This template should be used (edited) the month prior and during the meeting. This will ensure we can address all topics added throughout the month; as well as provide minutes and follow up after the meeting is held.
[x] [Discussion] Pyladies Global Council governance structure
Discussing flat vs hierarchical structure
Brazil: working groups work well for getting what we need done
Tania: Chair / Vice-chair, have these positions for accountability, rather than "positional power"
Lynn: want work to be distributed; this tends to not happen when we have proper roles for accounability
Jessica: C/VC positions help move things forward
At our first meeting, we agreed that we would have two traditional roles (Chair & Vice-Chair) and also 'work group' or 'topic' leads.
Lynn and Marie-Louise put themselves forward to be considered for Chair and Vice Chair respectively. How will we move forward ? (Maybe before to answer this question we could hear the answers from the last question from next topic)
Marie-Louise: C, VC will not dictate what will happen; help with keeping things moving.
Lynn: can folks write up their actual thoughts? It is important in terms of thinking of the future.
Since this decision was taken, Ana has expressed her dislike of this approach and would prefer a different structure. However, she recently said re Pyladies Brazil : 'We don't have a chair or secretary or something like traditional titles, we have some workgroups and some women that are leadership. It works!'. This quote explains exactly the governance model that we agreed in our initial meeting but it contradicts her initial statement 'maybe an equal/horizontal organization is better than reproducing hierarchy'
Ana please clarify your position :
With "reproducing hierarchy" I mean that when we decide to have a chair and vice-chair we define the vertical hierarchy. Even this titles between us don't mean much things, but to external people is very significant. We're saying to everybody that we have one person that govern us, even if internally it doesn't mean this, we're saying to the world we have these leaders (and i'm not saying here that this is good or bad).
We are a small group, so my feeling is we don't need a person to report to or encourage us to do what we have to do. We are the first council, so we are defining the internal organization to the next councils, even if in this moment we don't understand the chair/vice-chair is more important between us, we can't ensure the same for the next because the hierarchy that we propose is something like this:
My feeling is that we could define an internal organization where two or three of us to be a leadership of each theme topic, plus the PSF Liaison. We don't know how many work groups could exist in each topic, so it is easer define leaderships for topics. Like this:
In this case, we don't have a chair or a vice chair, and in the picture we can see that the first option is a vertical organization, and in the second we have a horizontal organization. I believe that now what I meant is clear when I talk about a horizontal hierarchy.
Again, this is how I feel about the organization, considering what I see from where I came from, PyLadies Brazil (we are a network with chapters). Of course I'm open to listen to everyone's thoughts and the last thing I want is to cause any discomfort. On the contrary, from where I came from, we build things together, and I believe we all want to build the council together. This is our way to figure out how to do it
Thank you for your clarification Ana
[x] [Discussion] As mentioned previously, as a team we have already voted in favour of having traditional roles (Chair & Vice-Chair) and also 'work group' or 'topic' leads. Let's move forward and assign the roles :)
[ ] [Discussion] Purpose, Mission and main responsibilities
Are we happy to continue with the current mission ?
When was it last updated ? Does it need to be updated ?
What are the needs of the community?
How does that relate to our mission ?
[ ] [Discussion] Code of conduct for Global Council members
[ ] [Discussion] Should we make our agendas and meeting notes public?
[ ] [Discussion] At the last meeting, we agreed to draft the agenda in google docs. How will we move forward ?
[name=Tania] I am happier with using hackMD over Google Docs (it's easier to get minutes ready for making public)
[ ] [Discussion] Interfacing with the PSF
Questions:
What the PSF liasion do?
Who will be the liaison? There will be rotation?
How will we report to the PSF every month?
What updates will we include ?
Fiscal sponsorship with PSF(ask Lorena more information about this)
[ ] [Discussion] Governing Policies
Ideas for guideline for us
Ideas for guidelines for the network
[ ] [Discussion] Advocacy
How do we define our role as PyLadies ambassadors ?
What kind of activities will we be expected to take part in (talks, networking etc.)?
[ ] [Discussion] Expectation from global advisors about what we take over
Will we invite the global advisors to the meeting?
[ ] [Discussion] Update website with names of PyLadies Global Council (name, photo, country), List working groups (“project teams”)
[ ] How approve new chapters? Do we need to participate in this?
Action Items and Assignees for Next Meeting
Reshama will send out calendar invites
Reshama will set up who is Meeting Lead & Notetaker
This template should be used (edited) the month prior and during the meeting. This will ensure we can address all topics added throughout the month; as well as provide minutes and follow up after the meeting is held.
PyLadies Global Meeting
Agenda
Please add items as needed. If you add a topic please make sure to attend the meeting.
Project Updates
Project Comms (Slack: #project-communication / Repo)
Project Admin & Logistics (Slack: #project-admin-logistics / Repo)
Project Tech & Infra (Slack: #project-tech-infra / Repo)
Code of Conduct (Slack: #confidential / Repo: confidential )
Review Actions Items from Last Meeting
(question from lynn): should we also review our project board?
New Business
[ ] [Discussion] How much time the meeting minutes should be open for review?
[ ] [Discussion] Communication between us
[ ] [Discussion] How can we work with Sponsors/Partners (i.e Microsoft)
Old Business: Follow up items from prior meeting:
Old Business: Follow up items from prior meeting:
PGC Governance Structure
Discussing flat vs hierarchical structure
Brazil: working groups work well for getting what we need done
Tania: Chair / Vice-chair, have these positions for accountability, rather than "positional power"
Lynn: want work to be distributed; this tends to not happen when we have proper roles for accounability
Jessica: C/VC positions help move things forward
At our first meeting, we agreed that we would have two traditional roles (Chair & Vice-Chair) and also 'work group' or 'topic' leads.
Marie-Louise: C, VC will not dictate what will happen; help with keeping things moving.
Lynn: can folks write up their actual thoughts? It is important in terms of thinking of the future.
Since this decision was taken, Ana has expressed her dislike of this approach and would prefer a different structure. However, she recently said re Pyladies Brazil : 'We don't have a chair or secretary or something like traditional titles, we have some workgroups and some women that are leadership. It works!'. This quote explains exactly the governance model that we agreed in our initial meeting but it contradicts her initial statement 'maybe an equal/horizontal organization is better than reproducing hierarchy'
With "reproducing hierarchy" I mean that when we decide to have a chair and vice-chair we define the vertical hierarchy. Even this titles between us don't mean much things, but to external people is very significant. We're saying to everybody that we have one person that govern us, even if internally it doesn't mean this, we're saying to the world we have these leaders (and i'm not saying here that this is good or bad).
We are a small group, so my feeling is we don't need a person to report to or encourage us to do what we have to do. We are the first council, so we are defining the internal organization to the next councils, even if in this moment we don't understand the chair/vice-chair is more important between us, we can't ensure the same for the next because the hierarchy that we propose is something like this:
My feeling is that we could define an internal organization where two or three of us to be a leadership of each theme topic, plus the PSF Liaison. We don't know how many work groups could exist in each topic, so it is easer define leaderships for topics. Like this:
In this case, we don't have a chair or a vice chair, and in the picture we can see that the first option is a vertical organization, and in the second we have a horizontal organization. I believe that now what I meant is clear when I talk about a horizontal hierarchy. Again, this is how I feel about the organization, considering what I see from where I came from, PyLadies Brazil (we are a network with chapters). Of course I'm open to listen to everyone's thoughts and the last thing I want is to cause any discomfort. On the contrary, from where I came from, we build things together, and I believe we all want to build the council together. This is our way to figure out how to do it
[x] [Discussion] As mentioned previously, as a team we have already voted in favour of having traditional roles (Chair & Vice-Chair) and also 'work group' or 'topic' leads. Let's move forward and assign the roles :)
[ ] [Discussion] Purpose, Mission and main responsibilities
[ ] [Discussion] Code of conduct for Global Council members
[ ] [Discussion] Should we make our agendas and meeting notes public?
[ ] [Discussion] At the last meeting, we agreed to draft the agenda in google docs. How will we move forward ?
[ ] [Discussion] Interfacing with the PSF Questions:
[ ] [Discussion] Governing Policies
[ ] [Discussion] Advocacy
[ ] [Discussion] Expectation from global advisors about what we take over
[ ] [Discussion] Update website with names of PyLadies Global Council (name, photo, country), List working groups (“project teams”)
[ ] How approve new chapters? Do we need to participate in this?
Action Items and Assignees for Next Meeting
@pyladies/pyladies-global-contributors @pyladies/pyladies-global-admin @pyladies/global-council