Hi Neils, > I hope you'll forgive me for writing to you personally for your long > distance insight. You have history with the group and one of the very > few clear heads in the group.
This I disagree with. I think everyone does the best with what they have. With respect to clear heads, I think we all guilty of being passionate about something. That's what draws us together to form a community. It's what keeps many of us showing up month after month to discuss among other things.... an operating system. Passion is good. We all have a vision of where things could or should go. Some of us are more vocal than others in standing up for those ideals. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. > To be honest, I'm torn about running. As you should be. It isn't an easy job, and often times quite thankless. > I'd actually like it better, if someone else would take "the platform" > and run with it. I've had senior management jobs - I don't need the > practice, and I have experienced, how little glory there is and how much > work there is. There's no seduction by the title for me (been there, > done that). > -- However I haven't seen anyone, whom I would describe as > organized, who has gotten involved or been nominated and/or accepted for > office. Okay in the spirit of open dialogue and not picking sides, I'll bite. Being organized is good, but is it necessary in a good leader? Personally, I'd take honesty, openness, someone who walks-the-talk and the works well with others over organization skills in a heart-beat. Maybe that's just me, but it's what I look for in good leadership. Personally, I support your nomination Neils because I've heard some good ideas come from you. Whether you are the best for the job is for the group to decide. Do I think you'd do a good job? I think you would, or I wouldn't have supported your nomination. > Shawn's little programming SIG is around 6-7 people who chat > without an agenda once a month. It might be fewer, if there weren't a > trickle of people, who drop in once, only to decide never again. So I > think I know where clug is headed under his presidency. What is the purpose of the group and what role would an agenda serve in meeting that goal? Does it _need_ to be bigger and more organized? To play devil's advocate it took a certain amount of time, energy and organization to start it. I have to be frank, I like Shawn, and think he too would do a good job for CLUG. I think his heart is in the right place (which I think is the key for any incumbent). Who's vison is right or wrong? we don't know. The question is who's vision does the membership support the most. > * Should I run for office, and the current group of disorganized > individualists will actually end up being grateful and supportive? Is > there a silent majority, which will come out of the woodwork and start > participating more, if the caliber of the organization rises and things > become less "executive" driven and more participatory? Running for office would sort that out pretty quickly, wouldn't it? > * Or is me running for office a silly idea, because I'll turn the > culture of the group inside out? Maybe inadvertently kill whatever there > is now, and nothing else would even take it's place? That would be > really stupid, and I wouldn't want to do that to anyone. It's an opportunity. An opportunity to put your money on the table and see if you are alone in your thinking, or whether a significant enough number of people support your ideas. If they do, it is an opportunity to help the group grow toward that collective vision. If they don't, then... you've at least given it a chance and can take pride and a certain degree of comfort in that. In the end I believe its good to have opinions and values and its good to stand up for them. It's one thing to bicker and agitate from the sidelines, while never sticking your neck out, and quite another to put your money where your mouth is. I'm not saying you're bickering and agitating here, but what I am saying is that you've been vocal and made your opinions clear on a number of occasions. I believe that it is an important issue that the group as a whole should have the opportunity to collectively decide and more importantly, to put to rest, one way or another. Words without action serves nobody. Here's your opportunity for action. > * Should I rather think about starting a new group for FLOSS > enthusiasts, who actually like being more organized? You might want to start by throwing your hat in the ring to see where the group as a whole stands. > I have way more questions than answers - do you have any insight, which > you might be able to share with me? Perhaps more than you bargained for, but those are my insights. cheers, Marcel _______________________________________________ clug-talk mailing list [email protected] http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) **Please remove these lines when replying
