Info/exptl RFCs [Re: Killing old/slow groups - transition thinking

Margaret Wasserman mrw@windriver.com
Tue, 10 Dec 2002 08:25:38 -0500


>I believe that the IESG does need to delegate document reviews,
>that's Management 101, but then we have the challenge of finding
>conscientious and trusted reviewers.


I am sure that there are plenty of people in the IETF who could
trusted to review documents, and it would be very simple to come
up with a plan to recruit, train and manage these people, including
verifying the quality of their output.  In time, the group could
become self-sustaining with new members trained by old members.
If the IESG wants to do this but doesn't know how, I would be happy
to advise them on how to do it.

It is an extremely common management trap to fall into the habit
of doing all of the work yourself because you don't have time to
hire anyone to do it for you.  Another (related) trap is the
belief that "if you want something done right, do it yourself".
I think that the IESG currently suffers from both -- these things
are easy for me to recognize, because I had a major case of both
in my early management career.

The thing I don't understand is how the IESG has maintained these
attitudes for so long -- many of the current members have been on
the IESG for the better part of 10 years.  In my case I received
management and organizational training from my company, and I had
the support of more senior managers who had overcome the same
problems.  Maybe we need to figure out how to get these things
(or their equivalents) for the IESG?

I bet that most IESG members belong to companies with very good
management training and development programs.  Perhaps some of
the IESG members should ask their companies to participate, even
though they are not actually managers _within_ their companies?

Margaret