Postcard from Cyprus

I'm sitting around the pool in Cyprus after a strenuous game of table tennis with a bunch of ten year olds. I had hoped to be getting a certificate this evening but I was beaten by a particularly talented Scottish child!

The fears about Cyprus being in chaos were unfounded. The businesses here still have day to day banking issues but they are getting through. You can't help but feel sorry for the people here. They have been badly treated like so many others in Europe. When you follow the history if Cyrus it has clearly suffered from poor leadership for hundreds of years.

It's clear that Cyprus has been struggling for some time. There are many empty shops but most of these look like they have been closed for a number of years. What Cyprus needs most of all is people to still come and spend their money. It is a beautiful island and the people are really nice.

I have been working my way through the usual holiday book list. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find the type of book I really like. These are usually business biographies but there are not many out there I haven't read.

I have had to go back a few years to find nee material and came across The life and times of Henry Ford. What an amazing book. He was such a visionary and determined in his thinking. The book must be nearly 100 years old and yet the majority of what he says is still relevant today.

Obviously there is a focus on manufacturing which happens to be a current interest of mine. There are also a number of chapters about his views in society which are enlightening.

I have also read several books by Seth Godin and Daniel Pink which I may comment on in future blogs.

As I have been looking into the past for inspiration I decided to re read the Latham and Egan reports. It's proved very interesting in that in reality the UK construction industry has only managed to achieve a small part of what was recommended 20 years ago.

The Egan report which was written 15 years ago is incredibly relevant to what I believe is required in the industry today. I'm all for a relaunch of the report for the current market! How about a 2013 update?

I have ended up writing down my thoughts on the two reports which has ended up being a report in itself.i haven't found a home for it yet but I hope I can share it somewhere.

I have found strangely on this holiday that I have been drawn to write as well as read. I'm not sure if this is something which comes with age. Who knows the next project may be a book!