This Project Manager once had to use his bare hands to get the job done
George Panoutsos left Greece 16 years ago to work in the Middle East and now calls the Arab world his “real home”. Currently a Project Manager at Abu Dhabi ports, George has an unwavering love for building things and was never a fan of sacrificing growth for security.
During the Building Leaders podcast, we discussed what is like working as an expat in the Middle East, what it takes to grow and get promoted as an engineer, and many more topics.
Create your own legacy
Influenced by his father, a construction business owner himself, George dreamed of becoming an engineer since early childhood. When he received a lucrative offer to work at Archirodon right after his studies, his father made an equal offer to entice him in order to stay in Greece, but George decided to test himself abroad. As he says he didn’t want to just be “the son of the owner”. He worked at Archirodon for nine years and was part of the team building the prestigious Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi. He then moved to AECOM for a brief period in the consulting world and then switched back working for what he calls “the best contractor in the world”, BESIX.
Don’t decide FOR your family, decide WITH them
George’s love for his work took a toll on his personal life at times. Especially during his early career when he was clocking 70–80 hours per week while having his wife and a one-year-old baby at home. He regrets not seeing his daughter a lot while growing up but learned from his mistakes as he grew older and wiser. George says that, if you want to invest a large part of your life in your work, you better get your family’s consent, support, and blessing for it. To get there, you must learn how to listen to their needs carefully, and make decisions with them, rather than for them.
Promotion will not be served to you on a plate
George had to fight for his promotion from Construction Manager to Project Manager twice in his career. He says that, if you are over-performing for long periods of time and your work is not recognized, you have to be ready to leave the company. Otherwise, you run the risk of growing roots in places where there is no water. Keep options open at all times.
Do job interviews, even if you don’t have to
George has seen many engineers feeling stuck in a role for years on end. He encourages people to always be on their toes and not be too dependent on their role or their company. As he explains, doing interviews with other companies is a great way to understand how things work outside your comfort zone and also gives you a stronger hand when the time comes to negotiate a raise or promotion with your boss.
Treat people like they make a difference, and they will
For George, there are no bad people and good people at work. When asked about the future of the industry, he does not get carried away by the growing impact of technology. He still sees construction as a people’s game, he invests time in understanding the personality of each and every one of his teammates and crafts strategies to make everyone feel welcome.
For all the above and more great stories and insights listen to our podcast:
