MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convetion, Exhibition)

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE FACILITATOR: As chairperson, focus on the meeting’s goals and objectives throughout the meeting. Most everything you say should serve that purpose. A written agenda and visual aids serve as reference points and help to reinforce your purpose. You will make your greatest contribution by asking questions. Questions help to stimulate thinking, navigate the direction of the discussion, and sidetrack irrelevant issues. Specific questions might be: “Where would that idea lead What are the consequences?” and “Is this line of discussion consistent with our objectives?”

IMPORTANT FACTORS IN PLANNING MEETINGS–VISUAL AIDS: Visual aids, such as flipcharts and transparencies help you establish a context for the meeting and have a longer lasting effect that just oral presentation. When you rely solely on oral communication, it is estimated that 80 percent of a message is often misinterpreted or forgotten entirely soon after its conclusion.

IMPORTANT FACTORS IN PLANNING A MEETING–SEATING: Seating arrangements affect the tone and participation in meetings. The chairperson should be in a central position to facilitate governance of the meeting most effectively. In small meetings the manager should sit at the head of the table, and in meetings with 12 or more participants, in the center on the side. Seating around a rectangular or round table, or semi-circle arrangement, where all participants can have eye contact is generally best. For problem-solving and idea generating meetings, this seating arrangement promotes a team-like atmosphere.

IMPORTANT FACTORS IN PLANNING A MEETING–ENVIRONMENT: The physical environment of a meeting weighs heavy on its outcome. Plan ahead to make this impact positive. For example, try to locate the meeting in a well-ventilated room, where distractions and interruptions are minimal and lighting and room temperature are comfortable. Use a wide table and place it in a central location so participants won’t be cramped or tense.

Copyright AE Schwartz & Associates All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: TrainingConsortium

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Diabetes has afflicted my life physically, emotionally and spiritually for the last sixteen years of my life. My wife of twelve years and daughter has had to live with an abnormal functioning husband and father. As the years went by as a diabetic, it became more and more difficult to control my blood sugar levels. My diet had to consist of a lot of calories because I have a fast metabolism and twenty pounds underweight. The increasing periods of uncontrolled blood sugar interfered with my thought processes at work and especially with my family.

The most detrimental effect of high blood sugar happened when I had to be hospitalized during the birth of my only daughter. My wife was hurt because it appeared that I purposely used the excuse of diabetes to not want to be with her for my daughter’s birth. It seemed I could never get close to anyone because I was living in a world of dysfunctional blood sugar all the time. I woke up in the morning with high blood sugar and grouchy. During the day it was a guessing game to keep my blood sugar at a normal level. I was always just getting by with life and never fully enjoying anything, not even a close relationship with God.

As the years went by, I became desperate and would buy a lot of products to help me try to manage my disease with no results. I could not afford health insurance and Doctor’s visits. This would always get me into trouble with my wife because we would fight about me not trusting God for the answer and wasting money. The people that would sell me products were out to take my money and take up too much of my personal time which took me away from my family.

One late evening after work, I vented my frustrations on a forum for diabetics. A response came back from Dr. Joseph Khoo from Singapore. Dr. Khoo approached me as a brother in Christ and offered me an herbal formula called Combetic on the honor system. I began taking Combetic with Dr. Khoo calling me on the phone everyday to make sure I was safely controlling my blood sugar. Having a new friend caring about me meant more to me than the remedy of my condition. After three days on Combetic, we had results and my hope grew by each passing week. I continued to decrease my insulin and I became an easier husband and father to live with. I could think better and I felt as though a fog had lifted off of me. My wife and I thanked God she had a husband to love. Dr. Khoo needed distributors for Combetic so we agreed to help as a team. Dr. Khoo visited us a few months later and we formed a corporation to market Combetic called Third Day Resources. We are now a growing team to help diabetics get freedom from the imprisonment diabetes causes. Diabetics can now go to: http://www.thirddayresources.com to get informed about diabetes and order Combetic. Dr. Khoo and professional staff offers free consultation in order to provide safe effective advice for every diabetic needing freedom from the “prison” of high blood sugar so they can get back to their lives and their families.

Robin Roberts is the President of Third Day Resources and has a B.S. in Recreation with an eleven year career working with the disabled. Robin enjoys his family in Eastern Tennessee by the Smokey Mountains.

Challenging conventional wisdom…what a concept! How few of us are willing to risk moving out of our comfort zone, learning to push conventional wisdom aside and grow. Why is it called conventional wisdom anyway? Why; Perhaps, because the very idea of it is associated with being safe and secure. Is that where we really want to be?

In today’s fast-changing and ever-shrinking world, new ideas, methods, and processes are being conceived, installed and operated at breakneck speed like never before. There is little room for conventional wisdom anymore, unless of course you are content with living in a bubble, with little direction or growth intentions. I like the old adage, “if you are not growing, you are dying.” Marketing and sales, as well as many other fields, require constant movement and adjustment.

The term “conventional wisdom” reminds me the old excuse “because that’s the way we have always done it.” This overly-used phrase is nothing more than a crude crutch for countless persons. Did you know that someone, in totally-blind ignorance, once had the audacity to say publicly that “all the inventions that will ever be invented had already been invented? There is no need for the patent office anymore.” As ridiculous as that notion appears today, that particular statement was made at the turn of the 20th century. If anything, we can only dare to imagine the discoveries and advancements that will be made in the next 5 years, let alone the next century! Think Star Wars or the Jetsons.

Certainly, there are instances where conventional wisdom is quite appropriate, such as well-accepted norms of behavior, testing procedures and religious practices. I challenge however, the notion of accepting conventional wisdom at the expense of personal and intellectual growth. That is where the element of fear enters in and restricts so many people. Generally, most fear at this level is simply imagined in our minds-eye, thus creating barriers to our progress, self-development and career advances. Although appearing and feeling quite real, it is not. At this point, we need to train ourselves to be conscious of our actual circumstances and work through this fear to find the rewards awaiting us. Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke in his first inaugural address “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” He truly understood people and human nature. FDR would never settle for accepting conventional wisdom, and neither should you.

In the world of selling your own ideas, products and services, we must be continuously growing beyond our comfort zone, challenging conventional wisdom along the way. Our ability to persuade others to our point of view as well as our ability to match our goods and services to the needs and wants of others, depends upon living and working in a dynamic environment, not the static world of conventional wisdom.

Daniel Sitter, author of the popular e-book, Learning For Profit, and the highly anticipated book, Superior Selling Skills, has extensive experience in sales, training, marketing and personal development over a successful 25 year career. www.learningforprofit.com/
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Eczema is an inflammation of the skin frequently seen in association with allergic conditions such as asthma and hay fever. The parts affected by eczema, develop lesions which will often appear as patches, blisters and/or scratches. The vicinities affected by eczema are very itchy and uncomfortable. The affected areas may become abnormally thick. Thickening of the skin can be brought through trauma to the patches from scratching and rubbing. The affected spots will be typically dry in comparison to unaffected areas. The face, elbows, behind the knees, wrists are more likely to develop eczema than other body parts.

One of the major causes of eczema is the imbalance in a person’s immune function and is probably a form of response to the environmental substances such as dust, pollution, yeast, cosmetic products, chemicals such as: detergents, oils, greases, solvents at home or in the work place. In addition, stress can cause a depletion of certain body nutrients (vitamins and minerals), which ultimately leads to a sensitivity towards eczema.

Corticoid creams containing hydrocortisone are the most common conventional treatment for eczema. Hydrocortisone is similar to a natural hormone secreted by adrenal gland, which controls the inflammation process and actively participates in the ionic body balance. The hydrocortisone creams are effective for reducing inflammation, swelling, redness and itching thereby allowing the affected area to heal.

In spite of temporarily reducing the effects of eczema, these creams can lead to skin thinning and damaging. At high doses or at low doses for extended time the hydrocortisone can accumulate through the body and induce metabolic changes in salt and water balance, potassium and calcium balance and increases the blood sugar level. The reasons for accumulation are multiple. One important cause is the competition between the naturally secreted hormone and the topical hydrocortisone for the same receptors, which can raise the uncoupled hormone level. Another important cause is the steroid structure of the hormone, which makes elimination through the kidney difficult.

The corticosteroid creams have to be used with a low dose of hormone and for short period of time as sometimes indicated on the label. On the other hand, sudden discontinuation of the corticosteroid cream can lead to the worsening of the eczema.

Herbal therapy is a mild but long lasting alternative for eczema treatment. Many herbs are known for their beneficial qualities in the treatment of eczema such as: Burdock, Calendula, St. John Wort, Chamomile, Chickweed, Yarrow, Nettle, Licorice. They can be used as teas, tinctures or for topical treatment.
Since eczema is a complex skin disease one single herb is not enough to relieve the symptoms of the eczema or eradicate the disease. A complex mixture of beneficial herbs is more likely to succeed in the treatment.

The antioxidant therapy has been successfully used in the prevention and treatment of different skin diseases, which usually are characterized by a high percentage of free radicals at the site of the affected areas. A good example of natural antioxidants is Sea Buckthorn and Grape seed oils.
They contain a wide range of antioxidants such as vitamin E, A, C, selenium, beta carotene, anthocyanidins, which can be beneficial in the case of eczema and other skin disorders.

In conclusion: Natural alternative may be longer than the conventional solution for eczema treatment but much safer for the skin and health in general.

Claudia Budu has a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and a Master in biochemistry. Everything that she has learned from elderly people and with more than 20 years of scientific expertise resulted in the creations of TelBari – Active Herbal Cosmetics and Skin Therapeutics (http://www.telbari.com), a revolutionary approach in natural skin care.