Re: COI questions for Consultation on proposed IETF LLC Community Engagement Policy

[Jay Daley <jay@xxxxxxxx>]

Thank John.  Just one thing to follow up on:

And that may expose a small pachyderm in this particular room:

In this situation and a number of others, the boundary seems a
little thin between your explaining a proposal from yourself
and/or the Board, asking questions to clarify community
perspectives (as above), and so on on one hand and either
advocating for particular approaches or offering perspective or
advice in your individual capacity.  Consistent with what I'd
said elsewhere, I think more transparency would be helpful while
more rules would probably not be.  Do you agree and, if so,
could you try to be a little bit more clear and when you are
speaking for the Board versus offering your own perspective and
when you are speaking as an individual rather than Exec Dir?

All interactions I have within the IETF are in my professional capacity as the IETF Executive Director.  "Advocating for particular approaches or offering perspective or advice" is part of what I am paid to do and the areas where I do that are all within the scope of the IETF LLC.  If I were to do that for something outside of the scope of my role, such as commenting on the technical details of a nascent standard, then that should be treated as me overstepping the boundary while wearing my Exec Dir hat, not me taking that hat off.  I entirely agree that this could do with greater clarity, which is what this policy aims to provide.

Your question about "speaking for the board versus offering your own perspective" is based on a misunderstanding of what the LLC is.  The LLC is not a board/group, such as the IAB/IESG/NomCom/RSOC etc, it is a company, which both the board of directors and I serve and which both of us can speak on behalf of.

Jay

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Jay Daley

IETF Executive Director
jay@xxxxxxxx