Patience Key in Nigeria Business
In Nigeria, one of the main attributes you need to thrive in business is patience. Without patience, you have no chance. Our business systems are slow and they do not respect anyone. Largely, the slowness is artificially created as the “big men” interpret waiting for them as a sign they have succeeded.
A friend told me about his client, a very rich oil baron, on how he nearly lost his mind when he arrived at his office and found no one waiting. He shouted why no one was waiting to his secretary. The staff explained that he had told them he would not fly back to Abuja from Lagos (with his private jet) that day. So, she told everyone waiting to go home!
With no one waiting, he commanded my friend that there was nothing to work for here. They left, and when they got to the man’s house, they saw many people waiting. He smiled happily as men and women hailed him. At the end, less than 10% of those people would be attended to.
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This is common. Check the reception, there are 30 people waiting. Walk into the office, the man is watching CNN. Those 30 people would go home.
Yet, if you persevere on your business and elevate your game, you would notice that waiting time would shorten for you. But at the beginning, patience is very important.