I first blogged about Toastmasters when I became involved in the organization in early 2008 (Click here for the Toastmasters post).    Now that I have been involved with it for quite some time, I thought I should expand a bit on that prior post.  When I first heard about Toastmasters, I admit that I had know idea what they did.   Did they make toasters?   Where they a bakery that specialized in hundreds of unique types of toast?  When I would hear the name of the group, I could just picture someone standing in front of a large room, holding up a glass, and giving a “toast” to something or someone.  Well, I was wrong on all accounts.

After visiting the Dyehard Toastmasters club in Belmont, NC, I came to realize that it was a group of positive individuals and business leaders who wanted to foster exceptional leadership and communication skills in themselves and in others within their community.  I joined  the group back in February 2008 because of my phobia of speaking in public or in front of people I didn’t know.    Since joining Toastmasters, I have come to realize that it is one of the top organizations worldwide to improve your leadership and oral communication skills, which in turn fosters self-confidence and personal growth. 

Toastmasters has detailed and systematic educational programs for both communication and leadership.  One of the great things about them is that you are able to go at your own pace.  So many other training and education programs require you to go at the instructor or trainers pace – if your schedule does not permit you to keep up – to bad.  For more information on Toastmasters Educational Program- click here.

One of the greatest things about Toastmasters is the cost – it is cheap!  While individual dues vary by club, it is easily the best bargain out there for this type of training.  For example, ongoing dues at my club are only $24/quarter which covers both our local and our international dues.  Compare this to the thousands of dollars that some “leadership” programs charge for a week of training.  The frequency that clubs meet depends on the individual clubs – some meet weekly, other biweekly, and others only monthly.  The club I belong to meets every week.

I challenge everyone who is serious about improving their leadership qualities to take the time to find some local Toastmasters clubs and visit them.    I invite anyone local to visit our club over in Belmont.  We meet every Tuesday night from 7pm to 8pm.  There are nearly 50 Toastmasters Clubs in the Charlotte area alone – surely you can find one that meets your scheduling requirements:

For a List of Charlotte Area Toastmasters Clubs: Click Here.

To Find a Toastmasters Club outside of the Charlotte area:  Click Here.

(P.S.  If you didn’t notice, I have officially changed the name of this series of posts from “Smart’n Up to Invest in Yourself.  )

Zig Ziglar is appearing at Get Motivated! in Charlotte on October 29, 2009.

If you are around the Charlotte area, this is a must do event for personal development!   

Get Motivated! is a dynamic seminar series that is put on by Peter Lowe that features some of the best speakers from around the Country. The good news is that it is coming to Time Warner Cable Arena (aka Bobcats Arena) in Charlotte on October 29th!  Even better news is that it only cost $4.95 per person (or $19 for your entire office)!  The price at the door is $225/person, so register in advance!  (Note, prices are not typos!)

This year, speakers at the Charlotte seminar will feature:

Zig Ziglar
Terry Bradshaw
Laura Bush
Dr. Earl Mindell
General Colin Powell
Tamara Lowe
Rudy Giuliani
Steve Forbes

Topics covered include time management, team building, leadership, personal development, goal achievement, sales training, negotiation skills, financial management, investing, relationships, health and fitness, spiritual success, business strategies, motivation, customer service, communication skills, productivity and more!

To register or to find out more information, visit the Get Motivated! website.  I already have my tickets!

Other cities on the tour include:

Hershey (Oct 20th)
Fort Worth (Oct 26th)
Jacksonville (Nov 2nd)
Orlando (Nov 10th)
Corpus Christie (Dec 1)
San Antonio (Dec 2)

One of the greatest ways to achieve more in life is to invest in yourself. The list of ways to invest in yourself is endless. You can read more, further your education or even volunteer for additional assignments at work. As part of my goals this year, I have decided that I want to invest more in myself in the area of my ability to speak in public – or even amongst people that I do not know that well.

I have always had a phobia of speaking in public and one of my goals this year was to overcome this fear and become a better public speaker. I recently joined an organization called Toastmasters. Since 1924, Toastmasters has become a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable when speaking in front of an audience, as well as advancing their leadership skills. There are local chapters all over the world are a great resource for anyone who wishes to become a better public speaker.

In 2005, Money magazine ranked Toastmasters as one of the top 50 smartest things to do with your money. After attending several meetings, I am thoroughly convinced that they can help anyone improve their abilities. Annual dues are only are $50 – which is dirt cheap compared to some other programs out there that are supposed to help you become a better speaker.

If interested, you can learn more about Toastmasters at their website. If you are interested in joining our local chapter (we meet in Belmont), let me know and I will connect you with the right people. We also welcome anyone who wants to sit in on a meeting to see what it is like.