Re: [Membership] My impression on MAC meeting - some lessons

[Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com>]

Izumi and all,

  This situation does sound very unfortunate to say the least and of course
completely unnecessary of a member of the ICANN Board, and most especially
the chair of the MAC.  However these are the kinds of things that have
continually plagued the whole ICANN process.  George should be
ashamed.

  Izumi, I want to personally thank you for relating this information to
those of us that did not attend in Berlin..

Izumi AIZU wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Dear MAC members and others,
>
> Many thanks for those who shared the precious time here in Berlin,
> plus all the other times since we started last December.
>
> But I must, unfortunately, say how shocked and sad I felt today.
>
> Fact:
>
> All agreed to reconvene MAC meeting at 2 PM, when we adjourned
> the morning meeting.
>
> When I came back to the meeting room at 3 minutes to 2 PM,
> I met George, Greg and Pavan just outside the room. I was told
> that MAC will reconvene 5 PM instead of 2 PM and they are going
> to join DNSO General Assembly.
>
> I took it as a joke. (seriously), then I went into the meeting room
> and found that it is not a joke, but on the butcher paper it was
> written MAC changed to meet 5 PM. something like that.
>
> I spotted Pavan outside the room, luckily, and confirmed that it
> was not a joke, but a decision made by Greg and George (who just
> came into Berlin). I said to Pavan that I could not accept this,
> without having proper opinion of the other MAC members.
> I went into the DNSO meeting room, found Greg and George,
> said that I could not accept that and that they should come back
> to the MAC meeting room and get, at least, feedbacks from other
> MAC members if they all agree to differ it to 5 PM or not.
>
> I also made an announcement at DNSO meeting that despite the
> notice written inside MAC meeting room to differ, MAC will likely
> to have meeting now and these MAC members are suggested
> to come back, along with those who plan to join as it was an
> open meeting, or they can stay with DNSO meeting if they
> choose to do so.
>
> There came back several MAC members who have no idea what
> happened during lunch break, expecting to resume to the scheduled
> meeting. I was giving my protest of the one-sided decision to Greg
> and George.
>
> After several round of discussion, Greg, to me, recognized that
> he/they made the mistake. After that, MAC resumed back to
> the work. In 2 hours plus, MAC came to the good closure of the
> work (I hope) ready to report to the opening meeting for tomorrow.
>
> My Opinion
>
> I do not want to go into more details, but still want to put this that
> HOW BAD REALLY I felt with the way the two of the co-chairs of
> our MAC, who are also the initial Board members of ICANN.
>
> I apologise, if my behavior was rude and impolite or too emotional,
> but I could not contain the feelings, and found some emotional
> reactions from them as well.
>
> They were, at least at that time, very arrogant and careless by not taking the
> members consent for the procedures of how MAC be operated. We were ignored,
> simple put. Unless I pushed very strongly, it would have been just taken
> granted,
> I am afraid.
>
> To me it is not just an coincidence, to be very honest. I felt similar
> problem in Singapore when George, who did not join the MAC meeting
> for the first day, did not pay enough attention to the contents of the
> meeting we had one day earlier, and tried to conclude the meetings,
> I really was impolite to George to say NO, you should not do the way
> you are doing.
>
> It's really a pity, honestly. I have similar sentiment if I could join
> DNSO meeting today, I would have done that. But as being a MAC
> member, invested some time since December, and feel responsible
> to go all the way to the good closure, that's why I came to Berlin,
> all the way from KL, this kind of 'treatment' was too casual and
> too arrogant, not to me, but many others.
>
> I see similar 'attitude' from some of the behaviors of the ICANN
> board members that is causing unnecessary noises and hisses.  Thus
> making some good (or bad!) people taking hostile positions against ICANN
> as a whole... It is very unfortunate that this is happening.
>
> I hope that even though the board are only 'initial', please not to
> make same or similar mistakes again and again. I do not want
> to be just a noisy guy, making too much troubles. I want to be
> as cooperative and productive as many other members want to be.
>
> But I cannot simply smile and accept some of the mistakes
> and bad behaviors. Such as the Board made in Singapore,
> several times, of ignoring the local protocols. Or the way GAC
> is being handled.
>
> You should be really really careful to listen to and communicate
> interactively, with the very constituencies you are based upon.
>
> I think you have to fix this. I happen to be vocal when I see
> things are not fair, nor balaced, in sensitivities and in making
> decisions, minor or major.
>
> Yet I hope this does not undermine the effort we collectively made,
> not only we in the sense of MAC members, but to all who contributed
> the process. The Staff, the people, all of you.
>
> In conclusion, I would say we have much more to learn. Not by
> making new mistales, only, but by trying not to make same mistakes
> again and again.
>
> many thanks,
>
> izumi feel very very tired.
>
>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>               Izumi Aizu  <izumi@anr.org>
>
>    Principal, Asia Network Research (Malaysia)
>                       www.anr.org
>
>  Sec. General, Asia & Pacific Internet Association
>                       www.apia.org
>
>   >> WRITING THE HISTORY OF THE FUTURE <<
>                        (beyond Y2K)

Regards,

--
Jeffrey A. Williams
CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java/CORBA Development Eng.
Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com
Contact Number:  972-447-1894
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