Success at ICDC initially felt shrouded in mystery, with glass winners’ performances reserved for the judges who graded them. As Virginia DECA’s Vice President of Career Development, I launched the ICDC Insider Panel series to close this uncertainty gap. With over 320 attendees nationwide, these panels brought together ICDC glass winners and finalists, including executive officers, through discussions, interactive preparation, and Q&A. This article connects you with elite strategies on roleplay structure, soft skills, and standout techniques from panelists: Maddie Yangas, Top-20 AAM; Cullen Watanuki, 2nd TTDM; Ellen Kim, Top-20 PHT; and Reilly Auld, 1st Roleplay SEM.
Essential Soft Skills for Every Event—and Beyond
- Embody the executive: act with confidence as if you are the character. Believing in your solution inherently makes you more persuasive.
- Your energy is contagious: be enthusiastic and have a genuine smile
- Make eye contact to signal confidence
- Speak slower and pause instead of saying a filler word: this signals executive presence
- Ask rhetorical questions to keep the judge engaged
- Stay resilient and give yourself grace; the judge knows you only had ten minutes. Don’t let a stutter or imperfection faze you.
How to apply this: record your mock competitions and watch for mannerisms, tone, inflection, and filler words you can improve.
Have “back-pocket” facts
Pre-research real-world content that you can plug into roleplays.
Research and understand:
- Industry trends
- Statistics
- Real industry examples
- Technology integrations
- Consumer psychology
- The location of the competition (many judges are coming from that area).
- Also, employees from DECA’s corporate partners often serve as judges, so look over the partners, and if you see their company on their name tag, try to integrate it
The solution section is now worth 24 points and asks the judge whether your solution is Unique — “demonstrates original thinking, fresh perspectives and an insightful approach” — Practical, and Effective. Including a real trend, a real statistic, or a real industry example helps fulfill that.
Plug-and-Play Formats: Become unshakable
Think of common prompt problems and memorize 2-3 pre-formatted solutions. Memorize your introduction and closing to make a strong first impression.
Effective Paper Use
- Write your name and position at the top so nerves never stop you from introducing yourself strongly.
- Write down the PIs and draw an arrow to the part of your solution that addresses it.
- If time allows, make a useful prop such as a table tent with the PIs on one side and the connection on the other.
Quick Tips for Team Events
If you’re competing in Team Decision Making, practice together beyond official prep sessions, avoid interrupting each other, and agree on a subtle cue to switch speakers seamlessly. One change to know this year: Team Decision Making case studies now include only five performance indicators instead of seven, worth 10 points each, for the same 50 points.
The Ten Minute Roleplay Breakdown:
Intro 30s-
- Strong posture
- Smile & shake the judge’s hand.
- Introduce yourself and your role.
- Ask to sit down
Agenda
- State the problem
- List your PIs & Solution
Explain Solution
- Connect the solution to the PIs.
- Add content to fit the PIs.
- Be unique, go beyond the problem.
- Weave in your facts & trends.
Conclusion & Follow-up
- Briefly summarize the PIs again.
- You’ll have the team monitor the solution’s performance, & you're excited for the follow-up meeting to reevaluate
- Strong motto
- “Thank you so much for your time.”
- Push in your chair & leave your notes.
- Walk out as if you won.
How to apply this:
- Research back-pocket facts
- Develop pre-formatted solutions, an introduction, and a closing.
- Practice these strategies in mock role-plays with a 10-minute time limit, in front of a judge, or record yourself.
I’ll see you on stage!
