Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Dale Carnegie Course
Testimonial from a Recent Graduate

Back at the beginning of April 2008, I was driving in my car and heard a radio advertisement for an up and coming Dale Carnegie Class to be held near my home. Given that I was in the process of transitioning into a position with much more leadership responsibilities, I thought that the time was right for me to look into this class. Truth be told, I had contemplated taking this course for nearly five years, but found every reason to put it off until now. After some soul searching, I owned up to the fact that the only reason I had put this class off was fear. I always thought of Dale Carnegie classes as public speaking courses, and while I knew that improving my comfort level with presentations was the driving force behind my interest in this class, my fear of getting up in front of folks had always trumped my desire to improve.

I decided to call a representative from Dale Carnegie (Bob Allen) and inquire about this class, while baring my soul about my fear of public speaking, as well as my personal goals. I wanted to rule out any doubt that this class would be right for me and that I could actually get something out of it, rather than commit and then face every week with dread and fear. After speaking at length with Bob, one thing very much stuck with me. As skeptical and fearful as I was, I kept thinking about how Bob described the course as "life changing" for many attendees. So, I made the commitment to attend, and what resulted was indeed a life changing experience.

What I found was not a course on public speaking, but a course on leadership, learning how to motivate and inspire people, how to crash through my personal barriers to growth, and yes, how to gain confidence in public speaking. Through this class I learned that the only thing holding me back was my desire to stay within my comfort zone, and crashing through that barrier not only increased my confidence level, but has opened up many opportunities. I was also completely impressed with how all of this was accomplished in a safe and supportive environment. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't also mention one of the greatest side benefits that came from this class; meeting a great group of people and making a number of new friends!

This former skeptic and self-proclaimed public speaking phobic unconditionally recommends the Dale Carnegie Effective Communications and Human Relations Course to all who wish to reach their full leadership potential!

Joe Shorokey, M.S., M.S., Ed.
Clinical and Program Services Director
D&E Counseling Center
Youngstown, Ohio

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