Jake Goldman’s Post  ## Metadata - Author: [[Jake Goldman]] - Full Title: Jake Goldman’s Post - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: [#WordPress, #OpenSource, #Leadership, #Funding, #Contribution] Author: Jacob Goldman Source: LinkedIn Reference: [LinkedIn Post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jacobgoldman_wordpress-activity-7283607287317807105-VD8S/) date created: 2025-01-12 14:30 --- # Title: A Toast to Contributors and the Future of Open Source Leadership ## Table of Contents: - [📝 Summary](#summary) - [📖 Main Content](#main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#notes) - [📖 References](#references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#methodology) - [❓ Questions](#questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#future-research) - [💡 Implications](#implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical validity](#logical-validity) - [🔍 DARVO Analysis](#darvo-analysis) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#conclusion) ## 📝 Summary: Jacob Goldman, founder of 10up and partner at Fueled + 10up, reflects on the need for sustainable leadership within the WordPress open-source community amidst recent recalibrations by Automattic. He celebrates quieter yet impactful contributors like Jeffrey B. Paul and Aaron Campbell who continue to advance WordPress development. The post emphasizes the importance of tangible contributions and the need for leadership that balances nonprofit governance with practical, collaborative efforts. Goldman calls for greater recognition of those actively contributing to the project and a shift away from focus on mere critique. ## 📖 Main Content: Jacob Goldman’s LinkedIn post highlights the current discourse on WordPress core contributions and leadership following Automattic’s shift in focus. He points out the value of individuals who, despite not being in the spotlight, contribute meaningfully to the WordPress ecosystem, such as Jeffrey B. Paul (Director of Open Source Practice at Fueled + 10up) and Aaron Campbell from A2 Hosting. Goldman expresses his frustration with the increasing dominance of critics in the conversation, many of whom have not made substantial contributions to open-source projects in years. He advocates for a more focused discussion on the type of leadership that WordPress and other open-source projects need, including a debate on nonprofit governance versus corporate-led projects. Goldman calls for elevating the voices of those who contribute and do the work, rather than just criticize from the sidelines. Goldman also emphasizes the necessity of sustainable open-source funding and support and suggests that leadership in the open-source space should not only involve personality traits but also a deeper, more intellectual conversation about governance and decision-making. ### 🗒️ Notes: - Goldman expresses concern over the increasing dominance of social conversations led by critics rather than contributors in the WordPress community. - He acknowledges the work of individuals like Jeffrey B. Paul and Aaron Campbell for their quiet, consistent contributions to WordPress development. - Goldman stresses the need for sustainable, fair funding models in open-source projects. - He raises the issue of leadership style in open-source projects, comparing nonprofit committee governance with more centralized CEO-style control. - Goldman highlights the importance of recognizing those who are still actively contributing to the WordPress project and suggests more recognition for contributors who do "the work" rather than just critique. - A deeper dialogue is needed around the type of leadership that open-source projects should have, particularly regarding the independence of the project versus corporate influence. ## 📖 References: - LinkedIn Post by Jacob Goldman: [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jacobgoldman_wordpress-activity-7283607287317807105-VD8S/](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jacobgoldman_wordpress-activity-7283607287317807105-VD8S/) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original**: "I’d like to toast and raise attention to people like my colleague - and the Director of Open Source Practice at Fueled + 10up - Jeffrey B. Paul, and old friends like Aaron Campbell (at A2) who continue to do the quieter, less grandstanding work of continuing to organize and move releases forward." - **Paraphrase**: "I want to acknowledge individuals like Jeffrey B. Paul and Aaron Campbell, who are making meaningful contributions behind the scenes, organizing efforts and advancing releases without seeking the spotlight." 2. **Original**: "It’s easy to criticize and protest (and probably easier than ever right now…) - but it’s harder to ship and do the work." - **Paraphrase**: "While it's simple to criticize and oppose, it is far more challenging to actually do the work and contribute to the project." ## 📰 Newsletter: **Celebrating the Quiet Contributors of WordPress** In the face of shifting priorities within the WordPress ecosystem, it’s crucial to recognize the individuals who continue to quietly advance the project. This week, Jacob Goldman, founder of 10up, draws attention to contributors like Jeffrey B. Paul and Aaron Campbell, who consistently push forward releases without seeking the limelight. In a time when criticism is easy, Goldman urges the community to focus more on those who are doing the real work and driving the project forward. It's time for leadership discussions to evolve and prioritize sustainable, fair open-source funding. [Read the full post here](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jacobgoldman_wordpress-activity-7283607287317807105-VD8S/). ## ✅ Action Items: - Recognize and elevate the voices of WordPress contributors who are quietly driving progress without seeking the spotlight. - Continue discussions on sustainable open-source funding models and governance structures. - Advocate for a leadership model that values tangible contributions over personality-based leadership. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: 1. Shifting the focus from social critiques to the recognition of contributors will help foster a more collaborative and productive open-source community. 2. A more balanced approach to leadership in open-source projects, combining nonprofit governance with practical decision-making, will lead to more efficient and sustainable growth. 3. Increased funding and support for open-source contributions will encourage more developers to engage in meaningful, long-term contributions. ### 📊 Methodology: - Conduct surveys within the WordPress community to gauge the impact of social critique versus tangible contributions. - Analyze the effectiveness of current open-source funding models and propose new frameworks based on community feedback. - Research the impact of different leadership styles in open-source projects and compare the outcomes in terms of project growth and community satisfaction. ### ❓ Questions: - How can we better recognize and elevate the work of contributors who prefer to stay out of the spotlight? - What are the barriers to sustainable funding in open-source projects, and how can they be overcome? - How can leadership structures in open-source projects be adjusted to encourage more effective collaboration and decision-making? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Exploring the relationship between leadership style and the long-term success of open-source projects. - Examining how the focus on critique over contribution affects the mental health and productivity of open-source developers. - Investigating new models for funding open-source projects in a way that ensures fair compensation for contributors. ### 💡 Implications: The research could lead to new models for leadership and governance in open-source projects that are more inclusive, sustainable, and effective in driving growth. It may also inform policies on funding, allowing for greater participation from developers while ensuring they are fairly compensated. ## 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: **Readability**: The article is moderately complex, with a professional tone and some technical references, suitable for individuals with a background in open- - Document Tags: [[matt mullenweg]] [[wordpress]] [[wpdrama]] - Summary: Understandably, I’m seeing another spike across social platforms in talk about #WordPress core contribution and open source project leadership in light of… - URL: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jacobgoldman_wordpress-activity-7283607287317807105-VD8S [Jake Goldman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobgoldman?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name) Founder of 10up, now Partner @ Fueled + 10up, a 350+ person global digital agency that makes finely crafted websites, apps, and digital tools using open platforms like WordPress, React, and Swift. Understandably, I’m seeing another spike across social platforms in talk about [#WordPress](https://www.linkedin.com/signup/cold-join?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fwordpress&trk=public_post-text) core contribution and open source project leadership in light of [Automattic](https://www.linkedin.com/company/automattic?trk=public_post-text) announcing a recalibration of where and how it will focus product development effort and contribution. I’d like to toast and raise attention to people like my colleague - and the Director of Open Source Practice at [Fueled](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fueled?trk=public_post-text) + [10up](https://www.linkedin.com/company/10up?trk=public_post-text) - [Jeffrey B. Paul](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffpaul?trk=public_post-text), and old friends like [Aaron Campbell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-d-campbell?trk=public_post-text) (at A2) who continue to do the quieter, less grandstanding work of continuing to organize and move releases forward. (Among many others.)🥂 See: [https://lnkd.in/gd8uQaTR](https://lnkd.in/gd8uQaTR?trk=public_post-text) [https://lnkd.in/gNaSUNJT](https://lnkd.in/gNaSUNJT?trk=public_post-text) In line with previous posts, there’s a conversation we need to continue about sustainable, fair open source funding and support, and yes, the kind of leadership we want. Not just leadership personality and character stuff - but a harder, more cerebral dialog about, for one, non profit committee type governance vs CEO style command control over projects (“dictatorship” if you prefer) and a close corporate link vs greater independence. But I will confess, as an insider (who has funded a lot of contribution) it can be tiresome seeing some of the social attention and conversation being dominated by WordPress community members who (in many cases) I consider friends and valuable voices, but who haven’t made material project contributions or released meaningful open source software in … years? Ever? It’s easy to criticize and protest (and probably easier than ever right now…) - but it’s harder to ship and do the work. Let’s make sure we see the people still punching through drama and doing the latter, and try to elevate thought leadership and critique more so from those who do \*more\* than… think and critique. There are plenty of those leaders, too! 🙏, Jake Goldman’s Post, Jake Goldman, 01jh9de0pma02c094wn13bvap8.