Re: [ga] Getting Heard by the ICANN Board

[Veni Markovski <veni@xxxxxxxx>]

Bret,
everything mattered for me. I have to admit, though, that the GA list 
has been the most aggressive one. Each of the others would offer 
their comments without insisting their view is the ultimate truth :-)
I was surprised that besides my request in one of my first meetings 
to the people in the public forum, to approach me at any meeting or 
via e-mail, not that many used this opportunity. Live conversations 
are always much better than e-mailing.
The debates on the Board level, esp. on some of the most discussed 
topics, have also been quite useful, but I can't say that my opinion 
has been influenced in particular by only one party.
I've used only some of my experience, mainly the fact that I've been 
running a whole company for nine years, and this gave me 
understanding of the business around the domain names.

However, you ask how people could be better heard.
The best way is just to talk to ICANN. One can say that by being 
aggressive, one can win a lot. My understanding is a little bit 
different - if a person can communicate and understand the other, 
then he or she will be invincible.
Often people would not use the opportunity to talk to the ICANN 
directors or staff in a friendly manner; instead they prefer to gain 
some image, which is good, if you are in politics or show-business, 
but in real life it does not help. I can give examples of such cases, 
where I'd be with someone at an airport, and instead of talking to 
me, they'd prefer to get on their e-mail (and I guess often on 
mailing lists, where they'd write that the Board directors are 
sitting somewhere on the stage, far away from "the community")

Also, it would be good if the members of the community also sign 
declarations like the ones we do - for conflicts of interests, so 
that when a director talks to X., they'd know who is X, which company 
(s)he is representing, or lobbying for, etc.

A chart on the web site may also do the job, e.g. "X is employee of 
Y. Y is in contractual relations with Registrar Z", etc.

veni

At 08:12 AM 13.12.2006 '?.'  -0800, Bret Fausett wrote:
> We're fortunate to have at least three current or former Directors on
> this list. In recent days, we've seen posts from Roberto Gaetano (the
> new Vice-Chair of the ICANN Board) and former directors Veni
> Markovski and Karl Auerbach. I wonder whether we could hear from each
> of them about what influences(ed) their thinking when they consider 
> (ed) an issue before the Board. Is/was it the public comments? The
> reports from the Supporting Organizations? The public discussions on
> lists? Private discussions with members of the community? The Board
> debate? Their own personal experiences?
>
> Of course, I expect it's a combination of these, but I know we could
> learn something about how best to be heard by the ICANN Board from
> their responses.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>             Bret


Sincerely,
Veni Markovski
http://www.veni.com

check also my blog:
http://blog.veni.com