Architects and Engineers

A contractor, an engineer, and an architect were standing inside their recently completed building, looking out at the street. A VERY attractive woman walks by. The contractor whistles, the engineer says, “Did you see the legs on that woman?” The architect says, “Did I miss something, I was admiring my reflection”

I have worked with a lot of architects over the years.  The one consistency of any architect worth his weight in pencil crayons, the one who makes partner, or principal or owner, is the one with an ego the size of a big ass fan.  He is often the one that smiles, shakes your hand while giving the knife a quarter turn after he’s firmly planted it in your back.

My lack of an ego (I’d drive a ’49 Plymouth if it was clean and in good condition over than an Audi or a Mercedes) makes dealing with architects a challenge.  I read somewhere once that an engineer is just an architect with rules.  Rules like physics or the laws of thermodynamics.  I will accommodate as much as possible as that is my nature.  When the values on how I live my life are challenged or when things get personal or disrespect rears its ugly head, I have to draw the line.

True story.  An architect I work with was recently challenged by a technician on instructions he was given as they didn’t make sense to him the way they were described.  The response was, “Just do it.  Your performance review is coming up.”

All canoe, no paddle!