Active Versus Passive Participation

By Mayya Saab, Executive Director

The CDC declared the end of the COVID-19 public emergency on 11 May 2023. With the COVID-19 Pandemic in the rear-view mirror, people across the world heaved a sigh of cautious relief as they resumed normal life. Moreover, a shift occurred in the midst of the pandemic as we all jumped on-line with gusto to work, connect with family and friends, join religious services, and engage in learning.

The Faith-Based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (FB-ISAO,) and other organizations, saw a spike in on-line member engagement. Over the past 18 months, that on-line engagement has been declining and, perhaps, is being replaced by in-person engagement. No doubt, a national organization like FB-ISAO cannot engage with all its members in person all the time and so it was really great to get to know our members in a virtual teach and learn setting. Of late, we noticed that our members continue to sign-up for educational events, community meetings and other events, however, actual attendance and participation has decreased. It is possible that some people sign-up for events in hopes that a recording and slides will be sent following the presentation. FB-ISAO often does share recordings, however, members who do attend our events say the same thing – the value of being in the moment and for being able to engage with other members to teach and learn is invaluable. To them, a recording and slides don’t cut it, and the after-presentation materials offer only partial benefit.

On 09 May 2023, I made my way to Tampa, Florida to participate in the Health-ISAC Spring Summit. Peer summits offer me a chance to learn, first-hand, best practices in member engagement. In the Fall of 2022, I attended the Auto-ISAC Summit and was so glad that I did. You can read about my observations, from the Auto-ISAC Summit, here.

My primary goal in attending the Health-ISAC Spring Summit, was to talk to members and to understand what gets them engaged with their Information Sharing and Analysis Center. I am so grateful to the members of the Health-ISAC for the warm welcome and for openly sharing with me why they engage and how. Below are some nuggets from my conversations with Health-ISAC members.

• They attend summits as a way to check in with peers and to find out what threats they’ve faced and how they’ve addressed mitigations. 
• They network – and have some fun too!
• They begin mutually beneficial professional relationships that then get carried over to the virtual realm.
• They engage in their working groups to map out strategies for future products and reports.
• They partake in leadership training.
• And much more…

The members of the Health-ISAC shared that active participation is key – whether that participation occurs in-person or virtually (though they do enjoy their in-person summits!)

Looping back to FB-ISAO engagement . . . we are all busy especially with the vast majority of us congregating again professionally, or with peer groups, or with friends and family. However, the value of active versus passive (via a recording and slides,) participation cannot be replaced. FB-ISAO members – your peers – spend a lot of time and energy and put in some serious brain power into all our events. Please consider actively participating!  

Working with our Board of Advisors and our Board of Directors, I hope that one day the FB-ISAO will become as successful as the Health-ISAC and I know that we can get there – with your active participation.