This talk debunks the notion of managing time and offers strategies for managing our relationship with time.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

When we align our objectives with the Divine will, when we strive for the attainment of a worthy goal, when we begin our work with a well defined plan, and when we have ability to work together with others effectively, we have already achieved the trajectory for success. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Learn how to enjoy boundless opportunity and unlimited progress!

When we align our objectives with the Divine will, when we strive for the attainment of a worthy goal, when we begin our work with a well defined plan, and when we have ability to work together with others effectively, we have already achieved the trajectory for success. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
All service is sacred in the spiritual world. Our celestial associates appreciate our efforts because they know there is no such thing as menial work. One minor change in perspective can turn the necessary but mundane task into an exhilarating, even fascinating, experience. The key is in seeing the parts within the whole or the forest from the trees.
Good management always involves three main processes: The probative, the directive, and the perfective. These become cyclical once any initiative comes to life.
We think of the probative as the assessment phase. It involves questions such as: “Should we be doing this?” “What resources, both human and material, can be brought to bear?” and “How can we best convey our findings to those who will be engaged in planning?”
The directive includes developing and refining plans in light of prior findings. Working even the best of plans usually involves some amount of improvisation the first time through. This is why managers are often selected on the basis of “Who’s best qualified to wing it.” They also possess a core skill set that includes an understanding of team dynamics, attention to an appropriate level of detail, and effective communications.
Perfective phasing is also known as the Virtuous Cycle. This includes a debrief, a post-mortem of sorts. “What went well?” and “What didn’t go so well” are at the top of the list for questions asked. Individual team members are encouraged to share their experiences, to reach a deeper understanding of any lessons learned, in ways that might benefit the whole team as well as those who depend upon them.
The cycle then repeats as the assessors consider the lessons learned in light of any additional and available resources that may be of value.
Whether you jump on a shovel for a living, or manage a multi-national corporation, this assess, direct, and perfect routine can help you. It applies to self-discipline just as it does to corporate governance. Self-mastery is a pre-requisite to the effective management of others.
At the Aevia Institutes of Management, we believe that developing an Appreciation for the Enduring Value of Individual Advancement (AEVIA) also benefits the organization, the nation, and the world. That’s why our management curriculum has an initial focus on such basic skills as managing your time. Your first step in the successful pursuit of a management career begins here:

The scene was the annual conference of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. One speaker staunchly defended GMOs while mocking those who care about organics and sustainability. This presentation replaced a much-anticipated point-counterpoint debate planned by the Academy that was supposed to touch on the issue of partnerships between the private and public sectors.

The “educational” materials provided to conference participants by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogg’s, General Mills and others, included:

• Coca-Cola’s “Balancing Act” pamphlet, which emphasizes “energy balance,” and recommends burning 100 calories by gardening for 19 minutes, playing soccer for 13 minutes, or climbing stairs for 10 minutes. The pamphlet also states that soda and juice can all help meet hydration needs.

• ConAgra’s oil comparison chart, which argues that the company’s Mazola “heart-healthy” corn oil is superior to olive oil due to the presence of phytosterols. Conveniently, this handout does not compare the amount of healthful monounsaturated fats in corn and olive oil, which would make olive oil the clear winner. Among the “added benefits” of corn oil listed in this handout: “naturally cholesterol-free” (as are all plant foods) and “contains vitamin E” (as all nut and seed oils do).

• Kellogg’s “Comply and Satisfy” booklet for school administrators, which promotes Eggo waffles, multigrain Frosted Flakes, Cheez-Its, and Pop-Tarts as examples of “good nutrition and simple grains.”

• McDonald’s “Enjoy Eating the Food Groups at McDonald’s” handout, which highlights the premium chicken sandwich’s bun as half a serving of whole gains (never mind the 1,410 milligrams of sodium in the crispy premium chicken sandwich), and a Canadian-Style Bacon Egg McMuffin as an example of “protein” (that Egg McMuffin is cooked in partially hydrogenated oils).

• PepsiCo’s “Sodium Content of Commonly Consumed Snack Foods”, which makes Frito-Lay’s chip offerings seem like the best snack choices (in comparison to large muffins, beef jerky, pretzels, bagels and cheese). Conveniently, other common snack foods that would make chips pale in comparison — like fresh fruit, nuts and seeds — are missing.

After the conference, Dietitians for Professional Integrity — an advocacy group co-founded by 14 dietitians that advocates for the Academy to cut its ties to its Big Food partners and sponsors — released “The Food Ties That Bind,” a report that details the messaging Big Food shared with dietitians at the 2013 conference.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

Consider the Source

Even as more U.S. restaurants list nutritional information on their menus, less than half of Americans, 43%, say they pay a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of attention to it. Americans are much more likely to take note of nutritional labels on food packages, with 68% saying they pay at least a fair amount of attention to this information.

These data, from Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits survey, conducted July 10-14, come as some restaurants in the U.S. take steps to comply with a provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires restaurant chains with 20 or more locations to list calorie information on menus and menu boards by 2014. Other restaurants added nutritional information to their menus prior to the Affordable Care Act’s passage in 2010 to meet city or state requirements, to be transparent with their customers about the nutritional content of their food, or to respond to pressure from health groups.

While menu labeling in restaurants is a new federal requirement, the federal government has required all packaged food to have nutritional labeling since 1990. As a result, Americans may be more accustomed to looking for nutritional information on packaged foods.

Consider the Source

Not long ago, it was common for children under the age of 5 to receive treatment for severe malnutrition in this Ethiopian community. Today, a community-based nutrition programme is keeping children strong and healthy, and families resilient.

Weighing children monthly is one of the pillars of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health’s Community Based Nutrition Programme (CBN), which is designed to prevent malnutrition by building the resilience of communities to shocks such as food insecurity.

Members of the health development army are women selected from the community to assist health extension workers to deliver their integrated health, nutrition, hygiene and sanitation services in the rural community. Each woman is responsible for five families.

According to the zone health office, over the past three years, malnutrition rates have dropped from 20 per cent to 5 per cent, and severe malnutrition rates have dropped from 5 per cent to about 1 per cent.

Consider the Source

A company whose signature product is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic is involved in the credentialing of the professionals who are tasked with educating us about the epidemic.

Coca-Cola isn’t the only corporate giant influencing the conversation on healthful eating habits. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the country’s largest trade association for nutrition professionals, has for years been accepting sponsorships from what many describe as “Big Junk Food”: PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP), Hershey Co. (NYSE:HSY), General Mills Inc. (NYSE:GIS) and Kellogg Co. (NYSE:K) are just some of the companies listed as partners or sponsors in its 2012 annual report. Sponsorships — offered at various levels — help support the Academy’s various events and activities, with top-level sponsors (“partners”) given the opportunity to present educational sessions to Academy members.

Despite its proletariat-sounding name, the Academy is more than a simple trade group. It’s involved, either directly or indirectly, in almost every stage of becoming and remaining a registered dietitian. Both the accreditation council for dieticians’ educational programs and the agency that oversees RD credentialing operate under the Academy’s umbrella, though the organization says they operate independently of the Academy’s governing bodies.

Among the major food companies, it’s Coca-Cola that seems most interested in molding the minds of RDs. Its Beverage Institute features more than two-dozen free nutrition seminars, all accredited and officially sanctioned by the Academy’s Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Weaning the Academy off junk-food money may prove just as challenging as weaning Americans off junk food.

Consider the Source

This podcast is one of the first seven Keynote Addresses, given by the Aevia Group’s Founder and Lead Trustee, to inspire the building of a next generation university and charitable service. This address specifically addresses the work of the Fact Acquisition and Dissemination (FAD) team and it’s unique curriculum focus.
Consider the Source

Consider the Source

Consider the Source