All too often organizations fall apart because their very design permits one
individual to be come too powerful or to speak off-the-cuff for the group.
 
When (if) there does wind up being a committee thinking about how to
organize such a large group there are two things I think should be
considered:
 
1. That one possible model which might work better than the figurehead one
could be to have a group which makes decisions with one individual (and one
or two alternates) whose jobs are: to act as moderator, to point out
interesting compromises when mentioned and design some compromises for
consideration of the others, and to vote only when a tie-breaker is needed.
 
2. That any member of the "board" ( or whatever the elected(?  - it would be
my preference to have them elected) individuals wind-up being called ) who
speaks in the name of the organization WITHOUT the thing being said having
already been approved by vote of the board MUST resign from the board or be
relieved of post.
 
Of course, these might not at all please the design committee, but I would
appreciate if they were considered.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 1971]