From Stage Fright to Limelight

Working in higher education has afforded me many opportunities, including interacting with international businessmen and women. However, what I’ve achieved in all areas of my life in the past decade would not have been possible without Toastmasters. It has truly changed my life.

About 10 years ago, I was asked to introduce the keynote speaker at a Project Management Institute (PMI) open house hosted by Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, where I worked as a project manager. I thought I had the introduction down cold, but as soon as I stepped up to the podium and saw a sea of professionals looking back, my anxiety kicked into high gear. I started sweating, my face turned red, and I couldn’t remember a single thing from my notecards.

I vaguely remember reciting the speaker’s name, shaking his hand, sitting down, and thinking, How could you do that, Shane? That was so embarrassing! This wasn’t the first time I encountered a paralyzing fear of public speaking, but it was the moment I knew something had to change. So I reached out to the best speaker I knew, my best friend’s father, who suggested I find a local Toastmasters club.

This conversation led me to the Greater Susquehanna Valley (GSV) Toastmasters in Milton, Pennsylvania. When I walked into my first meeting, a gentleman in a sharp gray suit and smiley-face-
patterned tie approached me and quipped, “Well, there’s a dapper young man if I’ve ever seen one!”

That man was Dennis Martz, the GSV Club President at the time. Dennis immediately made me smile and laugh, and put me at ease. I shared my extreme fear of public speaking, and Dennis confidently stated I would get past that fear and “fill stadiums” someday. He immediately took me under his wing, becoming my mentor. Because of his support and encouragement, I joined three weeks later.

Fast-forward 10 years and I’m now working at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as the director of corporate and foundation relations. Part of my job involves collaborative research, and project and recruitment partnerships between university students and faculty. I also give regular presentations, including a multi-million-dollar pitch to the executive board of a prominent organization. The communication and leadership skills I gained have made all of this possible.

How did Toastmasters help me make this leap from a nervous speaker to a confident speaker and leader? The answer is simple: mentorship, positive feedback, and contest participation. My mentor, Dennis, helped jumpstart my Toastmasters journey, and three years later, Shel Taylor, DTM, past Vice President Membership for the Susquehanna Advanced Toastmasters (SAT) club, took me to the next level by “demanding” that
I join SAT.

Shel and members of the advanced club rapidly accelerated my growth, and through their support and encouragement I now compete in speech contests. Over time, this growth changed my mindset, until I was excited to perform “under pressure.”

The confidence that Toastmasters instilled in me even inspired me to enroll in several improv and comedy classes. I now regularly perform in improv shows and at comedy open-mic events. I recently did my first paid gig, performing improv at a stand-up comedy night!

It’s amazing to me that I can not only speak in public but can engage in extemporaneous situations comfortably and confidently.

I am now auditioning to join the Bethlehem SteelStacks improv team, as well as working toward my Accredited Speaker designation. In addition, I am completing a book to help others address the mental and emotional aspects of public speaking and leadership (such as fear, embarrassment, and intimidation) that tend to burden and hold too many individuals back.

A decade ago, none of this would have been possible. I’m a testament to the effectiveness of Toastmasters. I’m convinced anyone can overcome their fear of public speaking with the right tool kit. Find a Toastmasters mentor, compete in speech contests, and consistently participate in club meetings and the Pathways education program. It will change your life.

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