My first job was as an architect in the maintenance department in one of the shopping malls in Egypt. The construction department was building a new parking lot. I noticed that they did not install electrical conduits, and they were about to pour down the concrete.
I rushed to the department head to report it to him, and he
said he would not stop the work to install them. This would have led to a lot
of demolishing & rework to install any future lighting or electrical works.
We had only two hours; I drove to the nearest approved
supplier, made a quick design, bought the electrical conduits, and asked my
maintenance team to install them before the concrete work was done.
I did not get a raise or a promotion, or even a thank you,
and I actually left the company one month later for a better opportunity.
A couple of months later, I saw them installing the
lightings around the parking without having to do any demolishing, rework, or inconveniences
for the mall users, which saved a lot of money, time & resources.
I felt a great sense of satisfaction for choosing to do what
was surely technically and ethically right without looking at my junior
position, reward, office politics, or risks. This became my career & life
ethos.
