Whether in my position as a university leader, my housemate’s role as a city councilman, or as a member of a volunteer organization, there have been so many events that we have attended simply to show our support. We may not have stayed long but we wanted to be visible and have our presence tangibly indicate the backing of the people and the project. We call it “waving the flag.”
More often than not, I don’t want to attend the event, but support can’t be phoned in. It requires showing up and experiencing the program firsthand, as well as acknowledging those working the event in real-time and in person.
The next time you have something you could attend, consider whether it’s something you should attend. My bet is that your presence will be noticed — and appreciated.
