Chisom Mefor: Insights Gained from Leading Digital Health Communities

As a community manager who regularly facilitates online meetings for communities of practice, I found myself increasingly engaged in face-to-face gatherings in 2025. This shift was particularly evident during a trip to Kano, where our team focused on adapting the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Digital Adaptation Kits (DAKs) to enhance Nigeria's immunization strategy.

Following this, we organized consecutive events: a virtual session discussing insights from the implementation of SMART Guidelines in Nigeria, succeeded by an in-person meeting to validate the draft immunization implementation strategies for the nation.

I fully adopted the role of manager: identifying immunization resources across Africa, understanding their origins, which organizations were utilizing them, the data they captured, and whether they monitored aggregate numbers, facilities, or specific projects. Next, I plunged into the organizational phase: drafting registration forms, extending invitations, sending follow-up emails, and consistently posting updates on my LinkedIn account.

Initially, only 13 individuals had signed up by the third day, and I felt anxious. However, I continued to follow up with more emails, texts, and reminders. By the end of the week, we amassed over 350 registrations, and more than 150 participants attended the session live on Zoom.

As we prepared for the in-person validation meeting, we faced the challenge of narrowing down over 200 interested attendees to a select 30, representing individuals from government, international collaborations, software development entities, and NGO partners. Given the intimate setting of our meeting room, each seat was of pivotal importance.

During the preparations, Mr. D reached out to me, expressing that he was nominated to represent his organization but had difficulty accessing the registration form. I advised him to try again, but when he called the following day reporting the same issue, I assured him not to fret and promised to send him the meeting details via WhatsApp while ensuring his entry at the venue.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of arrangement, however, I overlooked adding Mr. D’s name to the guest list. Given the controlled access procedures, I had instructed security to deny entry to anyone whose name wasn't pre-registered.

On the day of the meeting, Mr. D arrived early and was the second person waiting at the gate. Security sought me out, but at that moment, I was occupied inside managing other logistics. A short while later, I was outside near the catering area when I misplaced my phone.

Eventually, I found it next to the copier; I must have left it on vibrate while printing extra copies of the agenda. When I checked my missed calls, I noticed I had seven from the chief security officer, Mr. Stephen, and four from Mr. D.

Immediately, I realized I’d forgotten to register Mr. D’s name. He had been waiting for 37 minutes at security. Removing my high heels for comfort, I dashed to the entrance in a hurry.

Unfortunately, Mr. D had already left.

The security staff informed me I had just missed him as he had jumped into a taxi. Spotting his vehicle reversing, I waved urgently. When he rolled down his window, I started profusely apologizing, nearly kneeling in front of him. "Sir, I deeply apologize," I stumbled out, my voice rife with urgency. He shared that he had anticipated attending the validation meeting for an hour, having canceled all other commitments for the day. After much pleading, he consented to return, for which I paid the Bolt driver ₦1,000 out of sheer relief.

During the validation workshop, Mr. D’s contributions were remarkable, brimming with enthusiasm. It is apparent he was meant to be there. Since that incident, we have maintained a strong professional connection. He has participated in every community of practice meeting and consistently registers for events, engages in volunteer technical groups, shares insights about our organization on social media, and frequently asks, "How can I enhance my contributions? I’m committed to your initiatives on interoperability."

Reflecting on the oversight of forgetting to list his name, I consider it one of my significant professional missteps while simultaneously recognizing it as a monumental lesson learned. This experience reshaped my perspective on work, underscoring that what may seem a minor error can have profound consequences. In community management and human-centric leadership, roles deemed "insignificant" — like managing access, communication, follow-ups, and coordination — often dictate whether a system thrives or deteriorates.

Shortly after, this realization found articulation through an MSc course on Enterprise Architecture (EA), where I encountered the concept of a “foundation for execution.” This principle, while straightforward, is impactful: organizations don’t fail due to the absence of strategy, capability, or ambition; they falter when the routine, less glamorous processes that underpin their operations are inadequate or ignored.

Weak structural foundations compel organizations to depend on heroics or happenstance. Operations might flow smoothly until they don’t. Consequently, management spends its energy on damage control instead of leading, with trust deteriorating long before issues become apparent. All of a sudden, leaders are bombarded with complaints, reconciling oversights, and addressing frustrations, diverting energy that could be better utilized for strategy, guidance, or creativity. Conversely, robust foundations promote predictable execution, lessen individual reliance, and provide bandwidth for growth, learning, and innovation.

The same principle applies to people-centered initiatives. Communities, akin to systems, rely on invisible foundations—such as access, coordination, follow-through, respect, and recognition. When these elements are fragile, even the best intentions can collapse. Strong foundations cultivate a sense of respect and inclusion, motivating members to stay engaged. In both technology and community contexts, these foundational elements dictate whether strategies remain theoretical or are realized in practice.

Yet, many of us concentrate on visible roles, such as those of CEOs, CTOs, or other prestigious positions. We pursue recognition while neglecting the importance of our current responsibilities. Frequently, we participate half- heartedly—logging in, checking boxes, and merely going through the motions. Nevertheless, it is the seemingly inconsequential tasks—managing access, ensuring coordination, and following through on commitments—that genuinely hold everything together.