[lac-discuss-en] Fadi Chehade - Balancing the Tasks At Hand

[Carlton Samuels]

http://blog.icann.org/2014/03/balancing-the-tasks-at-hand/

Balancing the Tasks At Hand

by Fadi Chehadé on March 12, 2014

I've written about balance before, in the context of finding balance
between work and life, and the need to slow down for reflection.

Today, I find myself writing about balance again, but this time with a
slightly different perspective. Now, I am thinking about the importance of
striking a balance between the important work facing the ICANN community in
three different spheres: Continuing to mature ICANN's operations, ICANN's
globalization, and our contribution to global Internet governance.

At ICANN's 49th Public Meeting in Singapore, the ICANN community will be
deeply engaged to a) embrace and operationalize the ATRT2 recommendations,
b) discuss the initiatives to globalize ICANN, c) finalize the budget and
operational plan for fiscal year 2015, and d) weigh-in on the strategic
planning for 2020 (now that the four Strategy Panels have completed their
work).

It's a busy time as we find ourselves balancing between envisioning a
long-term future for ICANN and allocating the resources needed to achieve
short-term goals. For example, organizing the three public meetings per
year takes a lot of time, resources and attention to detail in the present.
But we balance that daily implementation with future-oriented efforts like
that of the Meeting Strategy Working Group -- a community group comprised of
volunteers that spent the last year trying to define what our future
meetings should look like.

Our journey from small non-profit to a global organization has brought
change and growing pains. *And we are not done yet*. As ICANN has increased
dramatically in size and global footprint over the past year, we have had
to adopt new systems and processes that add complexity to the organization.
We've also had to end some of our traditional ways of doing things. Change
is a constant in the Internet and in Internet governance. ICANN itself was
built to evolve, and our evolution is a sign of a maturing Internet
governance ecosystem.

This evolution cannot happen without your involvement. ICANN staff are not
exclusively responsible for the organization's budget, and operational and
strategic planning. Our stakeholders are critical guides in this work. That
is why we conduct our budget and operational planning in the open with many
opportunities for the community to weigh in. Several public comment periods
are open right now on these issues.

Some of you have shared with me that you also struggle with finding the
right balance for your work, your personal life, your spiritual and civic
commitments as well as your service to ICANN. I hear you and I understand.
However, it's never been more important that you make your voice heard
where it matters most to you, whether that is on the budget and the
five-year strategic plan, ICANN globalization, or the ATRT2 process. Share
lessons from the past. Share things that are working today, and things that
are not. And most importantly, share your vision for the future. Now is the
time.