LEADERSHIP and a ROADMAP

[AndrewG]

LEADERSHIP and a ROADMAP

Prologue: 25th March, Melissa Draper (our team contact) was sent an
email outlining some of the following in detail.  I am still awaiting
a reply (maybe she is on holidays), thus my reason for a public post
to the Ubuntu-au community. (I wish that she had replied so we could
have made a joint post)


LEADERSHIP: From the correspondence that I have had with Melissa, she
informs me that
"The contact is not the dog's body nor is it the mastermind."
Further, "I'm responsible for allocating privileges as allowed to us
by Canonical. I'm the team /contact/. I'm the person who interfaces
between Canonical and the team members."

So my conclusion is that the 'Team Contact' is NOT the team leader
(contrary to popular belief), but a 'Conduit' between Canonical, the
Community Council and the Ubuntu-au community. (and also that the Team
leader should convey the sentiment of the ubuntu-au community)

Thus, Ubuntu-au is a collection of people with no leadership, a group
of individuals trying to further the goals set down in the wiki page
'The Australian team focuses on distributing, advertising and
demonstrating Ubuntu within Australia'


I also asked Melissa the following
"What is your vision ?"
Her reply
"My vision is for a team that is constructive and contains people who
think up initiatives or support others rather than waiting for
orders."
My reply
"How do we encourage & support constructive people?
Some people need to be given guidance, in my experience there are
three types of people.
1.  Leaders:  Those that inspire others to do great things
2.  Followers: Those that need inspiration to do great things.
3.  Others:  They just don't give a damn about doing great things."


On March 8,9 & 11, there was some very robust threads on this mailing
list about Ubuntu-au Governance, Re-approval and the Website.
Now I'm not sure that these discussions achieved much as it has been
over one month and it seams that these issues remain unresolved.

I think I can see why this is the case.

1.  There seams to be a reluctance to change the status-quo.
2.  There is a fear about 'loss of control'.
3.  There is no clear process to bring about change to the Ubuntu-au
community.
4.  There is no 'leadership' to enable change to be achieved.

In summary: 'Nobody is responsible for everything' or 'Everybody is
responsible for Everything' or 'Nobody is responsible for Nothing'

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or
present are certain to miss the future."
—John F. Kennedy


BIG PICTURE:
Currently there is a discussion with the Community Council
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-community/+bug/392986
It talks about 'LoCo's are not "Lo" Enough' (Mark Shuttleworth has
even made comment)
and the concept of:
ReCo = Regional Community (for States and Provinces)
CoCo = Country Community (for Countries)
LoCo = Local Community (for Towns and Cities)

The Ubuntu-au community is clearly a 'CoCo' not a 'LoCo' as we are
seperated by large distances, in cities and regions.

If we accept the premise that the ubuntu-au community is made up of
smaller 'LoCo' around the country.
I.E.  Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart

***********************************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL:  I would propose that an "Australian Community Council"(ACC)
be created. (A Trial for 18 months)
Its members would be 1. Team-Contact 2. Web-master 3. 'LoCo'
representative(s) (7+-2 people total)
***********************************************************************************************************
(See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-au/council/structure for a summary
of models)
(See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-au/council/structure-detailed for
a detailed model of the ACC)
(These models have been created in collaboration, and are open to
further modification)

The role of the ACC, is really one of "Advisory, Support &
Consultation", as the "Team contact" will still retain the role &
privileges.

ADVANTAGES
1.  It gives the community some ownership in the process of running
the Ubuntu-au.
2.  It will bring forward 'leaders', which could be potential
successors for the 'Team contact'
3.  Spreading the load of leadership. (with 9 potential persons)
4.  An open transparent process.
5.  Authority to drive discussion and implementation.
6.  The decision making process, on a national level is simplified, it
is easier to make decisions with 9 (potentially) than it is with 40 in
an IRC meeting.
7.  An identifiable 'Contact' person for each City/Region.
There are many Teams in the wider Ubuntu community, that utilise a
council to share the leadership role eg. Georgia & Ohio

DISADVANTAGES
1.  Elections.
2.  Structured.
3.  A Committee.
(These are not really disadvantages, but necessary evils to achieve
the outcomes of the ADVANTAGES)



ROADMAP:  Where do we go from here?
****************************************************************************************************************
I guess that I am asking YOU the community to see if YOU are in favour
of an 'Australian Community Council'?
****************************************************************************************************************
If this thread gets a favourable response, then the next thing to do
would be to call a poll and have the 'PROPOSAL' passed.
Then we could call for each City/Region to elect a representative to
the ACC.

One response to this post could be:  'This is all great in theory, but
we don't have enough people to create an ACC.'
My response would be: 'Let's ask for interested persons to come
forward and nominate' (I know of three people that would be
interested)

Finally, unless we have a 'Structure & Process' in place to create a
leadership team nobody will come forward.
The status-quo cannot continue and to move forward a leadership team
is required to motivate the community to do great things.

RE-APPROVAL:
As our re-approval approaches, obviously my 'PROPOSAL' for the
creation of the ACC cannot be implemented. (if the community agrees)
We can say to the Ubuntu Community Council, "We are in the process of
creating an Australian Community Council, from our Regions/Cities" our
chances of re-approval will be greatly improved.


***********************************************************
Are YOU in favour of an 'Australian Community Council'?
***********************************************************
Those of you who want change, now is the time to speak-up.


Regards,

         Andrew G.


PS. Please read the detailed model at the wiki before replying to this
post.
Ref: wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeamLeader and wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoTeamHowto