--On Wednesday, 18 April, 2007 19:08 -0400 Sam Hartman <hartmans-ietf@xxxxxxx> wrote: > > > Geopriv dropped because I'm asking a general question. > > > >> AGENDA CHANGE > >> > >> The IETF process allows for agenda changes during > meetings. At >> the outset of the meeting, the agenda was >... > I'm a bit concerned that I may regularly be doing something > that the geopriv chairs feel is inappropriate. I'd lik e to > discuss with the wider community so I can change my practices > if needed. > > It's reasonably common that I will try to work with chairs and > key participants in a working group to find ways to unstick a > working group. for example I may suggest to a chair that some >... Sam, It seems to me that the community has a choice between ADs who set themselves up, or are set up by others, as all-knowing authority figures and ADs who try to move WGs forward by talking with people, mediating, negotiating, and generally exercising leadership rather than authority. I believe that the community's preference for the latter is very clear, especially from the number of criticisms that regularly crop up in response to symptoms of the former. >From the material that was posted, I have no way to deduce whether this was handled optimally. For example, under normal circumstances, I would expect that at least some of the WG Co-Chairs were aware that these other conversations were going on, rather than being surprised by them. But I can also see a number of reasons why they would not be consulted, notably ones in which the WG is seriously behind schedule and the ADs were starting to wonder whether the existing WG leadership was being effective. As Cullen suggests, if there were clear indications that the ADs were using their authority to force a particular outcome, that should be dealt with by immediate recalls. On the other hand, if the one or more co-chairs and the ADs have lost confidence in either other, or in the WG's ability to succeed, some rearrangement of the WG --by termination, change of leadership (whether by resignation or "firing"), or significant change of charter-- would seem to be in order. But that goes well beyond the question I think you were asking. john _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf