[Chapter-delegates] On more effective engagement (was Re: 2024 ISOC Board of Trustees Elections Results)

[Andrew Sullivan]

Hi,

On Thu, Apr 11, 2024 at 01:55:37PM -0300, Flávio Rech Wagner via Chapter-delegates wrote:

>There is, indeed, a feeling, which we believe is also shared with at 
>least a few other chapter leaders, that there isn't enough space to 
>contribute to ISOC plans and positions from the very beginning. 
>Chapter inputs are seen more as a consultation to check if the ideas 
>previously formulated are okay.

During the work that was preparatory for the 2023 board retreat, where they worked on the strategic plan, we asked staff at every opportunity they had when speaking to our community to try to get input to the question, "What do you think is the biggest threat to the Internet's future?"  We got a lot of great feedback from that, and we carefully parsed and catergorized it so that the board could use it as part of their input for the strategy discussion.  So that seems to me to be an example of some of what you're talking about.

But you may be suggesting either that the community be part of making the annual plan or that the community be part of building policy positions prior to a PDP.

In the former case, I just don't understand how it would work.  As it is, annual planning starts each year about now.  Prior to this point in the year, the staff are largely involved with working on starting the implementation of the prior annual plan.  We have more than 100,000 people in our community and right now about 130 chapters and SIGs.  I don't know how to structure "very beginning" input from such a wide group of people without it taking an enormous amoung of time -- the annual planning exercise would have to start in the prior year, just to be ready by the time the board needs to approve it (and its associated budget).

In the latter case, it would seem that your view might require changes to the PDP: https://www.internetsociety.org/about-internet-society/policy-development-process/  If not, then the part where members "flag issues" is already available, and I hope that all our colleagues are indeed flagging such issues and thereby contributing at the very beginning.

I've I've misunderstood your intent, please correct me.  Thanks.

Best regards,

A

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Andrew Sullivan, President & CEO, Internet Society
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