I arrived in Nigeria expecting to spend two years building a casino. Seventeen years later, I realise the greatest investment I made was not in a business, but in understanding people.

When I first landed in Nigeria, I had a return ticket in my mind. Like many expatriates, I came with a contract, a timetable and a plan. My assignment was straightforward. Help establish a casino operation, share my experience and then return home to South Africa.

That was seventeen years ago.

Today, people often ask me whether I still think of South Africa as home. My answer usually surprises them.

Nigeria became home long before I realised it had happened.

It wasn’t the weather. It wasn’t the work. It certainly wasn’t because everything was easy.

It was the people.

Before I arrived, I had heard many of the stories outsiders tell about Nigeria. Then I met Nigerians.

I discovered warmth where I had expected caution. I found generosity in ordinary moments. I met people who welcomed a stranger with remarkable ease.

Sometimes the greatest difference between perception and reality is simply taking the time to experience a place for yourself.

My office happens to be inside a casino, but over the years I have come to believe that every workplace is really a classroom in human behaviour.

People rarely remember the décor of a room.

They remember how they were treated.

That lesson changed the way I lead.

When I first took responsibility for the casino at the Federal Palace Hotel, I inherited more than gaming tables and slot machines. I inherited habits, attitudes and a culture that needed attention.

Rules existed.

Procedures existed.

What was missing was warmth.

Some staff members viewed customers as interruptions rather than guests. Conversations became confrontations too easily. Service was becoming a transaction instead of an experience.

Changing equipment would have been easy.

Changing culture was far more difficult.

Culture never changes because of a memo.

It changes because people begin behaving differently every single day.

I have never believed that leadership means shouting the loudest or reminding everyone that you are in charge.

Leadership begins with creating an environment where people want to do the right thing, even when nobody is watching.

That is why I have always preferred correcting behaviour instead of humiliating people.

Most of the team I work with today have been with me for many years. In an industry where staff turnover is common, that is something I value enormously.

When people feel respected, they usually become more responsible.

When they feel trusted, they often exceed expectations.

Of course, not every day is easy.

A casino is an emotional environment.

People celebrate.

People lose.

People become frustrated.

Some arrive carrying problems that have nothing to do with us.

One of the earliest lessons Nigeria taught me was never to assume that anger is always personal.

When a customer raises their voice, it is easy to become defensive.

Instead, I ask myself a different question.

What happened before this person walked through our doors?

Perhaps they have had a terrible day.

Perhaps business has not gone well.

Perhaps they are worried about something they have not shared with anyone.

Understanding does not mean accepting bad behaviour.

It means refusing to make the situation worse.

I often remind my team that someone who is already upset does not need another argument.

They need someone who remains calm.

Calmness is contagious.

So is panic.

A leader chooses which one to spread.

Nigeria has also taught me another lesson that I wish more people embraced.

Do not take everything personally.

That sounds simple.

It isn’t.

Like many people, I once believed every criticism was directed at me.

Over time I realised that many complaints are really about circumstances, systems or disappointment.

People are often fighting their situation, not the individual standing in front of them.

Recognising that difference makes it easier to respond with professionalism instead of pride.

One of my favourite things about Nigerians is something visitors notice almost immediately.

People smile.

Even during difficult periods.

Even when life is demanding.

Even when the economy makes every day a challenge.

That resilience is remarkable.

I have lived through political transitions, public health emergencies, economic uncertainty and countless changes during my years here.

Yet I continue to see people arrive each day determined to keep moving forward.

That spirit is infectious.

Leadership is often described as making difficult decisions.

I see it differently.

Leadership is helping people believe tomorrow can still be better than today.

Sometimes that happens through a major business decision.

Sometimes it happens through a simple conversation.

Sometimes it happens because someone feels heard.

My workplace may be a casino, but the lessons I have learned there belong everywhere.

Whether you manage a hotel, a hospital, a classroom, a bank or a family, people respond to the same things.

Respect.

Fairness.

Patience.

Consistency.

Trust.

Those qualities never go out of fashion.

When I arrived in Nigeria, I thought I had come here to share my experience.

Instead, Nigeria quietly became one of my greatest teachers.

After seventeen years, I still walk into work believing there is another lesson waiting for me.

That, more than anything else, is why I stayed.

Lynnette’s Leadership Lesson

People rarely remember every decision you made. They almost always remember how you made them feel. Leadership begins there.

Lynnette Mitchell is a casino operations executive with over 17 years of experience in Nigeria’s gaming industry. Her weekly columns focus on leadership, resilience, and the realities of managing a casino in a complex and evolving market.