Leadership
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You’re an Association Officer! Now What?
Whether you’re stepping into your role as an association officer right away or preparing to begin soon, you are about to embark on a journey that will shape your leadership skills, how you see yourself and your potential.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Why Women in Business Must Keep Going
Through organizations like DECA, young women gain the confidence, skills and resilience needed to pursue leadership and continue the work of creating more equal opportunities in business.

5 Tips to Help You Stay Productive
Balancing schoolwork, DECA and other extracurriculars is challenging. There are so many distractions around you that prevent you from focusing on your work. Here are 5 tips that will help you stay on track!

From Vision to Verity: How to Stay Consistent with Your 2026 Goals
As we begin February, many New Year’s Resolutions fade into wistful aspirations instead of life-changing habits. Here are some of my favorite tips for keeping consistent when the New Year’s sparkle wears off.

5 Things I Learned as an Association Officer Outside the Classroom
Beyond the metrics and milestones, my greatest takeaways have been the lessons I learned along the way. Here are the five things that I definitely learned in DECA outside of the classroom.

Resolutions to Results: How to Set and Achieve Goals
Resolutions are long-term goals that require planning, habits, positive and realistic thinking. In this article, you will learn how to set and achieve your personal goals to become your ideal version of yourself SMARTly!

Soft Skills: The Skills that Set You Apart
Every successful DECA member has one thing in common: strong soft skills. You may not see them listed on a role-play feedback sheet, but they are what truly separate good competitors from great ones.

New Year, New Me: Crafting Your 2026 Personal Brand
The start of the new year is a great opportunity to shape your personal brand. Here are a few tips on how to start the year off on a strong note.

Where Commitment Meets Leadership: Inside Association Office
Association officers play a huge role in shaping the DECA experience for members by supporting initiatives and representing DECA with professionalism and heart. Let’s take a closer look at what being in association office is really like!

DECA Teaches You How to Win—And How to Lose
Winning earns trophies. Learning earns leadership. DECA’s real lessons happen offstage, through collaboration, resilience and initiative, and they shape the students who make the biggest impact.

New Year, New Momentum: Setting Goals That Actually Stick
When you set intentional goals, your time, energy and effort begin to align. Every early morning, late night and moment of preparation has meaning because it’s connected to something bigger than the task at hand.

It’s Your Turn to Lead: Run for Executive Office
Executive Office is an opportunity to give back to our organization while expanding your journey as an emerging leader. Here’s why you should consider running for Executive Office.

DECA Talks: Conquering Catastrophe
All students wish to find a place of belonging, hope and support. Learn how DECA became that place for our High School Division President, and how it continues to be that place for thousands around the globe!

DECA Talks: The Lying King
Power. Privilege. Race. Identity. Gender. Sexual Orientation. Class. Illuminating our various complexities as individuals, we can recognize ways that we can use our privileges individually and collectively – but only if we are honest and open with ourselves.

DECA Talks: The Journey from Independence to Guidance
Throughout my life, I have turned to advisors, counselors, coaches and friends/family to seek opportunities to learn and develop in my professional life. This talk will discuss the teachings I’ve learned independently and from the guidance of others.

DECA Talks: Taking Risks with Confidence & Conviction
In life, we are often faced with decisions that require us to take some sort of risk, whether it’s where to take your next job, which schools to apply to, where to move to, etc. In this talk, we’ll explore how to determine if a risk is worth taking and how you can set yourself up for the highest chance of success.

DECA Talks: The GRIT It Takes to Seek Success
The secret to outstanding achievement is not talent or privilege, but grit: a special blend of passion and persistence for long-term goals.

DECA Talks: Just Say Yes
Ever felt torn when presented with a cool new opportunity? Learn how choosing to say “yes” can lead to easier decision-making in the future…and some cool opportunities along the way.

Hey Google, What Makes a Great Team?
In 2012, Google embarked on an initiative — code-named Project Aristotle — to study hundreds of Google’s teams and figure out why some stumbled while others soared. They gathered some of the company’s best statisticians, organizational psychologists, sociologists, engineers and researchers.

4 Steps to Resolve Any Team Conflict
Let's be real. There will be a point in your life when you must work in a team. Whether it’s a school group project, an association officer team, or a department assignment at a future job, it is imperative that you are equipped with the knowledge on how to deal with team conflict.

5 Tips to Master the Art of Delegation
Nobody likes to work on a mismanaged project, and you should not want to lead one. By implementing the following five pieces of advice, you will be equipped to lead larger, more complex projects, which will produce higher quality outcomes.





