Olaf, Thanks for posting this analysis. I'm on travel but will have a careful look in a few days.
Brian On 2011-04-15 04:25, Olaf Kolkman wrote: > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > >> Certainly the IASA/IAD/IAOC reorganisation produced a noticeable >> reduction in the IETF Chair workload, but what has changed since >> http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-carpenter-ietf-chair-tasks-00 ? >> It would be good to have a similar analysis for the IAB chair role. >> > > > Below is a copy from a note I mailed to the IAB dd Feb 17, 2011. It wis a > variation on a note that I mailed to the Nomcom in 2009. It may not map > exactly to what you are asking, but I believe it is close enough. > > Also, my wish to remove the _must_ in the 'iChiefs must be a member of the > IAOC' best current practice is not a cherry picking act. The IAB has hired > secretarial assistance for the agenda keeping, todo-list maintenance, > minutes, etc. It is pushing forward the 'programs and initiatives' model that > allows for subgroups to do a lot of actual work without the chair driving > that (i.e. much more formal delegation of activities to sub-groups with > possibly external members). > > > >> Starting off with a personal note. >> As you know the IAB chair is selected by and from the IAB membership on a >> yearly basis. I first volunteered for the role of chair in March 2007. When >> I volunteered the first time I committed myself for 3 to 5 years (obviously >> subject to Nomcom and IAB decision). A minimum of 3 years because anything >> shorter is almost not worth the investment in the learning curve and the >> personal network that is needed to do the job effectively. Not longer than 5 >> years because of the fact that(much) longer terms tend to result in strong >> identification of a person with the role, sharpness and creativity decline, >> and possibly forms of mannerism in dealing with issues. >> From my perspective the most ideal scenario was (remember I wrote this in >> 2009) that I'd be allowed by the Nomcom and the IAB to serve as a chair for >> one more year and then be around for another to allow for continuity. In any >> case I think that it would be good for the Nomcom to look out for 'chair >> material'. >> The main reason why I want to step down now is that there have been some >> developments in the NLnet Labs situation that need my attention as director >> of that organization that can not be combined with a 0.7 FTE that I seem to >> be putting in at the moment. >> >> As for the responsibilities of the chair. >> ∙ A number of 'mechanical/managerial' tasks: >> ∙ Managing and organizing the IAB work-flow both on >> architectural and organizational items >> ∙ Setting priorities, planning activities to be aligned, >> identify actionable items and make sure next steps are taken >> ∙ Set up various meetings, manage agendas >> ∙ Track minutes creation and publication >> ∙ A chair's job can be relieved by having an executive director >> that complements a chairs talents in organizing these activities. >> ∙ Drive discussions >> ∙ defining goals >> ∙ moderate discussions >> ∙ call consensus >> ∙ Identify work items >> ∙ Incoming appeals >> ∙ Specific questions to the IAB from external bodies >> ∙ Track (or make sure they are tracked) various developments >> that may have impact on the IETF. >> ∙ IASA/IAOC and Trust >> ∙ As ex-officio membership, to represent IAB (and IRTF) matters >> Because the chair is involved in all these activities (s)he becomes a >> de-facto information hub, besides because the chair often act as spokes >> person there isa tendency for all major organizational work items to >> gravitate towards the chair, specifically if the interests of the other >> members are mostly architectural. There are arguments that the load on the >> IAB chair is to high and it causes the job to be more than a half-time >> position (depending on personal effectively, delegation skill, >> organizational skills and the quality of an executive director[*], it may >> even be closer to 3 quarters). And I believe that there are some structural >> questions one can ask, such as in the ex-officio membership of the IASA/IOAC. >> If we manage to get the Programs ran as more or less autonomous motors that >> produce recommendations to the IAB it may be that the chairs job becomes >> relatively bearable. >> While I think that with the Programs we have put a good structure in place >> it will need serious efforts of the next chair and the NEW IAB to make >> working with programs part of the common mindset. >> I think, and I realize that I am biased, that an IAB chair has some of the >> following skills, properties: >> ∙ Organizational: tracking actions, poking people, planning the work >> load. A good Executive Director can be of tremendous help >> ∙ Moderating and motivating: The ability to herd cats where >> occasionally a cat will have its claws out. >> ∙ Diplomatic: In inter-organizational contacts taking the diplomatic >> way to where you would like to end up. >> ∙ Strategic: Constantly trying to up-level and see bigger picture while >> remembering that actionable progress needs to be made. >> ∙ Open and sharing: Open to information received and conscious about >> timely sharing of that information. >> Note that I did not list technical/architectural skills in the above. >> Obviously an IAB chair needs to understand the technical issues but I do not >> believe that the IAB needs to be the 'chief architect'. While having an >> inspiring "Architect" leading the IAB would be nice I don't think it is a >> requirement. More important is that architectural work is being organized >> and the chair allows others to excel in their technical expertise. >> I am not saying that I had all the skills and properties above, but not >> feeling the need to be "the technical champion" and not feeling the pressure >> from my fellow members to act like one helped a great deal. >> FWIW I am committed to several IAB projects that do not automagically travel >> with the chair (e.g. RSE project and IANA strategy) and I plan to continue >> to be involved in those >> Folding these requirements with the thoughts on alignment with the day-job >> of a chair candidate and the possible willingness of an employer to sponsor >> more than half-time of a function that has fairly little technical return >> might be a challenge. >> [*] as mentioned in my other note, a dedicated (i.e. payed staff) Executive >> Director may be a great way to reduce the time efforts needed by an IAB >> chair, and other members. I should hurry to say that this is not mend as a >> comment on Dow, day-job interference plagues us all. >> > > ________________________________________________________ > > Olaf M. Kolkman NLnet Labs > http://www.nlnetlabs.nl/ > I will start to use a new PGP key (ID 0x3B6AAA64) at the beginning > of May 2011. > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.17 (Darwin) > Comment: This message is locally signed. > Comment: GPGTools - http://gpgtools.org > > iEYEARECAAYFAk2nIAgACgkQtN/ca3YJIocPVgCdEEPdzw/VTmkmgznbX73Nokan > uIIAn37ABvdLR3z7Mtu7v2FVPJXWkWgr > =C205 > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > _______________________________________________ Ietf mailing list Ietf@ietf.org https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf
