Hit me up on Slack / Radiating Intent

[Sam Ruby <ru...@intertwingly.net>]

I'm going to both pick on and praise a dear friend, Bertrand Delacretaz.

He has been relentlessly arguing for transparency, and posted a 
delightful link on twitter:

https://twitter.com/bdelacretaz/status/1149241665128976389

- - -

On the first topic, what Bertrand has been asking for is very much in 
line with how our PMC's are expected to operate, as described here:

http://theapacheway.com/on-list/

While this works exceedingly well in those contexts, it contributed to 
the demise of the Public Relations Committee (PRC), the ill fated 
womans@ mailing list, and would positively be detrimental to our current 
Conferences, Marketing and Publicity, and Infrastructure teams.

Infrastructure in particular does much of its work on Slack, in weekly 
teleconferences and annual face to faces.  Anything, however, beyond a 
simple "let me take care of that for you now" tends to show up on JIRA.

People are happy with Infrastructure because they get stuff done.  Even 
if that means that they need to tell people no at times.

I want this group to get things done.  Even if this means saying no at 
times.  Follow infra's lead and make use of JIRA.  Ensure that 
activities planned, undertaken, and completed show up in the monthly 
reports.

Feel free to hit me up on slack.  I've been known to respond at dinner 
or at a stop light.  Reach out to each other.  Bring things back to the 
list when ready.

Listen to the various voices you hear, even if they are contradictory. 
Blaze your own path if you feel it is necessary to do so.  Take 
responsibility for your actions.

If after listening to all these voices, and unless David or I or the 
board as a whole (note: not an individual director, but the board as a 
whole) tells you no, and you wish to proceed, do so.

I've told this story before[1], but early in my career, I was called in 
a VP's office, and was told "If you don't get your hands slapped at 
least twice a year, you aren't pushing the boundaries hard enough".  I 
want this group to push boundaries.

- - -

The balance that is necessary to enable pushing boundaries to work 
without descending into chaos is to "radiate intent" as Bertrand's link 
aptly describes it.  I encourage everybody on this list to read the page 
that you will find by following that link.  In the vast majority of 
times, there either is no hard deadline, or the deadline gives enough 
breathing room to share and solicit feedback on their plans before 
taking irreversible actions.

The [NOTICE] that Myrle shepherded, and the recent appointment of 
Outreachy coordinators by Gris are excellent examples of this.  In the 
first case, the committee is not seeing approval by the board.  In the 
second case, the decision is up to Gris.  Both actions were informed by 
input.

Notice that I said "the vast majority of times".  There will be cases 
where urgent decisions need to be taken unilaterally.  Possibly even 
unpopular ones.  If you are on the committee and faced with one of these 
decisions, please let Gris know.  If she needs guidance, she will reach 
out to either David or I.  If we need guidance, we will reach out to the 
board.

When such actions are taken, the appropriate parties will be notified at 
the appropriate time.  Some information (like individual names) may not 
be shared immediately, if ever.  I am aware of a request for an 
explanation of the confidential@apache.org alias, and will see to it 
that such an explanation is provided.

- Sam Ruby

[1] The following is on a private list so not everybody here can see it, 
but a more complete version is here: https://s.apache.org/snoopy.  It 
contains references to events that were topical (and even heated) at the 
time, and mostly have long since been forgotten.  The short version is 
early in my career I found and exploited a hole that got me root 
authority on a mainframe and I did something useful with that.  In the 
early months of my Presidency here at the ASF three people took actions 
that exceeded their authority but did so to benefit the ASF.  I also 
made a call for people to publish their intent to take actions and to 
take into account any input they may received on the topic before 
proceeding, a topic that Betrand's link covers well.