Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1264646
when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." 1Peter 2:23 Encourage more than you criticize or correct Compliment more than promoting yourself Post more positive things than negative stuff When you disagree, do it with grace and mercy When in doubt, just stop typing. Conclusion: As a Christian, [like it or not] everything you put on social media will reflect on Christians. As a biker, everything you put on social mead will reflect on all bikers. As a Black Sheep, everything you put on social mead will reflect on Black Sheep. You do not have to comment on everything you see on social media. Sometimes the best thing you can do is... just stop typing! Why Isn't My Chapter Growing? Numbers are important if we are talking about "How many people are coming to Christ?" Numbers should mean little or nothing to a church or ministry when considering how many people are in the crowd. Jesus had THOUSANDS following Him until he said, "Take up your cross and follow me." When it comes to a ministry like BSHDFC and we see more members in one chapter or a certain city or state – or even country, there are several factors to consider. How many motorcyclists are in my (city, town, or country) and how many of them ride American v- twins? EXAMPLE: It's safe to say that there are more motorcyclist in California than in Minnesota. Population and weather has dictated that. How many months of the years can we ride our motorcycles in our area? EXAMPLE: As stated above, northern states will indeed have a shorter riding season than the southern states. While California and Florida can pretty much ride year around, Alaska will find their riding season very short. How many dealerships (HD, Indian...) are there is my city? EXAMPLE: Sparsely populated North Dakota and Nebraska combined will likely never have as many dealerships as Texas or Florida. PAGE 12 / www.BlackSheepHDFC.org How long has my chapter been in operation? EXAMPLE: Black Sheep started in California more than twenty years ago and has, therefore, had two decades to build their chapters. Black Sheep has only recently started New Jersey and France, but give them time and they will grow. How "outgoing" or "charismatic" is our chapter leadership? EXAMPLE: Our chapters are comprised of all kinds of people. Gifts, graces, skills, resources will vary from group to group, but leadership will always be the catalyst that propels an organization. Still not sure why your chapter isn't growing like you had hoped? Here's a few more questions you might want to ask: What is the average age of my chapter? Older members have more time and money to invest while younger members working and raising kids have more energy. The important question might be, "Is EVERY- BODY contributing SOMETHING to our growth?" How well do our members get along? Someone has said, "We looked for th enemy and it was us!" How to Deal with Difficult People 10 LEADERSHIP SKILLS (1) Listen to them: Sometimes progress happens when someone simply feels that they have been heard. You don't always need to fix the situation. (2) Show respect: Contempt never helped in any situation. (3) Look for others to help: Maybe someone has a better answer or solution. (4) Try not to be defensive: Their attitude or anger may not even be about you. Defensiveness suggest that you are not listening. (5) Watch your volume and posture. You may not be yelling, but your tone and body language may be. (6) Gently Set Limits: It's ok for you to say, "Please do yell at me!" or "Could you just step back a few feet?" (7) Consider hidden needs: What are they trying to gain or avoid? What is at the root of their problem? (8) Take a break: It's ok to suggest that we take ten minutes break and come back when we calm down a bit. (9) Debrief: After the encounter has passed, talk to someone about it. It's not to gossip or bash anyone. In fact, you don't even need to mention names, but ask someone you trust to give you their impression of the story. (10) Give yourself some credit: You've just come through a difficult situation and you've done the best you could.