There I was about to address more than 150 professionals in my first ever leadership seminar. I had just transitioned in my career from being a geek to becoming a speaker, and boy, was it scary! There must have been at least ten times in the course of preparing for the seminar that I was within seconds of calling my boss who drafted me as a trainer to say I can't go through with it. It is easy to write objectively about the fear of public speaking if one has never tried it, and there multiple reasons why people every day turn their backs on opportunities to advance themselves by engaging in this so-called death defying endeavor. Sadly, although frightening, public speaking or presenting oneself is a critical skill required in anyone's career development, especially in the age of the internet and social as well as professional media. What steps are there for us to embrace that will allow us to work toward becoming an effective presenter in all situations, both social and professional? To begin with, I believe everyone would agree that practice makes progress. With this in mind, our thoughts hopefully will turn to any organization that provides the opportunities to practice presenting and more importantly get constructive feedback on our efforts. The most prominent worldwide organization that offers this to anyone is Toastmasters International. It is not only worldwide, but makes itself available to almost everyone locally, no matter where he or she lives. As a long-term Toastmaster, I have found the program it offers will fit anyone's needs. And with consistent practice in this most supportive environment, I have found that everyone who engages in the process progresses beyond his or her expectations. Just as importantly as the practice and feedback is the support factor. The underlying principle of every Toastmaster club is to support all members in their achievements through positive relationships. Nothing helps a person work toward and ultimately attain his goals better than knowing you can have a mentor or forming friendships with fellow Toastmasters who will be there to see you through the challenges. It is a volunteer organization and as such, leadership roles can be challenging to fill, but once you find the person motivated to serve the greater good, nothing is more promising for that leader as well as the membership-at-large. The next time you have the opportunity to face the fear of speaking in public, I hope you'll think of Toastmasters. A quick visit to the organization's web site http://www.toastmasters.org and you will find a club near you. Visit and even as a guest, I can promise you one of the most friendly and rewarding experiences you'll ever have. Speaking! It might just be as natural as breathing! Oh, and by the way, that is one the things we practice to assist in working with nervous energy.