Team Leader - Terms & Selection Process

[acrymble]

I'd like to add this to discussion by the Project Team.

I propose that all 'Team Leader' roles on the 'Publisher' side of the project (Comms Lead, Tech Lead, Global Lead, ProgHist Chair) be term-limited roles with defined, but staggered terms (probably 3 years). And that the selection of new team leads be the remit of the Project Team.

This is in line with common practice in voluntary organizations like us, and it means team leaders have a period in which to make their mark and implement their vision. It also clarifies who Team Leaders are responsible to (the Project Team).

[drjwbaker]

(but we can't force someone to hold to a 3 year commitment)

[drjwbaker]

We also need to frame this positively, that is ~"we think it takes time to get used to a role, so 3 years feels about right"

[drjwbaker]

From @acrymble in #1941: last job of a team leader in their term is handover the role or decide if the team needs to continue.

[acrymble]

@spapastamkou has suggested a pre-agreed term should also apply to Managing Editors. I'd suggest also for the Project Manager at Large role @mariajoafana holds.

[spapastamkou]

@acrymble I think it should at least be noted it should be given a thought and a team may discuss this, 3 years passed, and decide whether someone is prolonged, if the person desires so, or else.
However, there is also the case that someone precisely joins the team for the role (I think it is @svmelton 's case), and it would not be fair to decide otherwise a posteriori if the person has come in a more permanent base in this role.

[jenniferisasi]

Something to consider: how will sabbaticals or leaves affect this "timeline"?

[svmelton]

That's a good point @jenniferisasi—I could very well see life events arising in the span of 3 years that would necessitate a sabbatical of a couple months or more.

[spapastamkou]

For MEs: @acrymble had once the idea that a ME can be assisted by another team member (smth like assistant ME). This is a good idea, as there would be someone familiar with the tasks who could possibly substitute a ME if needed.

[acrymble]

For MEs, I believe our service agreement means that individual publications have the authority to choose their ME. So we can come up with transition guidelines, but I think the project team has to be careful not to interfere directly in who the ME is.

For parental leave, I think we want to be adopting best practices for this. Does anyone know what the advice is? I'd think the leave would be part of the term, for simplicity of planning purposes within the wider project. But I don't know the repercussions of that suggestion.

[acrymble]

I think this issue may need to be broken into stages to be fully resolved.

1. We agree that the following roles are appointed (in future) by the Project Team: Global Lead, Comms Lead, Proghist Chair, Tech Lead, Project Manager at Large.
2. If we agree 1 above, each of the people holding those roles talk to their team about an appropriate and reasonable timeframe for the role, with 3 years the suggested starting point for discussion. They report this to the Project Team.
3. A group of 3 people come up with a plan for how this all works in practice, taking into account issues such as sabbaticals, family leave, illness, if more than one person wants a role, if no one wants a role, if we want to change/remove a role, etc.
4. We have a separate conversation about MEs (as ME selection is not the remit of the Project Team, except in dire circumstances)