STEVE JOBS

I am currently in process of finalising a presentation entitled “Routes to Market” that I have to deliver next month in Nottingham.

The audience will consist of approximately 150 people from all corners of the construction

Industry with all kinds of different interests, requirements and levels of expertise.

One of the thoughts I was having was associated with Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple and a man who enjoys a reputation for being a master presenter.

Then I receive the news that Steve has died. How utterly sad.

Shortly after I receive an email from John Carlton, who is an expert in copy writing, saying basically how hard the news has hit him personally, i.e.:

“…whilst I never met Steve I feel our lives are intertwined.  I’m writing this on an iMac, using the friendly interface he championed (and forced the “who cares about fonts” geek-dominated virtual world to adopt), while my iPhone sits nearby (buzzing with incoming texts).


There will be plenty written about Steve Jobs and his effect on how we live today
For me, he was the Uber-Entrepreneur.       
     
Dropped out of college because his energy and ideas bristled at the shackles of staid academia.  Aimlessly sought out ways to engage with life on a more grand scale, correctly sensing that the world was about to change fundamentally and forever.


And once that aimless energy locked onto a vision of what could be… he never stopped driving forward

So the passing of Steve Jobs has hit me harder than I thought
it would...

... and I've been thinking about life, and the world
we live in, all day.

… he was so important
to business folk  like you and me...

... and why he'll be uniquely missed (and maybe
never replaced)

…for all the awesome things Steve left us with, his
final gift may be the simple realization to never
take anything for granted...

... and to never let your vision get blunted by
nay-sayers. So seize the day my friend”

I’m sure John’s fine words about Steve will be echoed around the world over the next few days, weeks and months.

Strangely, however, my thoughts have turned to why we in the construction industry seem unable to create people of similar stature. I can’t think of one person that gets close to emulating Steve Jobs achievements, not even say by just 10%!

If any body knows of someone working in or even loosely associated with the construction industry that has similar qualities of vision, passion and knowing what customers and clients want even before they do, then please let me have their contact details. I would like to meet them and I would even be willing to provide free support in order to help them improve the health and welfare of our industry. An industry that brings massive benefits and efficiencies to business, commerce and society as a whole.