By Ezeakukwu Emmanuel Nsoedo (PhD)
The Chief Medical Director, Dr. Joseph Ugboaja, has proven to be a tireless, purpose-driven leader. Still, he is also a very charismatic skillful leader who inspires the entire staff of the NAUTH establishment.
Once again, the CMD used the occasion of the end-of-the-year party speech to show once more why he is an exceptional leader who has been able to achieve within a few months what many Chief Medical Directors had not been able to do in two tenures. It is pretty mind-boggling if one should attempt to dissect the degree of mobilization of human and material resources to the NAUTH permanent site.
What is discernible among the entire staff of the institution is the sense of ownership they feel with recent development in the CMD’s effort to relocate operations of the hospital to the permanent site.
That sense of ownership flows from the mutual trust between Dr. Ugboaja, the management team, the entire staff, and the various stakeholders associated with the institutions. Leaders who enjoy this level of support from the people have been inspired to the point that they have given the leader permission to lead them. The leader earns this trust because he has worked hard to understand the individual’s ability by getting to know his team.
Dr. Ugboaja said that everyone tries to tell him how much he has achieved as the CMD, but in reality, the success belongs to his management team, down to the unit heads. That he could not have been in Abuja and still be in the position to execute the numerous projects at the permanent site. He then went on to call some of the past CMDs by name, the professors and academic leaders, the various stakeholders such as HRH Igwe Nnewi, Ibeto, Innoson, the host community, Prince Obi Orizu, Obi George Onyekaba, the quarter Obis, and management members, etc.
The CMD portrayed himself as the most negligible factor in the whole effort. This is quite uncharacteristic of most of Nigeria’s highly placed individuals who are always eager to advertise themselves as super achievers without any sense of humility.
Just recently, when he was honored by the hospital consultants, they showered the young man with encomiums for the achievements he has recorded at such a fast pace. Even one of his challengers to the position of the CMD told Dr. Ugboaja that if he had known that he was this prepared for the job, he would not have vied against him.
The CMD has mastered the art of working and enjoying with all the personnel. The musical groups are always on hand to lift the spirit of the people whenever they gather for any function. A non-discerning mind may view such indiscriminate jolly making with disdain, but it is a form of bonding between all levels of staff and management that build trust while reducing friction in the system.
Our concise analysis of what accounts for Dr. Ugboaja’s ability to succeed with ease lies in the fact that he is an exceptional leader. Dr. Ugboaja possesses the key ingredients that an effective leader must show the ability to communicate well, motivate his team, exudes trust, handle and delegate responsibilities, appraises performance, and have the flexibility to solve problems in a fast-paced, changing environment.
Dr. Ugboaja is a unique talent that the institution and stakeholders must exploit his skills for the overall betterment of NAUTH.