Talk:Archive:Executive Committee

Principles for our organizers' group

The following hasn't really started yet. Saved here for possible future use. --Larry Sanger 09:02, 30 January 2008 (CST)

I've convened a small (six person) group of people who have committed to helping to organize various initiatives and generally "get stuff done." Call them organizers. We're going to talk on a regular basis and together drive a lot of new stuff forward in 2008. For my future reference (and theirs), here are some principles I have proposed for this group.

(1) Above all, what we need is maximum creativity, to achieve two goals: (a) precisely identify specific practical problems that need solving, and (b) propose specific practical solutions to those problems. No project I've ever been involved in has ever made headway without the principals constantly thinking up better practical solutions to practical problems.

(2) More specifically, our job is to organize activity. If we execute everything ourselves (individually or collectively), we are not doing our jobs. Our job is to organize and motivate others to do stuff. No doubt we will have to lead the way, and sometimes work hard in doing so. But we have to feel bold enough to call on others to help. This can be specific other known individuals, but more importantly is the power of "crowdsourcing" that is at the heart of wiki projects like CZ. We prioritize community initiatives and labor: what are the most important problems CZ faces, and needs to solve? I also welcome your help in prioritizing my own work.

(3) Our job is not to debate. Debate is great. Debate is necessary. But it is not our job. Our job is to do. Therefore, if we debate, we should debate only concerning what the best course of practical action should be. But even this debate should be kept to a minimum.

(4) Big important new initiatives do need discussion and approval. But once they're approved, go to town. Steve Ewen was given the green light to organize our image policies and resources, and he went to town--that is a perfect example of what I mean.

(5) We are not the Grand Overseers of the Citizendium. We are not The Cabal. So we do not make policy and we do not pass judgment on individuals. We are doers and organizers. If new policy is required for us to take some action, we consult the community and drive it through the proper bodies (if possible!).

(6) Our proceedings need not be particularly secret, except perhaps in very small cases...we could, if we wanted to, set up a mailing list for our group and make it open to read.

(7) We will report on our work to each other once or twice a week (we can decide later), and give each other advice and encouragement. If you stop acting for a time, you'll be dropped from the group. If some other person particularly distinguishes him or herself and would seem to fit in as a co-organizer, let's get that person into the group.

No longer exists

I assume that the Executive Committee has been eliminated through the ratification of the Charter. If so, where should we archive this page? Perhaps pages like this could be moved to something like CZ:Pre-Charter pages/Executive Committee. John Stephenson 14:35, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

Yes, do it! Martin Baldwin-Edwards 14:36, 4 November 2010 (UTC)