The Olympic Torch: Symbolizing Excellence

Abstract

ON JULY 11, I WAS FORTUNATE to represent the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics by participating in the Olympic Torch Relay in Basingstoke, England, as the torch traveled to London for the 2012 Olympic Games. The relay is a traditional preparation component of the Olympics; the Academy made our own history in 2010 when Jessie M. Pavlinac, MS, RD, CSR, LD, became the first Academy president to bear the torch prior to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The experience of carrying the Olympic torch on your behalf led me to think about what it takes to be an Olympic athlete. Required traits include a combination of talent, dedication to learning skills necessary to perform at the highest level, devotion to the activity over a prolonged period of time, and a little bit of luck that all of these traits will come together at the same time. A certain amount of innovation in training and performance sets the Olympic champion apart from his or her competition. Integrity is also an important component, because the athletes are bound by rules in preparation for the Olympics and while participating in their events. The Olympics has a following of fans —we might call them customers—around the world, who expect athletes to perform and follow the rules, while also looking for opportunities to use innovative strategies and techniques. The most memorably innovative Olympic athlete of my lifetime competed in the 1968 Mexico City games: Dick Fosbury won the high jump using a revolutionary new backward style that became known as the Fosbury Flop, setting Olympic and American records in the process. Fosbury's achievement might be memorable to me because he competed at Oregon State University, 40 miles from where I was a high school student in Salem, OR; OSU is also incidentally Jessie Pavlinac's alma mater. But Fosbury also sticks in my mind because he developed such an innovative technique that was not only effective, it forever changed the way high jumpers perform. Literally and figuratively, Dick Fosbury turned his back on the traditional approach to his work and set a higher bar for those who would follow. Fosbury's example makes me think of Academy members who have created innovative ways to approach practice. I see parallels between Olympic athletes and performing well as a registered dietitian or dietetic technician, registered. To be most effective, we need a combination of talent, dedication, devotion, luck, innovation, and integrity. Although I could list many members who fit this description, two come quickly to mind: Karen P. Lacey, MS, RD, CD, director of the dietetics program at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, who, along with others, developed the Academy's Nutrition Care Process; and Esther F. Myers, PhD, RD, FADA, who retired this summer as the Academy's chief science officer and was instrumental in developing the Evidence Analysis Library. Both of these innovative methods are used globally and have been instrumental in setting new professional standards that others rely upon. We owe a great deal to Karen and Esther and their colleagues for their innovative approaches. And these members embody two of the important components of the Academy's Strategic Plan: customer focus and integrity, which are crucial to meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of our customers. Integrity means the intention to act ethically with accountability for lifelong learning and commitment to excellence. Integral to customer focus is social responsibility, the intent to make decisions with consideration for inclusivity as well as environmental, economic, and social implications. For example, through the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act passed last year by Congress, we can make significant improvements in school meals. The Academy has been instrumental in submitting comments and working with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make this legislation both doable and effective. The entire Academy, in particular the School Nutrition dietetic practice group, works closely with USDA and the School Nutrition Association to promote achievable changes in school nutrition programs. Collaborations such as these make our school nutrition efforts even more effective. Each of us has our own practice area, our own opportunities for innovation, customer service, and integrity. I challenge you to be the next Dick Fosbury, the next Karen Lacey, the next Esther Myers. Look for innovative ways to perform as professionals. Make the leap, wow your customers, other health professionals and clients, and set new standards for excellence in the process.