About Toastmasters International
From a humble beginning in 1924 at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, Toastmasters International has grown to become a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience. The nonprofit organization now has nearly 235,000 members in 11,700 clubs in 92 countries, offering a proven and enjoyable way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.
Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of approximately 20 to 30 members who meet weekly or fortnightly for an hour or two. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian.
There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved. Good communicators tend to be good leaders.
About ICAB Toastmasters Club
Indian Chartered Accountants in Bahrain (ICAB) Toastmasters Club was chartered in October 2005. It is one of the best Toastmasters clubs in the island currently. The Club has an illustrious history of producing champion speakers and leaders. During last four consecutive years, the Club was recognized as the “President’s Distinguished Club”, one of the highest honors and is extremely appreciable for a Club which was just 6 years’ old then.
The Club works in close co-ordination with the Bahrain Chapter of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (BCICAI) and is an exclusive Toastmasters club for the benefits of Indian Chartered Accountants in Bahrain. It acts as a guide and coach for the existing and upcoming Chartered Accountants, their spouses and children in the fields of Communication and Leadership. The Club continuously negates a general belief “accountants are not good communicators” by producing champion speakers who have participated at Division and District levels.
People say that “the language that we speak and write must be different” or “all good speakers are not good authors and vice versa”. To address this concern the Club also provides its members a platform to write and contribute their ideas through their monthly newsletter “ICAB Voice”. This Newsletter has won the “Second Best Prize” in District 79 in the year 2008-09 and it was awarded fifth prize during 2007-08. “ICAB Voice” in fact stood first in Bahrain and was the only Newsletter which was published monthly, amongst the top 3 winners in District 79 in 2008-09.
ICAB Toastmasters Club meets every second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at Gulf Gate Hotel, Manama from 7:15 pm to 9:30 pm. Guests are most welcome.
Frequently asked questions
v Why should I join ICAB Toastmasters Club?
Ø This is the only Toastmasters forum of Indian Chartered Accountants in Bahrain, committed to improve the communication and leadership skills of our professional colleagues.
Ø The Club provides you with an opportunity to interact with the people from your fraternity, personally and professionally.
v How ICAB Toastmasters Club help me in Communication & Leadership?
Ø By following the well structured manuals of Toastmasters International in Communication and Leadership, you have opportunity to accomplish various milestones in Toastmasters: viz. Competent Communicator / Competent Leader, Advanced Communicator / Advanced Leader, Distinguished Toastmaster etc. You have the liberty to choose the path that you may feel most appropriate for you. Positive guidance throughout your journey to success is warranted by an experienced mentor and your ever enthusiastic fellow Toastmasters in the Club in a friendly environment.
v How do I, as a member contribute to the success of the Club?
Ø The most important asset of ICAB Toastmasters is its resourceful members. By being a member in the Club, you can assist the Club in a variety of ways. You could actively participate in various Club meeting assignments as well as volunteer to be one of the officers of its Executive Committee.
Ø Moreover, you could also assist fellow Toastmasters in carrying out outside Club activities like Youth Leadership Programmes (YLP) or Speech Craft Sessions.
Ø The objective to participate in YLP or a Speech Craft Session is to impart and inculcate the Communication and Leadership skills that we have acquired in Toastmasters.
v What all a Typical Toastmasters Meeting consist of and what do we mean by assignments in a meeting?
Ø A typical Toastmasters meeting consists of the following broad sessions, namely:
ü Prepared Speeches – A session wherein the members get an opportunity to deliver their prepared speeches / presentations in front of their fellow Toastmasters. They also get positive feedback from their individual evaluators for improving their skills.
ü Table Topic Session – An impromptu speech session, wherein members have to think on their feet and speak for a minute or two.
ü Joke Session – A session for developing humorous speaking abilities while keeping the audience in a lighter mood.
ü Business Session – It deals with reporting developments and other businesses by various club office bearers and allows an opportunity to Club members and guests to discuss their concerns / ideas in an open forum.
ü Evaluation Session – A session wherein all activities performed by the assignees are evaluated by a panel of individual evaluators and a general evaluator. This session is intended to provide positive and constructive criticism to assignees and the Club on the whole for their further improvement.
Ø Besides prepared speakers, table topic commentators and evaluators, a meeting also requires other assignees like Master of Ceremony, Timer, Grammarian, Ah-Counter, etc. Each of these assignments improves certain skills like hosting an event, listening, time management etc. Additionally, these assignments also qualify for Competent Leader accomplishment in line with the Toastmasters International’s guidelines.
v How does the Club function?
Ø The Club functions through an Executive Committee (EXCOM) elected by the Club Members for a term of one year. The EXCOM comprises of President, VP – Education, VP – Membership, VP – Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant At Arms and the immediate past President. EXCOM is an honorary Committee and meets once in every month to discuss the Club’s objectives, progress, upcoming events and any other special business, if required.
v I am totally new in the field of public speaking. Who will ensure my growth in the ICAB Toastmasters Club?
Ø Rigorously following the Toastmasters International guidelines, ICAB Toastmasters Club has a friendly mentoring process, wherein an individual mentor is assigned to each new member at the time his induction to the club. Your assigned mentor ensures your development in the Communication and Leadership front and provides you with suggestions for improvement.
Ø The Club also has a mentor, who guides it in the direction of its mission and vision.
