I was recently asked to record a video about the impact volunteering has had in my life. My first thought after I accepted was, “Great, I just volunteered for one more activity I don’t have time for.”
Then I thought about the state of my business and the role volunteering had in it.
Key Takeaways
You can transform lives and help others overcome challenges and reach their potential. Volunteering makes you an example and leaves a lasting impact on your community.
Giving your time and skills uplifts others and enriches your life in unexpected ways. Embracing volunteering rewards you with personal satisfaction, professional growth, and business success.
The daily hustle can make you forget the profound impact of service. You might think volunteering means losing paid opportunities or personal time.
If you focus on the time you’re giving up, or the sacrifice you’re making when you volunteer, you’re prevented from connecting with incredible individuals, learning from diverse experiences, and discovering new growth avenues.
The most profound part of this reflection for me was when I realized that every part of my business today can be traced back to volunteering.
My Volunteer Journey
I joined Toastmasters International in 1994 to deal with my deep-seated fear of public humiliation whenever I speak. Because of all the positive experiences and generosity of others, I started volunteering in 1998 to assist others the way I’d been helped.
That led to me meeting the man who became my mentor. Because he saw I was willing to do the work and give my own time, I eventually became a coach for his online university. Today I am an integral part of his team.
Because of that experience, I gained the confidence to volunteer to be a speaking coach for TEDx Cincinnati. That led to several of my largest coaching and training clients to date.
Those experiences led me to the National Speakers Association, where I‘ve become involved with the leadership team at the Ohio chapter.
Each of these opportunities has deepened my confidence, my skill level, and business opportunities, while delivering value to members of each of these organizations.
Volunteering is more than an act of kindness. It’s a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. It opens doors, creates lasting connections, and enhances your business in ways you never thought possible.
Embrace the spirit of giving your time to enrich others’ lives, provide wisdom to them, and enable your long and challenging road to be their shortcut to success.
In the process, it will transform your journey as a communicator and business professional.
Michael’s mission is to help leaders, managers and sales professionals communicate with more confidence, impact, and influence. This passion is born from his own communication difficulties early in his career.
Fortunately, he discovered that public speaking is like riding a bike, swimming or driving a car - it’s a learnable skill. Once he discovered this ‘secret’ he became a voracious student of the craft. He took courses, studied some of the world’s best speakers and storytellers and continues to study presentation and business storytelling skills.
He is hired by companies and organizations, leaders, managers and sales professionals, and TEDx speakers to help them become more confident, impactful and influential communicators.
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