Re: [council] GNSO Council meet and greet?

[William Drake <william.drake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Philip

On Sep 17, 2009, at 4:40 PM, Philip Sheppard wrote:

> Council should bear in mind that there is sometimes an inherent  
> conflict between transparency and freedom to dialogue.
> For an individual, or small business there is likely to be no such  
> conflict.
> For an employee of a publicly quoted company or other organisation  
> of reputation, there is a high likelihood of this conflict.
In some situations, not others.
> Typically an employee of such a company in the knowledge their  
> comments may be publically archived in oral or written form will be  
> constrained in what they are able to say by internal guidelines or  
> practise. These guidelines will typically be established to protect  
> the corporation from legal suit, to protect reputation or to protect  
> the share price.
> Given the choice of continual checking with in-house legal counsel  
> and silence, they may choose silence.
Legal suit?  Share prices?  What sort of complaint session do you have  
in mind here?  Adrian described it as people saying stuff like
On Sep 16, 2009, at 9:47 AM, Adrian Kinderis wrote:
>  I know the registrars for example would say that they are a little  
> sick and tired of being pigeonholed simply because they have  
> commercial interests. I'm sure other groups would have pet hates too.
Is this really the sort of topic that would be likely to give rise to  
legal action or affect your share price?
Remind me again how this exercise is going to promote group cohesion  
and effectiveness...?
> If therefore Council has an ambition to have a frank exchange of  
> views, separate from its central role of policy development, it  
> should bear in mind the conflict that some Council members may be  
> under through no fault of their own other than their choice of  
> employer.
> So expression of outrage and calls of "Vive la transparence" may  
> make good rhetoric but will lead to poorer dialogue.
I'm fascinated that you consider transparency and accountability to be  
just disposable rhetoric.  And that you're so shy about expressing  
your feelings, who knew?
Cheers,

Bill