-----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@xxxxxxxx https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf