RYAN RIVERA North Atlantic Region Vice President
THROUGHOUT YOUR DECA CAREER, you’ll wear the blazer,
throw up a DECA diamond symbol and add lots of blue to your wardrobe. You will also undoubtedly hear DECA’s core values and mission statement more times than you can count. But have you ever stopped to think about what they really mean?
DECA’S VALUES Here’s a quick definition for each of DECA’s values: COMPETENCE is having the necessary ability, knowledge or skill to do something successfully. When you’re competent, you’re prepared to take on any situation. INNOVATION means being creative and implementing ideas for positive change. It could come in the form of a new product, service, idea or process.
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INTEGRITY is consistently living by strong moral and ethical principles. Individuals with integrity stand up for what they believe—no matter what. TEAMWORK is collaborating with a group of people to achieve a common goal. The best teams run like a “well-oiled machine” where everyone contributes. Alone, these words each hold importance, but together, they form our core values which shape the culture of DECA and guide our overall priorities and standards. An organization’s core values should reflect the heart of an organization. They create purpose, improve cohesion and provide a compass for decision-making.
