Over the past year, many chapters have expressed concern about the impact the economy would have on their chapters, and this concern has been especially pronounced over the past eight months. With people losing their jobs, companies cutting back on sponsorships for professional memberships and people being forced to work longer hours, the question for many has become: How will our chapter get through this?

It's times like these when I remember that in the Mandarin language, the character used to depict tragedy is the same character for opportunity. Therefore, rather than looking at the economic downturn as a source of hardship for your chapter, it's important to view these circumstances as being ripe for growth and prosperity. This is the time when your chapter can step forward and become the "port in the storm" that your members so eagerly seek.

When someone has been laid off, has had their client base dry up, or is in an uneasy position at work, their first natural instinct is to get their name out and expand their professional network of contacts. For someone in the workplace learning and performance field, nowhere can this be accomplished as well as through their local chapter. It is there they will find like-minded individuals in a similar predicament as well as those who are in a position to give them a leg up professionally.

In this age of online social networking, the true value of face to face networking is often overlooked, though it remains the most important type of connection one can make. Positioning your chapter as a "one stop shop" for professionals in transition will ensure that your members receive optimal value at the most critical time. Offering resume assistance, transition Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that meet independently, and panels with career search experts are some ways your chapter can be this "one stop shop." Most importantly, it gives your members the sense that although they are going through a difficult time personally, they're not alone and there is a larger network out there that has their best interests at heart.

Serving as a haven for members in uncertain times is also a sound long-term investment on the part of the chapters. Members who were helped by the chapter in their time of need will renew their memberships and be excellent candidates for leadership positions themselves. Additionally, they will be your chapter's greatest advocates to others. This second-level marketing will help your chapter grow tremendously over the long term and expand its reach into previously untapped markets.

At the end of the day, you want your chapter's ASTD brand to be synonymous with a welcoming, caring and family environment where each of its members are valued as an integral part of the organization. By positioning yourselves as the "port in the storm," you are laying the groundwork for the immediate success of the chapter and beyond.