in advance. Give your attorney-client the space and ample time to choose.

5. Go Along to Get Along

Match the attorney. If the attorney chooses an appetizer, go ahead and choose one too, if they don’t you shouldn’t either. Meals are a bonding experience. If you choose a light salad with no dressing while the attorney is chowing down on a huge bone-in rib eye steak or a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, you’ve lost the opportunity to bond over the experience.

I was eating spaghetti and meatballs with two favorite attorney-clients of mine. They had sauce on their ties and I had sauce on my sleeves. We looked like we’d been eating spaghetti without utensils and this experience together became not only a source of laughter, but also a moment of unity – we were the same after all. When we get together, it still comes up and we all have a good laugh, even after all these years. Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty. Another of my favorite attorneys loves digging into a steaming hot pile of boiled crawfish. There’s no polite way to eat crawfish so if you know in advance what you’ll be eating, you’ll know how to dress (dark clothes that won’t show the stains). One word of caution: crawfish bibs look goofy on everyone. Don’t put yours on until the attorney is wearing his.

As to the meal itself, find out whether lunch or dinner is more convenient. I much prefer someone to take me to dinner where the crunch of the day is not weighing on me. At dinner I can truly relax and put my focus on my dining partner. Another person might prefer lunch so they can get home and tuck the kids into bed. All attorneys eat, but not all appreciate a long business lunch with a salesperson or vendor. Be respectful of their time. Sometimes something as simple as dropping by their office (call in advance) with their favorite deli sandwich and a bag of chips can be a great way to experience a no-pressure lunch and retie the connection.

6. Focus on the Attorney

It’s your job to engage the attorney – not vice versa. Ask about the status of cases you’re consulting on and inquire about new challenging cases that have just come into the attorney’s office. Offer opinions about how you can help.

7. Be Gracious

In the beginning and again at the end of your lunch or dinner, always take the time to personally thank the attorney for meeting with you and for the opportunity to share your CLNC^® services or to discuss a new business matter. You may be paying the bill, but it’s their billable hour they gave up to meet with you. Their time is their most precious asset. Be sure to thank them for sharing it with you.

8. Be Discreet

If the attorney is buying, never order the most expensive meal on the menu (think about the 54-oz lobster above), but at the same time, don’t order the least expensive either. You don’t have to order the mac and cheese off the kids menu. Use your host as a guide by discussing recommendations. Ask her what she likes on the menu and consider ordering from those choices. If it’s good enough for her, it’ll probably be good enough for you (unless it’s a $99 bowl of pasta with truffles).

9. Stay Sober

It’s perfectly okay to have a drink if the attorney does, but never try to keep up with the attorney who has more than one. Many of the attorneys I’ve shared a meal with are twice my size and have a much higher tolerance than I’ll ever aspire to. I’ve learned the art of fitting in by sipping slowly. Don’t have a cocktail before dinner if ordering wine. Eat some bread with olive oil to slow the absorption of the alcohol. There’s nothing wrong starting with a mineral water and lime while the attorney has a martini. Don’t try and keep up – you need to be articulate, not unconscious.

10. Know the Proper Use of Utensils and Plates

The bread plate is on the left and beverages are on the right. An easy way to remember it is “Left is lumpy, right is runny.” Utensils are used from the outside of the plate in on either side. For example, the salad fork is outside the entree fork. Rest your knife and fork on the plate between bites. You’ll eat more slowly and enjoy the meal more. This is not a nursing lunch – it’s a chance to make connections. You can’t do that while speed-stuffing a burrito into your digestive system.

11. Set the Tone of the Conversation

Attorneys love to talk. Allow the conversation to flow from polite introductions to social conversation before addressing business. Once business is concluded, return to a light social tone. Do not make it personal unless the attorney has moved the conversation in that direction. Even then, keep your remarks socially acceptable. Remember to come up for air and let the attorney talk. Think of it as a good time to properly masticate your food (while keeping your mouth shut). Try and eat while paying attention when the attorney is talking. This will add some give and take to the conversation.

12. Let Humor Ease the Tension

If there’s an awkward moment at a formal occasion, e.g., you forgot which fork to use, add humor to the situation to ease the tension. Everyone will laugh and feel more comfortable. Likewise, if the attorney spills something on his tie, try not to laugh. If you spill something on yourself you’re fair game – to you. If you swallow the wrong way you can always say something like “I’d forgotten how dangerous sea urchin is without wasabi.”

13. Accept Social Courtesies

Be aware of gender differences when it comes to common social courtesies. Allow a male attorney to be a gentleman even if you are usually very independent. This goes a long way to fostering professional relationships. I am independent and my husband Tom comes from the East coast, so if he forgets to open the door for me, I may get it for him (then shut it before he slips through). In Texas, many male attorneys still believe it is proper to open the door for a woman so I let them. This change in tradition is actually nice. Woman-to-woman or man-to-man, it’s whoever gets there first.

14. Don’t Wear Out Your Welcome

You’ll want to be aware of time constraints and be respectful of the attorney’s workday. Don’t drag out the meal. Don’t be the only one to order an appetizer or the only one to order dessert or coffee. Sometimes they need to get back to work and may be too polite to say so. Giving the appearance that you too need to get back to work maintains the image that you are a busy Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. If you really need dessert you can always grab a pastry and coffee at Starbucks^® later.

15. Say Thank You

Send a handwritten thank-you note within 24 hours of your meal. Few people take the time to do this today, so you are setting yourself apart and further cementing your relationship. If you bought, thank them for their time. If they picked up the check, thank them not only for the meal but for introducing you to a great new restaurant and tell them that the next time will be your treat.

Once you master these strategies, business meal etiquette will be as natural to you as resuscitating a patient and a lot more tasty. Relax and enjoy.

Success Is Inside!

The other day I was reading an article that asked whether we spent too much time in our heads. The author took the position that by over-rationalizing we actually talk ourselves out of things we really want and into things that we don’t. This reminded me of a story told by one of the Certified Legal Nurse Consultants about how much time and effort he spent setting up his CLNC^® business, creating the perfect logo, the perfect home office and the perfect conditions for getting started. He was convinced that until he was perfectly ready he wouldn’t have a perfect chance, so he found himself accomplishing nothing more than moving the tchlotskis around on his desk to the perfect position. He knew in his heart he was ready but that wasn’t enough – because his head wasn’t ready.

I’ve always felt I have a good gut. I don’t mean the product of 100,000 crunches, I mean intuition – the ability to feel what is right. Almost every time I’ve done the opposite of what my gut’s told me to do, I’ve regretted it later. This includes hiring and firing employees, dealing with attorneys, subcontractors and vendors. I’ve often known what was right, but when I sat down and overanalyzed it, I ended up making the wrong rational decision for all the wrong reasons. If I’d stayed with my gut and acted on that decision, I’d have spared myself hours of pain.

Sometimes we rationalize out of fear of change, sometimes out of need but more often because we don’t trust ourselves to make the right call at the right time. Without sounding too airy-fairy, our brains and ego are very adept at talking us out of the things we want and into settling for things that seem more rational. We can justify anything given enough time to think about it – staying in a job we hate, sticking with a toxic relationship, not speaking up because we don’t want to hurt the feelings of a friend or family member or not getting out and marketing our legal nurse consulting business to attorney-prospects.

Our intuition, our gut, is smarter than we think and much smarter than we allow it to be. Think about how often you’ve known the right decision, but made an alternate decision and ended up regretting it.

My friend knew he was ready but he did everything he could to postpone that decision. When he finally hit the market he had attorney-clients immediately and his fears evaporated. He later laughed with me about it and said that even when the first attorney called him back, he was mentally rehearsing excuses for not taking his first case.

Are you living in your head? Are you spending too much time overthinking a situation in your legal nurse consulting business instead of simply acting on what your gut is telling you? It’s time to look back at your past decisions – those made by your gut versus those made by your “rational mind” and see which has the better track record. Next time I start to overthink something, I’m just going to trust my gut and step out for what I already know.

I hope you’ll step out with me.

Success Is Inside!

As a world traveler I’ve seen and dodged my fair share of viruses. Except for that one incident in Nepal with the unpasteurized cheese, I’ve done pretty well. That being said, as a World Wide Web traveler, I’ve also dodged my fair share of viruses, malware and other nasty infections (so far as I know). Others, including more than a few legal nurse consultants I’ve spoken with haven’t been so lucky. Even my remote family isn’t immune. I once spent a full day of my Christmas vacation rebuilding my brother-in-law’s laptop after he contracted something extremely nasty from practicing unsafe-surfing. I eventually had to wipe his computer clean and reinstall Windows^® and advise him to stay off the Internet for the rest of his life.

There’s a lot more than viruses out there. I could spend hours talking about Internet risks including malware, malicious downloads, poisoned websites, Trojan horses and other nasties. Hopefully every Certified Legal Nurse Consultant is running some form of Internet protection software such as McAfee Total Protection or Norton Internet Security. It’s not enough to have good front-end protection, you should also scan your computer on a regular basis to see if it has become part of a botnet.

Botnets consist of average-Joe or average-Josephine computers that have become infected with a virus or other malware which allows a third party (bad guy) to take over that computer and use it for various nefarious purposes. The computer you use in your legal nurse consulting business gets infected by visiting a website that injects it with malware, you download a free “flash player update” to view that LOLcat video or run a free “virus scan” from one of those pop-ups that tells you “your computer is at risk” (yes Virginia, people really do click on those). Newer attack sites can even detect and attack both Windows and Mac systems.

Botnets can be run from a central point and are often used for criminal purposes. Some can be as simple as hosting a phishing site (sites that pretend to be a bank or credit card site and keep moving from infected computer to infected computer to stay ahead of security services). Other purposes include stealing your passwords, sending out spam, including your computer in a DDoS attack or just repropagating itself by sending out more versions of the bad email to infect more and more computers and build a bigger and bigger botnet. Botnets have already been involved in cyber-wars in the ex-Soviet states and will certainly be involved in future cyber-wars.

What’s the relevance to legal nurse consultants? Well it’s a big one. You need to keep your computers from becoming foot soldiers in these future wars. This is more than running anti-viral software. Many infected computers actually show clean antivirus scans.

To scan your legal nurse consulting business’s computer for bot infections, every CLNC^® consultant should download Microsoft’s free Malicious Software Removal Tool. Once installed it runs in the background (meaning you’re not aware it’s running) and once a month it reports to you as it finds and removes infections. Any time you want to be sure the Removal Tool is working, you can go back to the download page and run it yourself on the spot. It’s not a perfect tool but it is a good one. Is there a perfect tool? Not yet.

There are other tools out there but be careful. A lot of computers get infected because the owner installs bad software thinking it’s a real anti-whatever tool. Keep the software you purchase for your legal nurse consulting business limited to products from the big boys – Symantec, Kapersky, McAfee or Microsoft and you should be okay.

As soon as you get done reading this – visit that Microsoft site and run a scan today.

Keep on techin’,

Tom