LEADERSHIP and a ROADMAP

Mon Apr 12 11:58:43 BST 2010

My Random Ramblings... 

On Sun, 2010-04-11 at 19:43 -0700, AndrewG wrote:

> 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)
> 

Ok firstly this is a discussion not a session to prove popularity or to
attack "anyone" at a personal level, Remember we are all friends here
not enemies! (leave any egos at the door please)

> 
> 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)
> 

Ok so my interpretation of the ubuntu LoCo leader was some what
different...

> 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'
> 

Sadly I feel that the current "structure" doesn't actually do much for
promoting ubuntu as a whole...

> 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."

Err... Ok but lately I feel that some have put forward suggestions and
have been met with great resistance to "change"

> 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."
> 

Agree totally with the above ... now just decide what roll you are
comfortable with and don't be threatened by those that choose option 1

> 
> 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.
> 

Sadly this seems to be the norm with discussion. It all starts out well
intended but then due to the "resistance" mentioned earlier it is near
impossible to achieve.

> 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

Umm... didn't he get a bullet in the head for having some rather radical
idea's ?  (I'm trying to make light of a bad situation there!)

> 
> 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)
> 

I'm not sure that we have the numbers to break the LoCo down into
smaller  sub units, but as an Idea it sure does carry merit. As we are
aware that the current arrangement (from when the LoCo was approved) is
really centralised as a Sydney community with smaller interest from
other states, Now that there is an interest beyond the original concept
devised by the original founders of the AU LoCo, was there ever any
further thought back then (2006) that it would grow beyond what the LoCo
was at that time (I can't answer this because I wasn't an active member
of the ubuntu-au community then) and to allow future broadening to "all"
areas within the greater AU population? The way it feel to me is "no"
but I could be wrong in saying this, but that is how I have felt when
engaging in discussion.

> 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)
> 

I don't see there being anything lost by not trying this suggestion, if
it doesn't work then simply revert back to the current system. Presently
the ubuntu-au LoCo has really not done much in the way of promotion or
for that matter purely existing on a name sake, a name doesn't mean
activity!

> 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)
> 

I think that those that will be in opposition to this structure just
simply don't want any politics to come between them and their passion
for ubuntu! but then as it stands presently there is no "structure" and
if you do speak out you get squashed for wanting to think outside of the
circle.

> 
> 
> 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.
> 

Again I think it's worth trying, IMHO nothing is lost by not.

> 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.
> 

I think the AU LoCo re-aproval has to take its course (?) and then as an
agreed collective focus on the above proposal.

Scott Evans VK7HSE
Phone: +61362291658
Mobile: +61417586157
Skype: vk7hse
scott at vk7hse.hobby-site.org
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PGP/GPG Key ID 437E00F9

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