Re: Executive director [was: Re: OOXML]
On 11/6/07, David Bolter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > It is perhaps of interest to some that the Mozilla Foundation has not > found it easy to find a new Executive Director I believe the GNOME project needs more an "executer" than a director. Looking for the perfect candidate can be a long, expensive race that perhaps brings no result. We have tried this, didn't work, don't think it will work. Note that in most cases you need a strong professional context to hire a strong professional. The Mozilla Foundation can offer that strong professional context. GNOME can't, and I'd even say doesn't want to. There are some people in our community that would make wonders executing and directing in the GNOME Foundation, if we would set humble objectives, humble approach and pay a decent salary for that. Hint: if that person hired among us is a good team player able to engage the community, after 1-2 years the results obtained in total wouldn't be humble at all. -- Quim Gil /// http://flors.wordpress.com ___ foundation-list mailing list foundation-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-list
Re: Executive director [was: Re: OOXML]
> It is perhaps of interest to some that the Mozilla Foundation has not > found it easy to find a new Executive Director (see > http://www.mozilla.org/foundation/executive-director-search.html). Note > the Mozilla position comes with salary and benefits. Are we thinking the > same for GNOME? Yes (this was the case with our previous ED too, btw), although we probably have less room to move on that front that Mozilla. ;-) Even if you know you want the traditional ED role filled, it's tough to find the right candidate. - Jeff -- linux.conf.au 2008: Melbourne, Australiahttp://lca2008.linux.org.au/ "But then one can only ask questions. One can't dictate answers." - Sam Varghese, 'Journalist' ___ foundation-list mailing list foundation-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-list
Re: Executive director [was: Re: OOXML]
It is perhaps of interest to some that the Mozilla Foundation has not found it easy to find a new Executive Director (see http://www.mozilla.org/foundation/executive-director-search.html). Note the Mozilla position comes with salary and benefits. Are we thinking the same for GNOME? cheers, David Quim Gil wrote: > fwiw I also think that an executive director would be good for the > GNOME project, more needed than a business developer. At least GNOME > gets the resources that needs for doing what is capable to do. This > was not clear a year ago but as Jeff points out things evolve and we > learn in the process. > > The profile could be someone already in the GNOME community with an > open professional career a love for GNOME and open source, community > development skills, good communication, able to travel and somewhat > interested and skilled in money related stuff. > > I'm sure this person exists already in GNOME, and is reading these > lines (or at least would read then in Planet GNOME). The secret is to > start humble and small, and improving something every quarter. > > The problem is _only_ to find the name and surname, sending the offer > on the right time. Perhaps opening the position publicly without a > pressure of time, waiting for candidates? > > Anyway, stuff for the brains of the next board. > > ___ foundation-list mailing list foundation-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-list
Re: Executive director [was: Re: OOXML]
fwiw I also think that an executive director would be good for the GNOME project, more needed than a business developer. At least GNOME gets the resources that needs for doing what is capable to do. This was not clear a year ago but as Jeff points out things evolve and we learn in the process. The profile could be someone already in the GNOME community with an open professional career a love for GNOME and open source, community development skills, good communication, able to travel and somewhat interested and skilled in money related stuff. I'm sure this person exists already in GNOME, and is reading these lines (or at least would read then in Planet GNOME). The secret is to start humble and small, and improving something every quarter. The problem is _only_ to find the name and surname, sending the offer on the right time. Perhaps opening the position publicly without a pressure of time, waiting for candidates? Anyway, stuff for the brains of the next board. -- Quim Gil /// http://flors.wordpress.com ___ foundation-list mailing list foundation-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-list
Re: Executive director [was: Re: OOXML]
> This sounds, 2 years on, like exactly the situation we find ourselves in > now. Perhaps it is time to revisit the assumption that our organisation is > so radically different from others that we don't need/want an executive > director? I substantially agree with everything raised in your email, but I've come to a different conclusion -- and that's okay! * I don't think we're in the dire situation described in your email. We're firmly on the small-target side of execution, but that's okay for now. * I don't think we have an assumption that our organisation is so radically different that we don't need/want an executive director. That sounds like a misinterpretation of my emphasis on previous hiring goals, which I'd be happy to work through with you if necessary. * It's more important to have a good grasp on what we want to hire for, and who we want to hire than just filling the role with a warm body. I firmly believe that hiring the wrong person is worse than having no one at all. * The current Board, during its mid-year meeting at GUADEC, chose not to put hiring on the top of its priority list for the rest of this term. * As I said in a previous mail, *things change*. I imagine that this will be one of the items a fresh Board would like to take a run at (and I'll be there with bells on). * This was one of the reasons I took the term length bylaws modification so seriously, and I regard that as a great success of this Board, given how often it has come up during my previous terms. Thanks, - Jeff -- linux.conf.au 2008: Melbourne, Australiahttp://lca2008.linux.org.au/ "And, most importantly, we now have modules named 'fontilus' and 'themus' -- the two founders of GROME." - Jonathon Blandford ___ foundation-list mailing list foundation-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-list
