Almost every case manager can point to at least one person who helped them along their professional development journey, and many have, in turn, developed others through mentorship.

Successful mentoring relationships are marked by mutual respect, clear expectations, personal connection, and shared values. In most cases, both mentor and mentee gain from the relationship, and many mentorships translate into lifelong friendships.

Our mentors support us and motivate us, even and especially when the going gets tough. But what if we could find a way to bottle up some of that important advice and those encouraging words and share it to help others? We can!

The Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) recently sponsored a contest on allnurses.com to see what words matter most. What do we say to help build each other up? To keep each other going? To develop each other? The response was incredible – they received more than 150 submissions within a little over a week! And, as expected, the entries were both insightful and heartfelt.

Vivian Campagna, MSN, RN-BC, CCM, chief industry relations officer at CCMC, recently published a blog with a selection of quotes that represented the most prevalent sentiments expressed by case managers: overcoming adversity, making a difference, reaching for your goals, being kind to yourself and remembering your “why.” If you are looking for a dose of inspiration, you’ll find it here. As you’ll see, the members of the contest judging committee had their work cut out for them in selecting just one winner for each of the questions asked!

We are delighted to announce the contest winners and share the inspiring words they shared.

Question 1: What quotes do you use to motivate colleagues?

CCMC’s winner was Agnes Antony from Omaha, Nebraska who said,” If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, become more and do more – you are a leader.”

Question 2: What were some words of wisdom or advice you’ve received from a mentor that most influenced you?

CCMC’s winner was Heidi Hamm from Ellenton, Florida who said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Remember that the Commission has a host of resources to develop the next generation of qualified, knowledgeable case managers through mentoring. Materials like this CCMC issue brief are available for both mentors and mentees on CCMC’s website and through the CMLearning Network.

Enjoy and happy mentoring!

Guest post from Mary Beth Kurland, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, Commission for Case Manager Certification

MaryBeth Kurland leads and sets the Commission’s strategic mission and vision. She manages relationships with like-minded organizations and oversees business development as well as the Commission’s programs, products, and services. She works directly with the Board of Commissioners, building its corps of volunteer and subject-matter experts who directly support and evaluate certification and related services.

Prior to becoming CEO, Kurland served as the Commission’s chief operations officer and was the staff lead for the development and launch of the Commission’s signature conference, the CCMC New World Symposium®. Kurland brings extensive experience to her role, having served as executive director of organizations, including the Association of Medical Media, Office Business Center Association International and the League of Professional System Administrators.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, the American Society of Association Executives and the Mid-Atlantic Society of Association Executives. In 2011, Kurland was recognized as Association TRENDS Young & Aspiring Association Professional.