Re: Appointment of a Transport Area Director

[Dave Crocker <[e-mail]>]

On 3/4/2013 1:48 PM, Margaret Wasserman wrote:
> The problem with this argument is that it appears that we have a choice between "limited knowledge of congestion control" and "an empty seat".  Which one is more likely to be able to learn about it?


Carefully considering the tradeoffs and requirements seems to be the 
corre challenge here.

To extend this point further:

      We've defined job requirements that produce an extremely small 
pool of candidates.  In the case of TSV, the pool is zero, but in others 
it is also problematic.  This is a long-standing problem, but we keep 
ignoring it.

      Rather than carefully consider the essential job requirements -- 
in terms of the core work that must be done by an AD -- we seem to think 
that we can continue with unchanged job requirements.

      ADs do not 'lead' the work of their area.  They do not initiate 
the work, produce the charters or write the specifications.  Work that 
fails or succeeds does so because it has community consensus and demand, 
not because an AD was diligent or clever.  The job of an AD is to 
facilitate community efforts, not to direct them.

      Technical expertise in a technical manager is essential as an 
adjunct to the management.  We keep confusing this essential requirement 
with the kind of work that an individual contributor does.

As long as we maintain that confusion, we will define a job that is too 
demanding, and demands too many of the wrong skills.

d/

-- 
  Dave Crocker
  Brandenburg InternetWorking
  bbiw.net