THE LEADERSHIP LENS Newsletter <download pdf>
August 2005, © Mark Sincevich, Staash Press, LLC
A monthly resource providing insight, opinion and practical information on creativity, balance, personal leadership & perspective

Super Shrink Me

We arrived in Verona at dusk driving through the ancient and well-preserved defensive walls of the city at Porta Nuova. Colored buildings in hues of orange and yellow flanked both sides of our drive, which culminated in the third largest Roman arena in the world.   It was awe-inspiring as I thought about the structure's 2,000-year history.   My wife quickly reminded me to turn right and to keep my eyes on the narrow cobblestone streets as we searched for a suitable hotel room.   All of the cars in the city were compact or sub-compact in size, since anything larger wouldn't fit down the narrow alleyways.   We settled on L'Hotel Giulietta e Romeo hidden around the corner from the arena.  

I asked for a room with a balcony since we were in the same city that inspired Shakespeare.   When we got to the elevator, only one person and perhaps two bags would fit.   I went in first as my wife held our son.   I heard his, "da da da" all the way up on the ascent to our floor.   We were both famished, so our first priority was to find a suitable place to eat.   We settled on a stylish Trattoria in the Piazza delle Erbe, which we later found out to be the original site of the Roman Forum.   It was lively and seemed to keep accepting patrons well past our arrival at 9PM.   I ordered prosciutto and melon, cooked spinach in olive oil and a plate of pasta.   The pasta came out first on a very small plate.  

As soon as I put the first bite in my mouth, it exploded with the intense and pleasing flavor of vine-fresh tomatoes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh pasta.   Instead of eating quickly because I was so hungry, I wanted to slow down to savor each bite.   I equally enjoyed the next two small plates of food while sharing my meal with my hungry and fidgety son.   At the end of our 90 plus minute meal, I was very satisfied.   Sure, I could have eaten more, but I was reminded of a Japanese proverb, "Leave the table a little hungry so that you will always come back for more."   Unfortunately too many Americans are leaving the table full and still coming back for a lot more.   The Washington Post reported that the obesity rates are up in most states.   The article stated, "22.7 percent of American adults were obese (an adult with a body mass index of 30 or more) in the 2002-04 period."

The article went on to further say that the type of diet probably plays a role since it's easier to find a burger and fries than fresh fruits and vegetables in some communities.   While we may have some of the freshest and healthiest food in the world in certain areas of the country, many people don't concentrate on making nutritious quality food a priority.   Instead, the nation's concentration has shifted to preoccupation with speed such as the 24/7 IM (instant messaging) mentality where one is nearly always accessible.   I find it deplorable that people talk on their cell phones at a restaurant instead of enjoying their meal and a good conversation.  

In a survey by Mintel International Group Ltd., 64% of Americans say that they pick a restaurant based on how much time they have.   This is eating out for the wrong reason!   The lack of easily available healthy food has also prompted me to plan ahead by carrying plenty of nutritious snacks packed next to my camera gear while on assignment.   Even at the 'Auto Grill,' rest stops along the highways of Italy, there were plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats and other quality food.   Eating healthy food directly relates to an increase in my energy level and to the quality of the photographs that I am able to capture.   By taking the time to compose a photograph, I will usually increase the quality of the final print. It takes time to prepare a good photograph just like it takes time to prepare a good meal.  

We need to slow down and enjoy the experience instead of hurrying from one place to the next.   There was a reason why all of the stores in Verona closed at 7:30PM.   The society has made time for friends, family and even the shop owners to have a meal together.   It's no surprise that the Slow Food Movement's head office is in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.   Slow Food is "an international association that promotes food and wine culture and defends food and agricultural biodiversity worldwide.   It also opposes the standardization of taste, defends the need for consumer information, protects cultural identities tied to food and gastronomic traditions, safeguards foods and cultivation processing techniques inherited from tradition and defends domestic and wild animal and vegetable species."   You can read more about this association at www.slowfood.com . The Slow Food movement also reads like a handbook for why you should never take a photograph next to a sign that says, "Photographic Moment (take a picture here)."  

A hallmark of the slow food movement is the Mediterranean Diet.   According to Dario Giugliano, MD, a professor of metabolic diseases at the Second University of Naples in Italy, "a Mediterranean-style diet reduced the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome (an early sign of type 2 diabetes that affects about a quarter of the U.S. adult population) in half."   Clearly making time to eat the right kinds of food and paying attention to the portion sizes is very important.   When my wife and I go out to dinner, we often split both the entrée and an appetizer because the portion sizes are too large for one person. Yet spending time in Italy also made me feel that our nation's dis-ease (i.e. the obesity epidemic) is something more.   I believe that there is a direct correlation between the size of the cars that we drive, the size of our homes and elevators, and the amount of food that we eat. Everything is just too large and reflects a nation out of touch with itself. We need to make the experience of eating and the quality of our food a priority over the emphasis on speed and the misplaced desire for more.  

About Mark Sincevich
Mark Sincevich works with organizations to develop leaders with more focus and creativity. He uses a unique photography angle in his speaking programs and writing. As a result of Mark's work, his customers gain a fresh perspective, generate new ideas, sharpen the focus and create more business. Mark is the chief perspective officer of his organization, Leading with Focus, the founder of Staash Press, a member of the National Speakers Association and the executive director of the Digital Photography Institute. He is frequently quoted in the media and the author of three books including, "The Leadership Lens." In between assignments, Mark can be found spending time with his family in the Washington, DC area or writing in cafés with character. He can be contacted at 301-654-3010 or www.leadingwithfocus.com .  

Order Mark's Latest Book, The Leadership Lens - key lessons from behind the camera about leading in an uncertain future, immediately available at www.staashpress.com/llens.html .