[council] Theresa Swinehart on the Creation of the President's Global Advisory Groups

[James M. Bladel]

Another saying, one I know that Fadi like to include in his speeches:  "If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together."

I guess Staff has determined that they need to go fast.  Unfortunately, we (the Community)  were not included in that determination.

J.

From: Mike O'Connor <mike at haven2.com<mailto:mike at haven2.com>>
Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 6:50
To: GNSO Council List <council at gnso.icann.org<mailto:council at gnso.icann.org>>
Subject: Re: [council] Theresa Swinehart on the Creation of the President's Global Advisory Groups

hi all,

i believe the official phrase from the Junior Space-Rangers Management Handbook is "it's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission" and i agree with Avri and Maria - that's an approach that only works once in a while.  another phrase from that same Handbook reads "the beatings will continue until morale improves."

on a more serious note, i think one way to make sense out of what is going on is to compare the tension between the community and the administration with the tension that exists between the faculty and the administration of an institution of higher education.  i still have lumps in my head from when i learned these lessons the hard way.

- faculty (community) should be careful not to run the institutional infrastructure

- administration should be careful not to deliver the core mission

- talk in advance when it is not clear who should be taking the lead

- everybody should know whether the Board is active or passive and react appropriately

we're pretty seriously out of tolerances on all four of these right now, in my view.  and we appear to be in a runaway positive feedback loop that's amplifying the problem rather than damping it down.

mikey


On Feb 26, 2014, at 3:15 AM, Maria Farrell <maria.farrell at gmail.com<mailto:maria.farrell at gmail.com>> wrote:

Thanks for the note, Marika.

I share Avri's concern, not least because "acting first and explaining later" too often becomes "acting first and thinking later", as the perspectives of those kept outside the clique turn out to have been essential to include to form a balanced and comprehensive picture.

And no amount of post hoc rationalising ever wins you back hearts and minds.

Maria


On 26 February 2014 09:06, Avri Doria <avri at acm.org<mailto:avri at acm.org>> wrote:

Hi,

I can only say that I wish this had all been done before the groups were formed as opposed to after, and that the support and advice of the SO/AC had been obtained before they were created and they began their work. This would have given them a degree of legitimacy, I for one, do not believe they can acquire through post-facto explanation.

I know there is theory in management of acting first and explaining later, and in emergencies this is can be an appropriate method. However as it becomes standard in ICANN management, it becomes less and less acceptable as a method.


Thanks

avri



On 26-Feb-14 09:56, Marika Konings wrote:
Dear All,

For your information, you can find a video with Theresa Swinehart, Sr
Advisor to the President on Strategy, on the creation of the President's
Global Advisory Groups which provides some further information on the
background and objective of these groups at
http://www.icann.org/en/news/press/kits/video-globalization-advisory-groups-25feb14-en.htm.


Best regards,

Marika



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