Hey @oliklee
Thanks so much for sharing these insightful questions. I genuinely appreciate your initiative and completely agree that skills like empathy, integrity, and effective conflict resolution are essential for TYPO3 Board members. I deeply value this transparency and openness—it’s exactly what makes our TYPO3 community so special.
I want to begin by openly sharing that I recently had a respectful and meaningful conversation with Oliver Klee, who raised important questions and concerns based on his past experiences with Association, GmbH and community. While I empathize deeply with Oliver and appreciate his courage, I also understand there are multiple perspectives, and I may not have every fact.
My discussion with Oliver, however, reinforced my strong belief in the importance of transparency, openness, empathy, and trust—values that I strongly uphold in both my personal and professional life. Being a candidate from India, outside TYPO3’s traditional European base, I bring a unique global and multicultural perspective rooted deeply in Indian cultural values of empathy, inclusion, and harmony.
Below are my honest answers to each question. I’m not claiming to have all solutions—but I’m genuinely committed to working hard, listening openly, keep learning to improving our community together.
As Linus Torvalds (Linux creator) famously said: “Most good open-source projects don’t have a dictator, they have a shepherd.”
Leading the TYPO3 Association and community
Do you consider the Board to be the leaders of the TYPO3 teams and committees and of all the volunteers who contribute?
I see the Board primarily as facilitators who empower and serve our community, not just as traditional “leaders.” The Indian philosophy “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (The world is one family) resonates with me deeply—I believe in an inclusive and collaborative approach where everyone feels part of one TYPO3 family.
Do you consider it an important responsibility of the Board to enable and support the TYPO3 teams and committees? And what would you like the Board do or change in that area compared to now?
This is critical. When the Drupal community noticed volunteer burnout, they introduced structured mentorship and clearer team-support guidelines that significantly increased contributor satisfaction. Beyond strategic guidance, the Board should directly empower teams by providing;
- clearer support structures,
- improved communication channels, and
- visible appreciation.
Simple, consistent recognition can significantly boost motivation, and this is an area where I’d like to learn and grow further.
For decisions that affect the TYPO3 community teams and committees, do you think that the Board members should take decisions together with them?
Collaboration! Decisions impacting the community must involve genuine consultation and agreement with the teams involved. Collective decisions build deeper trust, transparency, and accountability.
What would you like the Board in the future do to ensure that all the volunteers who put countless hours into improving TYPO3 and its community feel appreciated, safe and motivated so that they keep contributing?
It begins with sincere appreciation. According to one of the Open Source Contributor survey, “feeling genuinely appreciated” was the number one factor influencing whether contributors stayed engaged long-term. I’d strongly advocate for;
- clear and structured recognition programs,
- simple gestures of gratitude, and
- active listening to volunteers’ concerns.
How important is it to you that the Board members behave in a way that earns the trust of the community teams, committees and volunteers? (Trust is defined as “the persons feel safe to put what is important to them in your hands”, and it’s earned over time by behaving accordingly over and over.)
Trust is foundational. In our culture, we often say, “Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.” As Board members, we must consistently demonstrate integrity, openness, and empathy—earning trust gradually, one action at a time.
Someone who was a board member at that time told me that they don’t have time to talk to people in order to constructively resolve conflicts instead of directly making decisions about them. Do you find it important for the Board to try to resolve issues constructively and as early as possible by talking to the affected people?
The Mozilla community has successfully adopted a “Conflict Resolution Task Force,” proactively mediating conflicts before they escalate. I firmly believe in respectful conversations, and I’m keen to further develop my conflict-resolution skills.
How would you ideally like to distribute your time as a Board member between these areas?
- Strategy: 25%
- Administration: 15%
- Actively supporting contributors: 30%
- Building strong relationships with teams: 30%
I believe maintaining active personal connections with contributors and teams is fundamental for a thriving, engaged TYPO3 community.
Skills and personality of Board members
Do you consider good empathy skills (and taking the time for empathy) crucial for Board members?
For me, empathy means truly understanding and feeling what others experience. It’s not just about good leadership—it’s about basic humanity. I actively work on improving my empathy skills through continuous learning and reflection.
Do you think integrity is important for Board members - meaning that the words, values and actions of a person align (“walk the talk”)?
I aim to ensure that my words and actions align clearly, and when they don’t (which happens—I’m human), I openly acknowledge and correct them.
Would others say that you are good at admitting mistakes, apologizing for them and at making amends?
I’ve made mistakes, learned openly from them, and grown stronger through each experience. Admitting mistakes isn’t weakness—it’s authentic strength and humility.
What would you like other Board members do if a Board member turns out to be unreliable, to lack crucial skills, or to not fulfill their role competently?
With direct, respectful dialogue first. If issues arise, offering training, support, or adjusting responsibilities constructively helps the individual and the Board move forward effectively.
Have you taken trainings in empathy, conflict resolution, and leadership?
I’ve read some books and real-life experiences in empathy-based communication, conflict resolution, and leadership skills. Still, I recognize there’s always room for growth especially when we are talking about leading thousands of people’s hope in TYPO3—I’m eager to continue improving myself.
Safety in the TYPO3 Association and community
Do you agree to this statement? “Your code of conduct is only as strong as your ability to enforce it.”
Without enforcement and CoC, our community loses trust. Fair enforcement ensures safety and respect for everyone involved. GitHub’s “Open Source Survey” revealed 18% of contributors experienced negative interactions, often due to weak or inconsistently enforced Codes of Conduct.
Do you agree to this statement? “The culture of a community is determined by the worst behavior that gets tolerated.”
Sadly, yes. I’ve seen such things in past with TYPO3 history. The “Broken Window Theory” states clearly that tolerating poor behavior encourages more poor behavior. Clearly defining acceptable behavior and promptly addressing violations maintains community health.
What should the Board do in the future to ensure that mobbing in the Association and community is prevented and dealt with?
We must have clear, transparent reporting channels, with prompt and fair investigations.
Do you think that the Board members themselves should be bound to the rules that the Board has given the Association (as long as the rules are in place)?
100%. Discipline and following rules are key to keeping alive TYPO3 democracy.
Should the Code of Conduct apply equally to leaders?
Do you think that the code of conduct needs to get enforced even in cases where a Board member, a team leader or a TYPO3 GmbH member is reported to possibly have violated the CoC?
Would you consider it a conflict of interest if the people enforcing the code of conduct were members of the Board or the TYPO3 GmbH, or if they were employed by the Association?
Should the persons tasked with enforcing the code of conduct need to get any particular training?
Well, The leaders (board member, team leader, GmbH member) must lead by example, showing everyone that no one is above community. Leadership roles never mean immunity from accountability.
Final Thoughts
I’m running for the TYPO3 Board because I genuinely care about this community—not because I think everything’s perfect, but because I want to help make it better. My conversation with Oliver Klee reinforced my belief that trust, openness, and empathy must be our priorities.
As someone bringing a unique global perspective from India, my core values include inclusivity, compassion, and unity—principles I promise to uphold consistently.
Please reach out if you’d like to discuss further. Your voice matters greatly to me—let’s keep the dialogue open and constructive.
I’m excited to hear the voices of all the other nominees on these questions. All the nominees look promising, and I wish them the best.
Thank you for your trust and your vote.
Warm regards,
Sanjay Chauhan
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