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content/en/blog/2024/otel-governance/index.md

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+---
+title: Behind the scenes of the OpenTelemetry Governance Committee
+date: 2024-08-15
+author: '[Juraci Paixão Kröhling](https://github.com/jpkrohling) (Grafana Labs)'
+issue: 5033
+cSpell:ignore: triagers triaging
+---
+
+As a principal engineer at Grafana Labs, my focus is on OpenTelemetry: writing
+code or maintaining OTel Collector components and tooling, helping out with our
+recent security audit, and building bridges between people with similar ideas —
+all with the ultimate goal of helping the OTel community, as a whole, succeed.
+
+For nearly three years now, I’ve also been a member of the
+[OpenTelemetry Governance Committee (GC)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/community-members.md#governance-committee).
+I was first elected in October 2021, and then re-elected in October 2023 for
+another two-year term. OpenTelemetry’s GC members, along with the
+[Technical Committee (TC)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/community-members.md#technical-committee),
+serve as the official maintainers of the project from the perspective of the
+CNCF.
+
+While the TC
+[focuses on technical matters](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/tech-committee-charter.md)
+— such as determining acceptable changes to the specifications, deciding on code
+donations, and resolving technical disagreements — the GC
+[takes on a more strategic role](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/governance-charter.md).
+This involves defining the project’s overall roadmap and ensuring its continued
+success from all perspectives, including our original goal of providing a
+vendor-neutral instrumentation and collection framework.
+
+I thought it would be useful to share a glimpse into the role and
+responsibilities of a GC member, based on my personal experience. My hope is
+this can help serve as a guide to select candidates in upcoming elections — and
+to provide prospective candidates with more insight into the role. That said,
+it's important to note that other GC members have different experiences and
+responsibilities. While not every task or responsibility listed here happens
+daily, each has occurred at least once over the past three years for me.
+
+## Representing the OpenTelemetry project
+
+I frequently attend and
+[speak at conferences](https://github.com/jpkrohling/talks), participate in
+podcasts, review blog posts, and engage with individuals from various companies.
+This helps me understand OpenTelemetry from different perspectives — users,
+library developers, potential contributors, and proponents of new project areas.
+Representing the project requires a good grasp of its direction and helping
+others while considering the project's best interests.
+
+Being a representative is a multifaceted role. It involves not just public
+speaking and writing, but also engaging in one-on-one conversations to
+understand the needs and concerns of our community. This role has given me the
+opportunity to network with industry leaders, learn about emerging trends, and
+advocate for the adoption and advancement of OpenTelemetry.
+
+There have been moments where I need to pause and reflect on the interests I
+could be representing on a specific matter. I must make it clear in
+conversations whether I am speaking as a Grafana Labs employee, an OpenTelemetry
+Collector leader, a representative of the wider open source observability
+ecosystem, or a GC member. It’s natural to have different perspectives depending
+on the role I’m embodying, but it’s crucial to identify which "hat" I am wearing
+during any given discussion, and to ensure that my opinions are appropriately
+aligned with that role.
+
+## Reviewing project policies
+
+The OpenTelemetry project is like a living being, growing every day. As a GC
+member, one of my responsibilities is to review and update our project policies
+to ensure they remain relevant and effective. This involves identifying gaps in
+our current policies, drafting new ones when necessary, and updating existing
+ones to reflect the evolving needs of the project.
+
+Two key areas I’ve worked on are our
+[community values](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/mission-vision-values.md)
+and naming policy recommendations for external projects and components.
+Reviewing our values ensures we promote desired behaviors and discourage
+negative ones, fostering a collaborative and respectful environment.
+Additionally, we establish naming policy recommendations for projects and
+components in our ecosystem to prevent confusion among our end users and ensure
+our terminology is clear and distinct. This helps maintain the integrity and
+coherence of the OpenTelemetry project.
+
+## Sponsoring SIGs
+
+[Anyone can propose](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/project-management.md)
+a new
+[SIG (Special Interest Group)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/README.md#special-interest-groups)
+in OpenTelemetry. These groups are dedicated to advancing a specific part of the
+OTel project, such as new signals, language SDKs/APIs, or semantic conventions.
+Proposals need two sponsors: one from the TC and one from the GC. Being a GC
+member means staying informed about current and proposed SIGs and sponsoring
+initiatives that are essential to the project's future. Sponsorship isn’t just a
+formality; it involves active participation in SIG meetings and discussions,
+and, ideally, contributing through coding, documentation, or issue triaging.
+
+Sponsoring a SIG is a rewarding experience. It has allowed me to nurture
+innovative ideas and help them grow into integral parts of the OTel project.
+Being involved from the inception of SIGs like Profiling, Security, and
+Contributor Experience has also given me a unique perspective on the challenges
+and triumphs of new initiatives. Some SIGs need only a few reviews and ideas
+about how to best navigate the community, while others require more active work
+in recruiting team members or implementation.
+
+## Check-ins with SIG maintainers
+
+A relatively new process in the OpenTelemetry community is the
+[GC monthly check-in](https://github.com/open-telemetry/community/blob/main/gc-check-ins.md)
+with SIG maintainers. Each GC member was asked to pick about 4 SIGs, and then
+act as a liaison between those SIGs and the GC. Once a month, I ask SIG
+maintainers from Collector, Operator, Security, and Go Auto-Instrumentation
+questions, such as:
+
+1\. Do you have any specific issues within your SIG that would require GC
+intervention?  
+2\. Are you happy with the current balance of
+contributors/triagers/approvers/maintainers?  
+3\. What’s one thing the GC can help with to make your life easier?
+
+These responses are confidential, and maintainers know they can approach me with
+any problems, like when there’s a conflict between community members. While I
+can’t promise to solve every issue, I am committed to working towards
+resolutions. These check-ins provide a structured way to ensure every SIG is
+heard and supported. They also help identify patterns or recurring issues that
+might need broader GC attention.
+
+## GC meetings
+
+GC members attend a
+[weekly call](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-23Sf7-xZK3OL5Ogv2pK0NP9YotlSa0PKU9bvvtQwp8),
+and also have the option to attend an annual in-person leadership summit. We
+hold specification and project triage sessions at different times to accommodate
+various time zones.
+
+These meetings are essential to align our efforts and make strategic decisions.
+Despite the challenges posed by time zones, the dedication of GC members ensures
+we maintain a cohesive and effective governance structure. The annual leadership
+summit, though optional, provides a valuable opportunity for in-depth
+discussions and team building.
+
+## Conflict mediation
+
+Every community has its challenges, and OpenTelemetry is no exception. With
+people from diverse backgrounds and varying personal and professional interests
+working together, conflicts are inevitable. As a GC member, I actively mediate
+community conflicts, listen to multiple perspectives, take notes during
+meetings, and draft documents summarizing my understanding of the situations.
+
+While conflict mediation isn’t my favorite task, addressing these issues is
+crucial for the project's future. Ignoring conflicts in the hope they will
+disappear is not an option. Mediation involves not only resolving disputes, but
+fostering a culture of open communication and mutual respect. By doing so, we
+ensure that our community remains a welcoming and productive environment for all
+contributors.
+
+## Reflections on the role
+
+Over the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of serving on the
+OpenTelemetry GC. I’m fortunate to work for a company that supports this role
+allowing me to dedicate my full-time efforts to OpenTelemetry. This enables me
+to carry out these tasks as part of my regular workday.
+
+I have had some personal conflicts, however. A few times, I considered not
+running for re-election so I could focus more on my engineering contributions to
+the project. I have to admit that I still struggle to find the right balance
+between my GC responsibilities and my engineering work. However, one thing has
+become very clear to me over these past three years: more important than my
+individual contributions is ensuring that my efforts can scale. This means
+mentoring the next generation of potential leaders in the OpenTelemetry
+community, and thoroughly documenting my activities so others can take over
+those tasks.
+
+By sharing my experience, I hope prospective candidates will better understand
+the GC role and be able to answer a crucial question posed by a former GC
+colleague: "What do you expect to do on the GC that you can’t do as a regular
+contributor?" While this role might seem demanding, we need individuals from
+diverse areas of the ecosystem who are committed to the success of the project,
+even if they can only dedicate a few hours per week. I do believe that being
+part of the GC should be part of your day job, but it certainly doesn’t need to
+be your full-time job.
+
+I also hope this post provides voters with insights into which qualities to look
+for in candidates during the next GC elections. Choosing the right candidates is
+vital for the continued success and growth of OpenTelemetry. Look for
+individuals who are not only technically competent, but demonstrate leadership,
+empathy, and a commitment to the community.

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