[ripe-chair-discuss] Status of RIPE Chair discussion?

On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 11:06:29AM +0200, Daniel Karrenberg wrote:
> 2. Continuity
> 
> The RIPE chair may appoint and dismiss a vice chair. The RIPE chair
> may delegate some of their tasks to the vice chair. In the event that
> the RIPE chair is unable to perform their tasks for an extended period
> of time the vice chair may assume all duties of the RIPE chair after
> consulting the community.
> 
> 3. Selection
> 
> Usually the RIPE chair and the vice chair swap positions not earlier
> than during the fifth year and not later than during the seventh year
> of service of the RIPE chair. Usually the previous RIPE chair resigns
> from the vice chair position about one year later.

TL;DR I'm opposed to the 'chair selects chair'-method, additionally I'd
prefer to see shorter terms. 

A leadership position which is instantiated to lead and serve a
community, must be chosen by that very same community, _not_ by "the
previous person". I fear the chair-selecting-chair methodology can
weaken our posture against self-selection bias, and the methodology does
very little against a chairperson operating with blinders on. Just
because this method was used once before, does not make it a common
practise nor is the single occurance a justification in itself to repeat
the practise.

As for the term duration, I think a 3 year term with, optionally
followed by a one second 3 year term, will help introduce a healthy mix
of leadership over the years. I think change is a feature, not a
continuity issue. I'll argue that ability to adapt to change [in
leadership] increases the community's stability rather then weaken it.
The internet is a rapidly changing landscape, and I see no benefits to
long appointments.

An alternative, also simple:

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    Every 6th RIPE meeting, a call for nominations is issued. RIPE
    community members can email their nominations to the working group
    chair collective. The working group collective will use these
    nominations as guidance, and choose a new RIPE chair between the 6th
    and 7th meeting.
    
    After confirming whether the person is willing to accept the role,
    at the 7th RIPE meeting, the new RIPE chair is announced in a small
    plenary ceremony.
    
    A supermajority of the working group collective may kickstart this
    process at an earlier moment.

    The RIPE chair may not serve more than two consequtive terms.

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Kind regards,

Job