Reflect on Your Accomplishments as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant
At the LegalNurse.com annual Christmas party we have three very inexpensive holiday traditions that bring us together.
Our first tradition is that each person brings four colored strips of paper. On two strips of one color, we each write two personal accomplishments that we’re proud of this year. It can be anything from something simple such as “I learned a new web-editing software” to something as complex as “I learned the administrative system for the Customer Management System software and created the new instruction manual.” It’s a great chance for everyone to “flaunt their stuff.” We all do things every day that no one but ourselves know about. Some are simple, some are complex and some are just unbelievable. This way everyone gets recognition for at least two personal accomplishments and we’re all allowed to go over that limit (as much as modesty allows). I think the record for someone who I won’t name was seven!
On the two other different-colored strips, we each write a company accomplishment, such as creating our online CLNC® education program, virtualizing our server environment (guess who wrote that one) or making the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies again.
We go around the table at our holiday party and alternate with each person reading a personal accomplishment and the next reading a company accomplishment. Each strip of paper is passed to my assistant who creates a chain of alternating colors. No repeats are allowed for company accomplishments and we go until they’re all done.
The best part about this tradition is that we’re reminded of things that we’ve forgotten and people are recognized for their contributions. Every holiday season we decorate our conference room with these chains that just keep growing longer each year.
Our second tradition is that we each receive a business card Word® template which has the first name of each Institute staff member on a card. On those we anonymously type a “nice thought” about that staff member. It can be anything you want to compliment that person on, such as “You’re always willing to lend a hand when I’m overwhelmed,” “You’ve had great input in our brainstorms this year” or “You’re the best in handling student requests.”
Two of my favorites about Tom from this year are: “You are an asset to this company not only for your contributions but you are a great example of dedicated work with a balance of fun. You have an amazing attitude and accessibility to us all even though your day may be a hectic enduring deadline. Thank you for your graciousness to remember our likes and taking measures to show us your acknowledgment of those.”
“Not just Vickie’s right arm; everybody’s right arm! I know our nurses love Tom and so do we. His talents are amazing and he is a complete pleasure to work with…when you can catch him!”
This tradition is easy and fun to do and it makes you think about each person’s contribution (like Tom’s) to your organization. These nice-thoughts cards are separated and secretly put into small containers by my assistant and placed at each person’s seat before the party. I must say, if later in the year I’m feeling low or having a moment of doubt, I’ve been known to pull out my stack of nice-thoughts cards and review them. They never fail to brighten up my day and put a smile back on my face.
Our third tradition is our “Guess Who This Christmas Ornament Represents” game where we draw names and buy or create a Christmas tree ornament that represents the person whose name we’ve drawn. This can, and often does, get a little spicy. It’s always fun with terrific laughs guaranteed. Sometimes it can be really hard to guess! And I often learn something new about many members of our team.
What I really like about the accomplishments and nice-thoughts traditions are how easily they can be applied to any Certified Legal Nurse Consultant’s business traditions. Your own chain of business and personal accomplishments can fuel your future successes. Your collective accomplishments are much more than you remember at a given time and this is a great way to save them for posterity. This is something you can also do with your staff, attorney-clients, CLNC® subcontractors or vendors and it’s especially fun to do with your family.
We all contribute and we all create memorable accomplishments. Don’t just sit on your laurels, use them as stairs to the next level. If you ever need a quick boost or some high-octane encouragement, revisiting past successes and using them to fuel future accomplishments is a terrific way to drive you to higher and higher levels of success.
Success Is Inside!
P.S. Please comment and share some of your legal nurse consulting or personal accomplishments for this year.
6 thoughts on “Reflect on Your Accomplishments as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant”
Thank you for the wonderful suggestions! Your comments on the “nice thoughts” cards reminded me of my booster…when feeling low or full of self-doubt, I look at my high school yearbooks. People wrote the nicest things and seemed to have insight into my abilities that I am to this day still learning. It’s a great pick me up.
Thank you Vickie and Tom…I am just starting on the road as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant but have caught your energy and enthusiasm and know I can succeed!
Merry Christmas!
I truly believe in ‘Paying It Forward’. ‘Paying it forward’ is my major accomplishment that outshines all of the others. Over the course of the last couple of years I have been contacted by nurses considering becoming a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. I have encouraged them to go after their dream, enroll in and work Vickie’s CLNC® Certification Program for Success and if they did the work, and walked the walk, success would be theirs. I know that at least one of the nurses that I spoke with has taken my advice and is now working as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. My Life is full of Abundance.
Happy Holidays to all of my fellow Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. Remember to ‘Pay Your Success Forward’ and success will come back to you in Abundance.
Merry Christmas fellow Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, CLNC® Mentors, Vickie, Tom, and VMI staff! Thank you for sharing your holiday office traditions Vickie in today’s blog. The camaraderie described truly makes me wish I could be there with you all joining in. This last year has been a year of creativity for my CLNC® business. A couple of nights ago my husband and I were looking back and discussing accomplishments such as writing newsletters and developing continuing legal education. My husband showered me with compliments and encouraged me to keep moving forward. I am very excited for the New Year.
I have a funny story; Vickie has encouraged us to remember our attorney-clients at holidays or other special occasions by doing something special for them such as offering free or discounted services or gifts which I have done. I labor and make a conscious effort in selecting the gift as well as the timing to give them. Yesterday, an attorney-client reciprocated, giving me a Christmas gift. He said, “Wait, I have something for you, also.” He disappeared behind the door, fumbling with something, then, he reappeared. He handed me an object that I could not identify. It was not wrapped or in any kind of packaging. I was caught off guard; number one, I was not expecting a gift, and number two, the gift that was now in my hand was not what I expected the gift to look like. It was dark blue, the size and shape of a manicotti noodle, and pliable. I squeezed it and looked at it intensely hoping I would be able to thank him for the……….whatever it was before it became apparent that I didn’t know what it was. Well actually, I am glad that I didn’t know what it was. Noticing my puzzled expression, the attorney said exuberantly, “It’s a garlic peeler!” He then went into a detailed explanation of what a wonderful little gadget it is. He then handed me the packaging that went with it. He had opened my present for me! What fun that was and how I am overjoyed that this attorney thought to give me a gift. His joy was definitely in the giving.
What a great pick me up idea! As a new Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, I have just completed my 3rd report for a client. I received very little feedback from him throughout this time, although I made efforts to keep in touch. Out of the blue, I received the following email from him: “Nena, sorry I haven’t gotten back to you. I’ve been out of the office so much lately that I’ve barely had a chance to think straight. The reports and your last evaluation of the specials were all WONDERFUL. I mean, seriously, very well done. Hope you didn’t think my lack of response was somehow indicative of my impression of what you did in this case. I’m very, very pleased with your work and will continue to ask for your help on these kinds of cases.” Talk about a wonderful surprise!! Couldn’t have done it without your excellent educational process and resources. It makes a huge difference to know that you and the Institute are there to ensure our success.
Congratulations, Nena! How exciting and rewarding to receive such high praise from your attorney-client. Be sure to ask him for a letter of recommendation to include with your marketing materials and on your website.
I look forward to reading your CLNC® Success Story in the near future.
Vickie, I would like to add to your personal “Kudos” box. Even though your accomplishments continue to grow, you have remained very involved in every aspect of the CLNC® Certification Program. As a CLNC® Mentor, mentor and guest faculty member, I would like to thank you for being there for all of us. Many people who have successful businesses step back and guide from afar. You are unique. LegalNurse.com isn’t just a business to you, but a labor of love, and it shows in everything you do and say. You take a personal interest in changing the lives of nurses, and I thank you for giving us the encouragement and support to make our dreams come true.
LegalNurse.com is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
The National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (NACLNC®) is the largest and oldest association of legal nurse consultants.
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*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.
Thank you for the wonderful suggestions! Your comments on the “nice thoughts” cards reminded me of my booster…when feeling low or full of self-doubt, I look at my high school yearbooks. People wrote the nicest things and seemed to have insight into my abilities that I am to this day still learning. It’s a great pick me up.
Thank you Vickie and Tom…I am just starting on the road as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant but have caught your energy and enthusiasm and know I can succeed!
Merry Christmas!
I truly believe in ‘Paying It Forward’. ‘Paying it forward’ is my major accomplishment that outshines all of the others. Over the course of the last couple of years I have been contacted by nurses considering becoming a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. I have encouraged them to go after their dream, enroll in and work Vickie’s CLNC® Certification Program for Success and if they did the work, and walked the walk, success would be theirs. I know that at least one of the nurses that I spoke with has taken my advice and is now working as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. My Life is full of Abundance.
Happy Holidays to all of my fellow Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. Remember to ‘Pay Your Success Forward’ and success will come back to you in Abundance.
Merry Christmas fellow Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, CLNC® Mentors, Vickie, Tom, and VMI staff! Thank you for sharing your holiday office traditions Vickie in today’s blog. The camaraderie described truly makes me wish I could be there with you all joining in. This last year has been a year of creativity for my CLNC® business. A couple of nights ago my husband and I were looking back and discussing accomplishments such as writing newsletters and developing continuing legal education. My husband showered me with compliments and encouraged me to keep moving forward. I am very excited for the New Year.
I have a funny story; Vickie has encouraged us to remember our attorney-clients at holidays or other special occasions by doing something special for them such as offering free or discounted services or gifts which I have done. I labor and make a conscious effort in selecting the gift as well as the timing to give them. Yesterday, an attorney-client reciprocated, giving me a Christmas gift. He said, “Wait, I have something for you, also.” He disappeared behind the door, fumbling with something, then, he reappeared. He handed me an object that I could not identify. It was not wrapped or in any kind of packaging. I was caught off guard; number one, I was not expecting a gift, and number two, the gift that was now in my hand was not what I expected the gift to look like. It was dark blue, the size and shape of a manicotti noodle, and pliable. I squeezed it and looked at it intensely hoping I would be able to thank him for the……….whatever it was before it became apparent that I didn’t know what it was. Well actually, I am glad that I didn’t know what it was. Noticing my puzzled expression, the attorney said exuberantly, “It’s a garlic peeler!” He then went into a detailed explanation of what a wonderful little gadget it is. He then handed me the packaging that went with it. He had opened my present for me! What fun that was and how I am overjoyed that this attorney thought to give me a gift. His joy was definitely in the giving.
What a great pick me up idea! As a new Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, I have just completed my 3rd report for a client. I received very little feedback from him throughout this time, although I made efforts to keep in touch. Out of the blue, I received the following email from him: “Nena, sorry I haven’t gotten back to you. I’ve been out of the office so much lately that I’ve barely had a chance to think straight. The reports and your last evaluation of the specials were all WONDERFUL. I mean, seriously, very well done. Hope you didn’t think my lack of response was somehow indicative of my impression of what you did in this case. I’m very, very pleased with your work and will continue to ask for your help on these kinds of cases.” Talk about a wonderful surprise!! Couldn’t have done it without your excellent educational process and resources. It makes a huge difference to know that you and the Institute are there to ensure our success.
Thank you so much and Merry Christmas!!
Congratulations, Nena! How exciting and rewarding to receive such high praise from your attorney-client. Be sure to ask him for a letter of recommendation to include with your marketing materials and on your website.
I look forward to reading your CLNC® Success Story in the near future.
Success Is Yours!
Vickie, I would like to add to your personal “Kudos” box. Even though your accomplishments continue to grow, you have remained very involved in every aspect of the CLNC® Certification Program. As a CLNC® Mentor, mentor and guest faculty member, I would like to thank you for being there for all of us. Many people who have successful businesses step back and guide from afar. You are unique. LegalNurse.com isn’t just a business to you, but a labor of love, and it shows in everything you do and say. You take a personal interest in changing the lives of nurses, and I thank you for giving us the encouragement and support to make our dreams come true.