The Disguise of Opportunity

Timi had just closed from the office, tired and famished after a hard day’s job, he walked out of the office compound, bidding his colleagues that had their cars ‘see you tomorrow’. Strutting towards the bus stop from where he’d take the first vehicle before connecting the next, he reminisced on how he got this job READ IT HERE. 

The blaring horns aimed at another driver who didn’t notice the green light at the traffic junction brought him back to happenings around and looking up, he could only sigh at the crowd that waited at the bus stop, all waiting on tricycles, vehicles, buses, anything (moving that is) that could take them from this first point to where they’ll eventually connect to their destinations. The existing fuel scarcity in town didn’t help matters as this meant fewer vehicles were on the road.

Tiredly, Timi trudged towards the bus stop and took his place among the commuters with some, having that ‘I’ve been here for 30 minutes and counting’ look. Barely taking his place, a bus came along and because of the scarcity of vehicles, everyone paid no attention to order as they all broke and rushed towards the bus. How unlucky was tired Timi for as he made to enter the bus, someone else outsmarted him. 

“God, this was my best chance of getting a vehicle else I’ll have to wait for at least, thirty long minutes!” Timi thought to himself. At this time, even more people who had just closed from work tiredly walked towards the bus stop, filling every space available to stand. With despair of heart, Timi walked slowly back to the bus stop, back from where he had just chased the previous bus and while walking back, he saw this taxi slow down to drop someone and the taxi driver, not wanting a rush from the stranded commuters decided to move a little after the bus stop, dropping one of his passengers and swiftly, whilst others were trying to come in through the side where the passenger alighted, Timi quietly and comfortably entered through the other side of the car, an advantage he only had because he was coming from the opposite direction! Thankful to his stars, Timi enjoyed the ride and reminisced again on what had just transpired and it hit him; Many times in life we are faced with disappointments and we sometimes feel we’ve come to the end of the road. Truth is, without some of these disappointments, some of us may never attain that height, which we desire. Sometimes, you lose something smaller only to get a bigger and better of it. Whether you believe in God or in fate (life) of which life is from God, when things happen, always think of it as ‘it can only get better and never for worse’. 

Haven’t you wondered why after that break-up which you felt would bring the world to an end, you later met someone who is only better and unique in his/her own way and you wonder if you would have met this person if there wasn’t a break up with the previous? Ever wondered why after that deal went bad, it propelled you to do something bigger and even better? I once heard someone say it was when he was fired due to the banking industry restructuring many years ago that he was able to go after his passion and today, he is one of the household names in the Nigerian fashion industry. Every disappointment they say, is an opportunity in disguise!

Lessons From A Lagos Bus Conductor

What could I possibly learn from a tout - an uneducated, violence-prone, abusive, dirty and unkempt person as a bus conductor, especially the ones in Lagos? The above is a near-description to what you have running through your mind upon reading the title of this piece. So many times we are clouded by sentiments, prejudice and biases so great and so little, we fail to learn even from the smallest of things (ants) expecting our lessons to come from the most structured places (classrooms, trainings, seminars, conferences etc.).

After learning from one of Nigeria’s finest life coaches Steve Harris on Business lessons from hookers (#bizlessonsfromhookers) and after reading from my Bible Life lessons from ants (#lifefromants) I have drawn Lessons from Lagos bus conductors (#lessonsfromlagosconductor) which I will share with you and hope you draw inspiration from, sharing other lessons with us as well.

#lessonsfromlagosconductor the first thing noticeable about him is that he has a very strong, thick and coarse voice! Oh yes! That is what makes you know you are in Lagos. Your business must have a voice. He knows that the only way he can reach his customers is through that voice also, the best way he can withstand his competitors, union members and co. is by having that voice. Your business, brand or whatever it is must have a voice and you should know the appropriate channel through which to make this voice heard.

#lessonsfromlagosconductor another thing is his character. He has a strong character which is his major tool of oppression or resilience either on his passengers or on his fellow union members. It is this strong character that makes you readily comply with his demand for smaller denominations (money) with you once he says ‘do not enter without change’.

#lessonsfromlagosconductor the power of vision! Oh yes! (you must be laughing by now) He has vision else, how would he sight his passengers? He has his target, he doesn’t want the bus to move along empty therefore he must be quick to see opportunities (passengers) and communicate same to his driver when they get to that point to then maximize the opportunity. To excel, we must have the ability to recognize opportunities when they come our way and then maximize same and it is only when you have vision that you recognize an opportunity that is in tandem with the vision you have.

#lessonsfromlagosconductor he has negotiation skills. He is a good negotiator. When he mentions a price and it is inconvenient for the passenger, he negotiates with the passenger and based on the outcome of the negotiation, decides to either pick the passenger or let him be. His ability to negotiate well gets him a passenger or makes him lose one and so the success of any enterprise depends on how well you are able to negotiate for sole benefit or at worst, mutual benefit. Only those who are able to negotiate their way through life always get the best out of it.

#lessonsfromlagosconductor he has calculative skills! (laughs) yes, the same simple calculative skills that you probably struggle with. This one fundamental skill is required in his business in order to save him time amongst other things therefore, (assuming you gave him N200 for a N70 fare with an expected change back of N130) you then hear things like ‘do you have N20 there so I can give you N150?’ That is indeed simple calculation of addition and subtraction and he gets his problem solved in a jiffy. In other words, to be able to solve problems, you must have an analytical mind capable of solving problems that would otherwise have cost you time and resources by virtue of not being solved.

#lessonsfromlagosconductor he monitors the environment and assesses competition. The same bus that will delay you at a bus stop looking for passengers is the same one that will decide not to stop at a particular location, racing on to the next. I have observed that once he sees a bus going in same direction with his, he tells the driver to move on to the next stop preferring to get there first before this other bus gets there. 

#lessonsfromlagosconductor from the above, we also see that he has the power of foresight! You should be able to see what the market holds for your business or what the strides of your competitors are and race into the future before they get there so when the future eventually comes, you will not be stranded rather maximizing all the gains and value it has to offer. A perfect example is a company like Nikkon which continues to be relevant in the photography industry long after the demise of the film/dark room technology.

So, what lessons have you learnt from your everyday bus conductor which have gone unnoticed? Why not share them with us and let everyone draw inspiration from them!

Adios!

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