Khalid Abdulla, DTM

Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a Board Member:

With an experience of 22 years in Oil and Gas sector delivering complex IT solutions, Business Process Re-engineering, Customers Portfolio Management, Project Management, Change Management, and Transformation Management. Finding creative solutions and working with cross-functional teams to complete challenging projects with an emphasis on client and customer care falls under my core responsibilities.

As a board member, my strong IT background and extensive project/change management knowledge will be leveraged to ease the digital transformation our organization is going through with introducing the new Learning Management System (LMS) in Pathways and the deployment of the new ERP, with focus on customer service.

What experience do you have in strategic planning?

As a senior business professional, as part of several steering committees my experience includes development and execution of several strategic plans to deliver on the business opportunity to be pursued. As part of the company's rebranding committee, alongside other team members, we worked to create a new vision, mission, and company goals best suited for the company's directives.

Additionally, I proactively participate as my company committee's chairman of the Junior Achievement (JA), a renowned nonprofit organization here in the Kingdom of Bahrain. As a company representative on the board, I actively participate in the organization's strategic planning and way forward, ideating innovative approaches and consistent continual growth for the youth of today.

My experience with strategic planning in Toastmasters included involvement in the development & execution of success plans at District and as part of several leadership teams. As a District Director during the term 2022-23, I re-launched a 5-year strategic planning committee to ensure sustainable success of the district in the coming years. This involved planning, forecasting and working with my entire team to achieve short- and long-term district goal. This included identifying strengths, challenges, opportunities and strategies with a focus on the District mission in service to our members.

What experience do you have in the area of finance?

As an MBA and Transformation Project professional, I have developed budgets with financial oversight for several projects. Proposing solid business cases for each project to ensure financial benefits are realized throughout the project lifecycle. The budgets are tracked weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually so as to ensure that the ROI (Return on Investment) on each project is achieved and that budget demands are met. As District Director was responsible for developing, monitoring and implementing the district budget. In each of my roles, I've maintained the fiscal prudence required by the governing principles of the project or program.

What experience do you have in developing policies?

My professional experience includes developing polices to deliver optimal services to internal and external customers. Polices include IT governance, cybersecurity, disaster recovery, data retention etc. As a "certified Lean practitioner", my projects included leading the business process re-engineering project with change management and procedural updates, process re-designing and revisions to company customer policies and product delivery policies.

For the past three consecutive terms, I was a member of the District 20 Code of Practice editorial team. I contributed in changing many points related to the old practices for the district. Additionally, I was the member of an amazing team who came up with best practices for on-line contests when COVID struck. We came up with the document before releasing the current TI best practices.

With this background and experience, I will be able to contribute while developing upcoming board policies for the Toastmasters program.

What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?

Having had a long leadership journey, lessons and takeaways are a given. There are so many lessons that I have learned in this journey but a significant one that sums up my entire leadership journey and that would be to make people/members the center of your organization's universe. Once you recognize people, their goals, aspirations, efforts and achievements while patiently and actively listening to their requests, you make them invested in not just their growth and development but the organization as well. Leadership is collaborating with a group of people for a common goal and directing attention in the direction of the organization's vision, mission, and strategy. Everything is possible with enthusiasm and tenacity, and once you have done the above, you have set an example and created the desired impact.

What experience and key strengths would you bring to the Board of Directors?

Serving on Toastmasters International's Board of Directors is a significant responsibility that necessitates a varied mix of experiences and essential strengths in order to effectively contribute to the organization's governance, strategic planning, and overall performance. Out of the wide range of experiences and skill sets that I have acquired through Toastmasters and my professional work front, these five major strengths of mine are the ones that I can implement to benefit this organization and the board at large.

Global Perspective: Toastmasters is an international organization, so a global perspective and an understanding of cross-cultural dynamics can be advantageous and having had past experience in this aspect, I will most definitely bring this to the table.

Financial Acumen: Knowledge of financial management, budgeting, and fiscal responsibility is crucial for overseeing the organization's financial health, which is something that is needed in the long run.

Volunteer Experience: My experience in volunteering for nonprofit organization such as JA Worldwide will enable me to provide insights into the dynamics of volunteer-driven organizations.

Strategic Thinking: As a board member, I will think strategically and contribute to the development and execution of the organization's long-term vision and goals.

Ethical Integrity: Upholding high ethical standards and acting in the best interests of the organization and its members is fundamental to me so I will always prioritize this over everything.

I believe these skills will best serve the Board and the members we serve.

Why do you want to serve as an International Officer/Director?

Serving as an International Director within an organization like Toastmasters International is a significant commitment that requires dedication and a strong sense of purpose. There a variety of reasons as to why I would love to serve as an International Director but these 5 stand out amongst the rest:

Passion for the Mission: I am drawn to leadership positions in organizations like Toastmasters International because they are passionate about the organization's mission. Since Toastmasters focuses on empowering individuals to become better communicators and leaders, and as a person who believes in this mission, I definitely want to play an active role in advancing it.

Giving Back: Leadership roles in organizations like Toastmasters provide a platform to give back to the community. I have benefited from Toastmasters programs and want to contribute to the organization's continued success by volunteering their time and expertise.

Impact and Influence: As an International Director, I will have the ability to make a meaningful impact on the organization and its members. I can influence strategic decisions, shape the direction of the organization, and contribute to its growth and sustainability.

Building a Legacy: I aspire to leave a lasting legacy within the organization as I want to contribute to the growth and success of Toastmasters International for future generations of members.

Mentorship: Serving in a leadership role often involves mentoring and guiding others. This mentorship can be a rewarding aspect of the position, as I will have the opportunity to help others grow and succeed.

My reason to serve is driven by a combination of passion for the mission, a desire to make a positive impact, and the belief that my skills and experiences can contribute to the organization's growth and success.

What volunteer experience do you have outside of Toastmasters?

I'm the current Junior Achievement (JA) chairman in my company. I support with the enrollment process for other volunteers in the company for JA's programs. I'm also part of the bowling committee in my company helping with annual bowling interdepartmental league. Utilizing my IT background, I volunteered many times during my country's parliament election process serving as an IT voting center lead.

Have you worked with other Boards of Directors outside of Toastmasters? If so, describe your experience.

N/A

In your opinion, what are Toastmasters International’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?

To be the first-choice provider of dynamic, high-value, experiential communication and leadership skills development - the proud envisioned future that Toastmasters International has put forth on which it is now building to elevate this member-oriented organization.

In order to be a sought-out organization, we urgently need to extend our local and global reach of Toastmasters and in turn expand the membership numbers. By focusing on extended marketing efforts both locally and globally, will help bring an awareness to the toastmasters' program. Raise awareness of the robust education program by encouraging members to proactively take on their Pathways projects and apply it to their personal and professional lives. All these tasks can be achieved by following the strategic plan outlined by Toastmasters International.

As an International Director, I will work through policy enhancement and strategic planning revisions to ensure the quality of our clubs is taken up a notch by empowering and supporting our front-line club officers and district leaders.

Additional information about candidate:

My purpose in life is to lead my kids by a good example of a father to be followed. Toastmasters is empowering me to fulfill my purpose.

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