State Officer Training Manual

STATE OFFICER TRAINING JULY 8-12, 2017 - WASHINGTON, DC

PO BOX 3061 I BOZEMAN, MT 59772 9 MTDECA.COM

Welcome!

Congratulations on being selected as a State Officer for Montana DECA. Your dedication and passion for DECA are clear, and we look forward to working with you this year. State Officers Welcome! are a vital piece to our associations mission and purpose. Serving in such a vital leadership Congratulations on being selected sacrifice, as a State a Officer Montana DECA. Your dedication and position will mean personal lot offorhard work, and many times, limited recognition passion for DECA are clear, and we look forward to working with you this year. State Officers are for your efforts. However, serving as a State Officer can be one of the most memorable and a vital piece to our associations mission and purpose. Serving in such a vital leadership position rewarding experiences that DECA offers its membership. Your experiences as a State Officer will mean personal sacrifice, a lot of hard work, and many times, limited recognition for your will develop memories and relationships of a lifetime. efforts. However, serving as an officer can be one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences that DECA offers its membership. Your experiences as a State Officer will develop We are certain that you have many questions that you are eager to have answered. It is our memories and relationships of a lifetime.

hopes that at the conclusion of State Officer Training, you will be comfortable with your role

We areour certain that you have many questions that you are eager to have answered. It is our and hopes that atforward. the conclusion of State Training, you will be comfortable with your role and direction A large partOfficer of officer training is the development of team unity and a our direction forward.

A large part of officer training is the development of team unity and a successful program of leadership. As we work together, and share ideas in an open successful program work.

As we work together, and share ideas in an open environment, we environment, weofwill reach new levels of success and productivity. will reach new levels of success and productivity.

Serving s State Officer is ahonor, high but honor, also a large burden.

Serving a diverse group Serving as as a State Officer is a high also but a large burden.

Serving a diverse group of members can often simultaneously challenging challenging and rewarding.and Your term will beYour full ofterm high will be full of of members canbe often be simultaneously rewarding. expectations and demands, often accompanying busy academic, social, professional,social, and professional, high expectations and demands, often accompanying busy academic, extracurricular commitments.

As you enter your term, know that we are here as resources, and mentors, advisors, and as a support system. is our your goal to always provide concise information, extracurricular commitments.

As youItenter term, know that we are here as resources, clear deadlines, active communication, and active feedback to you individually and as a State mentors, advisors, and as a support system. It is out goal to always provide concise Officer Team. We havedeadlines, high hopes active and expectations of this team, thus itfeedback is fair and to you individually information, clear communication, andand active reasonable that you expect Team. nothingWe lesshave of ourhigh performance.

If there is anythingof wethis can team, do to and thus it is and as a State Officer hopes as expectations make your reasonable term as a State Officer memorable, efficient, enjoyable, please don’t hesitate fair and that yourmore expect nothing less oforour performance.

If there is anything we tocan ask!do to make your term as a State Officer more memorable, efficient, or enjoyable, please don’t ask! with you this year, welcome aboard!

We lookhesitate forward toto working

We look forward to working with you this year, welcome aboard!

Sincerely, Sincerely,

JohnStiles Stiles Kerri Cobb John Kerri Cobb State Director State State Officer Coordinator State Director Officer Coordinator Montana DECA Montana DECA Montana DECA Montana DECA Direct: 406.209.4490 Direct: Direct: 406.570.8399 Direct: 406.209.4490 406.570.8399 Email: jstiles@mtdeca.com Email: Email: kcobb@mtdeca.com Email: jstiles@mtdeca.com kerri.cobb@bsd7.org

DECA PREPARES EMERGING LEADERS AND ENT REPRENEURS IN MARKETING, FINANCE, HOSPITALITY AND MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATION MAKEUP 2017-2018 STATE OFFICER TEAM JOHN STILES

KERRI COBB

State Director Cell: 406.209.4490 Email: jstiles@mtdeca.com

State Officer Coordinator Cell: 406.570.8399 Email: kcobb@mtdeca.com

PO BOX 3061 Bozeman, MT 59772

PO BOX 3061 Bozeman, MT 59772

502 South 19th Avenue #301B Bozeman, MT 59715

502 South 19th Avenue #301B Bozeman, MT 59715

HARRISON RENNIE

KEEGAN SIEBENALER

President Cell: 406.890.3795 Email: harrisonrennie1@gmail.com

VP of Administration Cell: 406.250.3707 Email: keegsieb@gmail.com

Glacier High School 375 Wolfpack Way Kalispell, MT 59901

Glacier High School 375 Wolfpack Way Kalispell, MT 59901

MARISA CURTIN

SHAE BILLS

VP of Membership Cell: 406.438.3283 Email: marisa.curtin23@gmail.com

VP of Communications Cell: 406.600.5090 Email: shae.billscs@gmail.com

Capital High School 100 Valley Drive Helena, MT 59601

Bozeman High School 205 North 11th Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715

WILL BITTNER

MONTANA DECA

VP of Public Relations Cell: 406.577.6657 Email: willbittner@gmail.com Bozeman High School 205 North 11th Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715

STATE OFFICE: 502 South 19th Avenue #301B Bozeman, MT 59715 WEBSITE: www.mtdeca.com

DECA Inc.

OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

STATE DIRECTOR

JUDGES COORDINATOR

SCDC JUDGES

OFFICER COORDINATOR

STAFF/VOLUNTEERS

STATE OFFICERS

CHAPTER OFFICERS

MT DECA MEMBERS

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GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES 2016-2017

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TO THE ORGANIZATION

Your foremost responsibility as a State Officer is to represent ALL of Montana DECA members throughout the organization and not solely the members of your chapter. The entire organization will be judged by other people’s impression of you. Consequently, you must always be mindful of the image you project in appearance, in speaking and in manners. You are charged with the responsibility of projecting yourself as a professional student leader. You are charged with the responsibility of developing enthusiasm whenever you speak in official capacity. The growth of Montana DECA during your term of office will greatly depend on the performance of your duties and the impression you leave with people who are interested in our activities. In the short term, as a State DECA Officer, you should take on no more than three key priority items that will command the majority of your attention.

TO DECA MEMBERS

As a State Officer, you have the challenge to provide guidance, leadership, and inspiration to ALL DECA Members. The example that you set will affect member’s enthusiasm, involvement and emotions towards DECA. You must at all times exhibit the qualities of leadership that will contribute to the growth of our organization. You will inspire leadership to the direct proportion to the degree that you, as an individual, give leadership. Always reach for higher goals in self improvement, so you will instill in those you meet, the desire for selfimprovement and the attainment of higher goals.

TO SELF AND FAMILY

Your PRIMARY responsibility is to yourself and to your family. Vince Limbardi said, “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” You owe yourself and your family the obligation to “want to succeed,” to achieve as much as you can, and to do the best you can at all times.

TO OTHER OFFICES

You cannot hold any other office on Association or local levels while you are serving as a State Officer. It is your duty to correspond with other members of your team and your State Director at regular intervals, as to the progress you are making and the activities undertaken. Members of chapter teams must be treated with utmost respect. Without their support, your efforts are wasted.

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TO DECA STAFF

All persons associated with Montana DECA will be working to make your term as a State Officer a successful and rewarding experience for you, and they will assist you in your endeavors whenever applicable or appropriate. All staff, volunteers, and stakeholders must be treated with the highest level of respect.

TO CHAPTER ASSOCIATONS

Any State Officer must be prepared to assist chapters in their growth and development as requested. Our Montana DECA Chapters have diverse needs, requests, and questions/concerns. All officers must attend to the Chapter Associations of Montana DECA.

TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

It is the responsibility of the State Officer Team to serve as a council and make recommendations to the Montana DECA Board of Directors as requested. The State Officer Team should seek approval on all Programs of Leadership and Statewide Projects prior to implementation.

TO THE STATE CDC

All State Officers are required to attend the State Career Development Conference. In the event unusual circumstances prevent the attendance of an officer, the Montana DECA State Director should be notified immediately. State Officers will be notified in advance of the activities, roles, and responsibilities during the State Conference.

STATE OFFICERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO: 

Personally endorse any product, item, or service on behalf of Montana DECA other than those products, items, or services which may be included as approved for DECA Inc. sales projects or DECA Images during his/her term in office.



Accept personal honorariums or payments for services performed as a State DECA Officer.



Solicit personal assignments to any DECA function on a local or association level.

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OUR CULTURE DEFINED

CODE OF CONDUCT/DECA VALUES CODE OF ETHICS 2016-2017

As a State Officer for DECA, Montana Association, I understand and agree to the following State Officer Code of Ethics.

To maintain and reflect a positive, professional image of myself, my school, the State of Montana and the DECA Student Organization.

To respect and abide by the authority delegated to the DECA Executive Committee, presiding State Officers, State Officer Coordinator, and State Director.

To attend all meetings, workshops and related activities assigned, unless engaged in some specific assignment taking place at the same time and at the notification of the State Officer Coordinator and State Director. To remain on the conference/meeting premises unless permission to leave has been granted by the presiding Advisor in Command.

To refrain from the use or possession of illegal drugs, tobacco, or alcohol, in any form while holding State Office. Possession is defined as having on one’s person, in one’s belongings such as in a purse or luggage, in one’s hotel/motel room, or having knowledge that illegal drugs, tobacco, or alcohol are in one’s hotel/motel room or in another persons possession.

To keep my Advisor(s) informed of my activities, travel, and whereabouts at all times.

To avoid places or activities which, in any way, could raise questions or bring reproach to the student organization or to myself.

To maintain proper dress and good grooming in all occasions and to conduct myself in a professional manner using appropriate language in all speeches and informal conversations.

To abstain from defacing public property or littering.

To abide by outlined curfews and regulations. I agree to be quiet, in my assigned room, at curfew, and stay out of rooms assigned to the opposite gender unless accompanied by an official conference chaperone, or advisor in the case of a meeting.

State Officers violating or engaging in any action detrimental to Montana DECA or DECA Inc. will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action taken by the State Executive Committee and State Director up to and including removal from office.

DECA

STYLES

LEADERSHIP TEAM

STRATEGY

TOOLS

LEADERSHIP THROUGH DECA VALUES Leaders define culture. And culture is the cornerstone of epic organizations. What is the most powerful tool a leader has to drive and define culture? VALUES!

“It’s not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are.”

ROY E. DISNEY

Values are the “default operating system” for organizations. When you don’t know what to do, when you have multiple priorities pressing in on you, when you planned for one thing and another opportunity or situation impacts your plans—it’s values that will be your guide and the guide for those you lead.

DECA VALUES VALUE

DEFINED the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.

COMPETENCE

INTEGRITY

TEAMWORK

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient.

a new method, idea, approach, product etc....

INNOVATION

Average leaders lead through passion and position. Epic leaders advance through mission and motivation, through guiding principles and programs of leadership. But, the key to unleashing true leadership is living and leading through strong personal and organizational values.

val•ue | ['valyōō] | verb

Important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable. Values have major influence on a person's behavior and attitude and serve as broad guidelines in all situations.

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GENERAL POLICY/PROCEDURE STATE OFFICER TEAM

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

State Officers are not permitted to hold multiple voting positions within DECA Inc., Montana DECA, and/or a local DECA Chapter while serving as a State Officer. If serving in another leadership position, State Officers must hold ex-officio, non-voting status in that role. State Officers should avoid conflict of interest positions and titles outside of the organization and be mindful of their impact on the Montana DECA Association.

REQUEST FOR APPEARANCE/PARTICIPATION

State Officers, when acting in Official Montana DECA Capacity, are required to be invited or requested to appear/participate in any event not hosted or prepared by Montana DECA or DECA Inc. Proper documentation and travel request forms can be found at www.mtdeca.com or by request to the Montana DECA State Director. State Officers are not permitted to represent Montana DECA, the State Officer team, or DECA Inc. without pre-approved travel authorization forms and documentation of event participation. State Officers may attend such functions without obtaining proper documentation, but State Office name badges, uniforms, and titles may not be used; the State Officer is merely a DECA member if attending a function outside of their local DECA Chapter without prior pre-approval.

APPERANCE/PRESENTATION

State Officers are expected to be groomed, of good public hygiene, and poised to match Montana DECA’s mission, goals, objectives, and values. State Officer uniforms shall be properly pressed, ironed, and worn while in official Montana DECA capacity. State Officers shall recognize the importance of language usage, appropriate gestures, and an engaged attitude.

RESPONSIBILITIES/EXPECTATIONS

State Officers of Montana DECA are held to the highest available standard. Officers are required to agree to and abide by the Montana DECA State Officer Code of Conduct form, prior to beginning their term. In addition, State Officers are required and expected to protect, defend, and uphold the Montana DECA Policies and Procedures Manual, as well as the Montana DECA Bylaws and Constitution. State Officers are expected to be the model membership of Montana DECA, exemplifying brand strength, goals, and objectives.

The State Officer Team will draft a Program of Leadership with clear deliverables and expectations. Such Program of Leadership shall be presented to the Montana DECA Board of Directors for adoption/approval.

The State Officer team will assign members specific tasks, roles, and responsibilities throughout the term.

Officers are expected to perform their share of team duties and responsibilities.

The State Officer Coordinator serves as the State Officer Team liaison to the State Director. The State Officer Coordinator is charged with ensuring project completion and even distribution/allocation of workloads/ tasks. The State Officer Team, as well as individual State Officers, report directly to the State Officer Coordinator. If information is requested, or questions arise from the Montana DECA Board of Directors throughout the term of office, such requests will be made by the State Director to the State Officer Coordinator.

HARASSMENT, ASSAULT, DISCRIMINATION

State Officer(s) engaging in actions of harassment, assault, or discrimination will not be tolerated, under any circumstances, in any situation. Should such issues or concerns arise, such item should be promptly reported to the Montana DECA State Director or Montana DECA Board of Directors for immediate and expedient action.

Officer Signature ___________________________________ Date _______________

TRAVEL

State Officers shall be registered to the Montana DECA chapter, with Montana DECA paying applicable membership dues. While on official Montana DECA business, and while traveling on behalf of Montana DECA, the State Director and State Officer Coordinator shall serve as the State Officer’s Advisor and/or Chaperone. State Officers are required to keep the State Director, State Officer Coordinator, local Chapter Advisor(s), and local school district administration updated at all times regarding official and required Montana DECA travel.

State Officers, in conjunction with the State Director and local school district administration and parental/ legal guardians, shall determine the most appropriate, efficent, and safe travel arrangements to and from official Montana DECA functions.

Without otherwise expressed written permission from the State Director or Montana DECA Board of Directors, it is required that State Officers obtain an adult/chaperone driver for official Montana DECA business, conferences, or meetings greater than 30 miles from the State Officers home address. Unless otherwise authorized by the Montana DECA State Officer Travel Authorization Form and in accordance with local district policy, State Officers may not travel unaccompanied by the advisor and/or chaperone, and at NO time may State Officers operate/drive vehicles while on official Montana DECA business beyond the aforementioned 30-mile restriction.

While transporting State Officer(s), Chapter Advisors, Montana DECA Staff, and Montana DECA Contract Agent(s)/Employees shall be given the option to not use personal vehicles for transportation.

Aforementioned parties may use State of Montana owned vehicles, or vehicles rented from an approval rental car company with the purchase of comprehensive and vehicle liability insurance. If adult drivers elect to use personal vehicles for transportation in accordance with local district policy, the driver assumes all risk and liability. Chaperone/Adult drivers for State Officer(s) shall hold a valid driver’s license, and are expected to obey all local, state, and federal transportation traffic laws/regulations. If non-personal vehicles are used for transportation, Montana DECA shall arrange for the vehicle and directly remit all related expenses directly to the vendor.

If flying on official Montana DECA business, it may be required that State Officers depart and arrive from separate home locations than the State Director or State Officer Coordinator. Should such situations or circumstances arise, the State Director or State Officer coordinator are required to land at the connecting city before the State Officer, and depart the connecting city after the State Officer. Should it be a direct flight, the State Director or State Officer Coordinator must accompany State Officers or arrive prior to the State Officer(s) and depart after the State Officer(s). Should delays or cancelations exist, the State Director and/or the State Officer Coordinator shall accompany all State Officer(s) through rebooking, accommodations, and travel necessities. The State Director or State Officer Coordinator shall stay with all State Officer(s) experiencing travel difficulty or delays, regardless of individual travel arrangements/plans until the State Officer(s) are departed for their appropriate home destination. Parents and/or legal guardians are to be notified of any travel bookings, modifications, or adjustments promptly after determination. If the State Officer(s) experience an aircraft diversion, and land in a city other than their home city, they shall promptly advise the State Director and Parental/Legal Guardians of situation circumstances. Under no circumstances should the State Officer(s) leave the secured area of the airport terminal. State Officer(s) experiencing aircraft diversion or travel delays, while in the unexpected un-supervision of the State Director or State Officer Coordinator, shall remain in the secure area of airline terminals, or report to the nearest safe location as advised by the Montana DECA State Director and await further instruction.

Officer Signature ___________________________________ Date ______________

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SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY MONTANA DECA SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY Social Media allows for nearly limitless conversation worldwide - often in real time. We hope that Montana DECA personnel will participate in Social Media and enjoy its benefits, and we also expect everyone who participates in online commentary to understand and follow these simple but important guidelines. Keep in mind that our overall goal is simple: to participate online in a respectful, relevant way that protects our reputation and of course follows the letter and spirit of the law. One way that you can help to ensure this goal is to avoid being an official Montana DECA spokesperson. We have a specially trained DECA Communications and Public Relations staff who are the only authorized people to speak on Montana DECA’s behalf in online and print conversations. DECA members including elected officials and staff that choose to participate in a conversation where Montana DECA is mentioned or implied will need to adhere to the following guidelines, accurately identify yourself and your role within the organization, and the fact that the things you post are your own individual opinion. These guidelines are designed to help you and Montana DECA achieve a more concise, clear, professional image. If you create or contribute to blogs, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds, or any other kind of Social Media - Twitter, Yelp, Wikipedia, MySpace, Facebook along with thousands more in this realm where Montana DECA is mentioned or implied, here are some guiding principles for you to keep in mind and follow:

THINK BEFORE POSTING

No use of social media publication may include confidential Montana DECA material, employment documents, or information that may deem detrimental to our business partners, investors, employees, or stakeholders.

IDENTIFY YOURSELF

Remembering that you are a member of Montana DECA is very important.

Whether you are an elected official, classified staff member, or student/ employee director, your message can directly affect our initiatives and movements. When posting related to Montana DECA or its members you must identify yourself with the proper title and identify that it is your personal/individual opinion. Any specific comments related to a statement from Montana DECA must be made through our trained Public Relations and Communications staff.

REMEMBER YOUR WORK RESPONSIBILITIES Do not let social media interfere with your ability to work with the student body or serve the Montana DECA organization.

DON’T MISLEAD OTHERS

Never represent yourself or Montana DECA in a misleading manner.

You are solely responsible for the content you post or interact with online. Tell the truth, and don’t reference co-workers, fellow members, business partners, or other stakeholders without their expressed permission.

MEANINGFUL & RESPECTFUL COMMENTS

Stick to your experience level. Avoid harsh, misleading remarks on topics which you are not educated on. Remember your comments can directly affect and impact the professional image of all stakeholders within Montana DECA.

LEGAL MATTERS

Never comment on anything related to legal matters. Montana DECA has highly trained legal representation and staff to comment on legal matters dealing with Montana DECA action(s) and policy. All comments made on a legal note should be done after careful consultation with Montana DECA legal council and Montana DECA Public Relations and Communications Staff

BE SMART

Take a moment to review your information prior to publishing.

Remember that this information is stored and will be around for a long time. Make sure you are writing only what you mean. Mean what you say, and say what you mean. As Montana DECA elected officials, personnel, staff, and stakeholders, we strive very hard every day to uphold our professional image and unique culture. It is our values that direct the positive movement forward. With strong and enhanced internet communications we will continue to live up to the integrity, dedication, and enthusiasm that our stakeholders expect.

Officer Signature _______________________________

Date ________________

Parent/Guardian Signature _________________________________

Date __________

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CORRECTIVE ACTION STATE OFFICER TEAM

Removal of State Officer(s): State Officers of Montana DECA are held to the highest available standard. Officers are required to agree to and abide by the Montana DECA State Officer Code of Conduct form, prior to the beginning of their term. Should an officer be found in violation of the Montana DECA State Officer Code of Conduct, the Montana DECA Bylaws, the Montana DECA Policy and Procedures Manual, and/or the Montana DECA Constitution, the following steps/courses of corrective action must be taken: Record of Discussion: A Record of Discussion is an official written reprimand for non-egregious/non-intentional violation(s) of Montana DECA Policy/Procedures. The violation or performance issue will be discussed with the State Officer, and copies of the Record of Discussion will be given to the local Chapter Advisor, the State Officer, and the Montana DECA State Director. The Record of Discussion must be signed by the State Officer, as well as the State Director and/or State Officer Coordinator. Signatures on a Record of Discussion do not admit guilt, but merely acknowledge that a conversation occurred pertaining to the violation. A Record of Discussion is intended as a coaching/learning experience for State Officers not performing to Montana DECA Standards, or not obeying Montana DECA Policy and Procedures. The Record of Discussion is written documentation of the violation, but mentoring recommendations for improved performance, a nd suggestions moving forward should be offered. The State Director and State Officer Coordinator are the only authorized person(s) able to give Records of Discussion.

Letter of Instruction: If behavior and/or performance issues previously outlined in a record of discussion are not improved or addressed, a Letter of Instruction will be provided to the State Officer and Local Chapter Advisor indicating the continued performance/behavioral issue, and listing steps necessary to correct said action by an outlined date. Failure to address such issues will result in stepped corrective action. The State Director is the only agent authorized to issue a Letter of Instruction. Both the State Director and the State Officer must sign the Letter of Instruction, and documentation shall be retained for future reference.

Counseling Statement: If behavior and/or performance issues persist after a Record of Discussion and Letter of Instruction, a Counseling Statement will be issued to the State Officer and the Local Chapter Advisor, as a final warning of the listed infractions. Failure to correct such action by the outlined date will result in termination of office and result in impeachment/removal from office.

The counseling statement is a final warning prior to termination, and must be taken with the utmost seriousness and concern. When providing a State Officer with a counseling statement, the State Director may elect, at his/her discretion, to review the State Officers file, and determine the appropriateness for the officer to continue through the conclusion of their term.

The State Director, at his/her discretion may elect to terminate the State Officers term based on his/her findings. The State Director is the only authorized agent to issue a Counseling Statement. Both the State Director and the State Officer must sign the counseling statement, with documentation being retained for future reference.

Termination: Termination is the final stages of the corrective action proceedings. Should a State Officer commit an act of gross negligence or ill intention, the State Director may, at his/her discretion, immediately terminate the State Officer. Violations of the Montana DECA State Officer Code of Conduct are grounds for immediate dismissal, and zero tolerance is granted for such violations.

If a State Officer fails to correct behavioral/performance issues, after a Record of Discussion, Letter of Instruction, and/or Counseling Statement, they will be terminated from office. The State Director, at his/her discretion may advance the stages of the corrective action process should they feel the action warrants, or the higher corrective action is more applicable/appropriate given the situation or circumstances.

Should the State Officer be terminated and released of all duties and responsibilities, the State Director must send a certified letter of the decision to the State Officer, the Local Chapter Advisor, Local School Administration, and Appropriate Parental/Legal Guardians. The letter will list the infractions and reason for termination, as well as include all documented corrective action leading to termination.

Upon termination, the State Officer must return all applicable State Officer uniforms, name badges, and Montana DECA property. Failure to do so will result in an invoice being sent to the local DECA Chapter for accrued costs.

The Montana DECA Executive Council must be notified within 24 hours of a State Officer termination. Should the State Officer wish to appeal the State Directors decision, they may make an official written appeal to the Montana DECA Executive Council no later than seven business days after receiving a termination notice. All letters of appeal should be sent via certified mail to the Montana DECA PO BOX. The letter of appeal should state the reason for termination, and justification for appeal. Should the Montana DECA Executive Council receive such appeal, they shall review all documentation and consult all parties involved. Upon completion of the investigation and/or review, the Executive Council may either uphold or overturn the State Directors decision with unanimous approval. A decision will be mailed to the appealing State Officer no later than seven (7) business days after the receipt of said appeal.

After the appeal process deadline has passed, or the appeal decision of the Executive Council is announced, the Montana DECA Executive Council may, at their discretion, order the vacancy be filled or not filled for the remainder of the terminated State Officers term. Should the Executive Council order the vacancy be filled, the State Director shall promptly begin the State Officer vacancy process outlined in this section.

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DECA

STYLES

LEADERSHIP TEAM

STRATEGY

TOOLS

UNDERSTANDING DECA LEADERSHIP STYLES There are three components to leadership and ultimately your unique DECA Leadership Style: 1. ___________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

One third of your leadership is based on nature—how you were uniquely wired and gifted at birth. One third of your leadership is based on nurture—the training you have received and the impact of how you were raised and influenced by family, friends, heroes, and others in your life. The final element of your leadership style is based on your choices— the lessons you have learned from the outcomes of the decisions you have made in life.

The DECA Leadership Styles Inventory provides insight into your nature—or how you are naturally wired to lead. It provides a glimpse into your natural tendencies and how you were born to act and react to life situations. Your natural style often emerges when you are the most stressed, tired, or are operating in new or unfamiliar environments. As you gain confidence and comfortability in leadership, the nurture and choice aspects of your leadership style will emerge.

This choreography and cultivation of nature, nurture, and choice reveals the emerging leader within.

MAJOR AND MINOR LEADERSHIP STYLES

Your highest score represents your Major DECA Leadership Style. This is also the leadership style you use most often and readily identify with in others.

Your lowest score represents your Minor DECA Leadership Style. This is the leadership style you lead with the least often and likely struggle with understanding those who operate with this as their Major DECA Leadership Style.

If your Major DECA Leadership Style is tied or within one or two points of another style, this means that you have the capability to readily adjust your leadership style to understand and operate in a broader variety of situations.

AVERAGE LEADERS VS EPIC LEADERS

An average leader often surrounds themselves with other leaders who have a similar style. This is natural because people are often more comfortable and communicate easily with people with similar styles and backgrounds. While easier, more comfortable, and perhaps even more fun in the short term, surrounding yourself with leaders just like your style can create major issues for you and those who follow you over the duration of your season of service.

Any of these leadership styles can sit at the head of the table and lead DECA. But, epic leaders and teams understand that all of these styles need to be sitting at the table in order to achieve maximum success and best serve members, customers, and stakeholders. By knowing your style, and the styles of others, you can make greater contributions, recognize how to leverage the leadership of others, and work cooperatively to positively influence people and situations to achieve value and growth.

CHALLENGES FOR TEAMS WITH THE SAME DECA LEADERSHIP STYLE

ADVANTAGES FOR TEAMS WITH DIVERSE DECA LEADERSHIP STYLES

1. ___________________________________________

1. ___________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

3. __________________________________________

3. __________________________________________

Until you grow your self-awareness as a leader, you only know __________% of what it’s like to be led by you.

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WHAT’S YOUR DECA LEADERSHIP STYLE? Rank your style and approach to leadership based on the phrases, word groupings and descriptions on the next page. You must score each box with a 4, 3, 2, or 1. You only can use each number only once per row. Place a 4 under the group of words that BEST describes you leadership style. Then choose the next with a 3, the next with a 2, and finally the LEAST like you with a 1. EACH ROW MUST CONTAIN ALL FOUR NUMBERS.

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16

STYLES

DECA

16

LEADERSHIP TEAM

STRATEGY

TOOLS

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

YouTube: Made sure the video got done. It’s getting tons of hits.

YouTube: Starred in the video. It was awesome!

YouTube: Made sure everyone was in the video.

We love it!

YouTube: Developed the concept for the video. It’s epic!

Management Supervisor

Marketing Sales

Hospitality Tourism

Entrepreneur Innovator

Practical Procedural Responsible Organized

Adventurous Open-Minded Impulsive Courageous

Unique Empathy Personal Cooperative

Curious Conceptual Competent Knowledgeable

Driven Tradition Orderly Meticulous

Exciting Motivational Spontaneous Competitive

Spirited Affectionate Inspirational Dramatic

Detail Equity Flexible Ingenious

Working in a group I might say: “OK, everyone, let’s concentrate so we can get this done.”

Working in a group I might say: “Hey, everyone! You know what would be cool to try?”

Working in a group I might say: “What does everyone think about this idea? Do you like it?”

Working in a group I might say: “I think I have a great idea for how we can do this. What if we…?”

Everyone has dreams.

Secretly, you…

Everyone has dreams.

Secretly, you…

Want to be President & CEO with your name on the executive office door.

Want to star in your own TV Show with your name in lights!

Want to be the person who brings world peace and you don’t care who gets credit.

Want to invent a product or service which changes the world.

People who praise me say:

People who praise me say:

People who praise me say:

People who praise me say:

“I’m great at setting goals and achieving them.”

“I can get people excited and involved.”

“I listen well and really care about others.”

“I’m creative and always have an idea to share.”

I’m effective.

I’m charismatic.

I’m considerate.

I’m innovative.

TOTAL OF SECTION 1

TOTAL OF SECTION 2

TOTAL OF SECTION 3

TOTAL OF SECTION 4

Everyone has dreams.

Secretly, you…

Everyone has dreams.

Secretly, you…

STYLES

DECA

LEADERSHIP TEAM

STRATEGY

TOOLS

YOUR DECA LEADERSHIP STYLE DEFINED Transfer your scores from DECA Leadership Styles Inventory to the corresponding boxes below.

TOTAL OF SECTION 1

TOTAL OF SECTION 2

TOTAL OF SECTION 3

TOTAL OF SECTION 4

DRIVER

ENERGIZER

CARETAKER

ANALYZER

DRIVERS see themselves as:

ENERGIZERS see themselves as:

CARETAKERS see themselves as:

ANALYZERS see themselves as:

Executive type Responsible Goal-oriented Organized Effective

Fun-loving Solution Finder Action-oriented In the moment Fast Paced

Caring Warm People-oriented Encouraging Considerate

Knowledgeable Great Planners Vision-oriented Objective, Calm Efficient

Others see them as:

Others see them as:

Others see them as:

Others see them as:

Bossy Opinionated Boring Stubborn

Not serious Forgetful Disobeys rules Not able to stay on task

Dramatic Naïve Touchy-feely Ignores policies

Arrogant Hard to get to know Uncaring Shy

They dislike:

They dislike:

They dislike:

They dislike:

Non-conformity Ambiguity Waste Ineffectiveness

Authority/Rules Inflexibility Slow pace Inaction

Hypocrisy Deception Hidden Agendas Insincerity

Incompetence Inequity Injustice Inefficiency

They like:

They like:

They like:

They like:

Structure Clear Instruction Punctuality Time to Adapt to Change

Change Freedom to Create Sense of Humor Hands On

Collaborating Warm Atmosphere Inclusiveness Recognition of All

The Big Picture Thinking Inventiveness Facts & Truth

Work vs. Play

Work vs. Play

Work vs. Play

Work vs. Play

Work, then Play

Work and Play

Work and Play Together

Plan to Work and Play

Key DECA Core Value

Key DECA Core Value

Key DECA Core Value

Key DECA Core Value

Integrity

Competence

Teamwork

Innovation

Member Relations

Member Relations

Member Relations

Member Relations

Organize, track, and set goals for membership

Recruit, engage, and mobilize members

Welcome, connect, and encourage members

Strategize and plan the membership campaign

18 17

INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR DECA STYLES Circle at least one growth statement per DECA Style that you know is a leadership weakness you want to grow into a leadership strength.

DRIVER GROWTH

ENERGIZER GROWTH

Relax and enjoy the ride. The world’s not perfect. Flex and be ready to change your plan.

Learn to be fully present and listen before responding.

It takes great people and great planning to succeed.

Planning is not your growth opportunity area.

Failure is essential to innovation and learning.

Understand setbacks are setups for greater triumph!

Just because an idea doesn’t have a plan, doesn’t mean it won’t work. Come up with the plan, even if it’s not your idea.

Watch how much you talk and finish other people’s sentences in conversations Anyone can generate great ideas, learn to rally others to build on ideas and finish great ideas.

Learn to be patient and give others time to think about your great ideas. Ownership is vital!

Understand that just because it’s not fun doesn’t mean it failed. Good times don’t always equal good results.

STYLES by the popular or gifted CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS SCORE BOARD Don’t be intimidated Details matter. Take the time to color in the picture or communicator. Seek clarity. Ask your questions (with encourage others who are gifted at the details. warmth and sincerity!)

Watch your tone and tact. Alienating others is not how you access the help needed to succeed!

CARETAKER GROWTH

ANALYZER GROWTH

Service is your strength, but watch how much you give yourself to everything and everyone. Leave some room for your needs too!

Learn to share and engage others in your ideas even if they aren’t perfect yet. That’s what teams are for!

Understand that not everything is personal. It may feel that way, but, it’s not always the case.

Learn to really listen and hear the ideas of others before you question and critique.

Learn how to bring expectation as successfully as you bring encouragement.

When someone shares their feelings, try not to analyze them or what happened. Just listen and be there for them.

Suit up and bring your body armor to work with leaders who aren’t your style

Don’t be so concerned with tomorrow that you miss today!

Deadlines affect others! Being late because you were serving others is still being late and undermines your influence.

Be careful about your superiority complex. No one likes to hear “I told you so.” Others know you were right without you having to tell them.

Drama is distracting and it often finds you because of your caring nature for others. Don’t let drama devour precious time and energy.

There’s a time to study and a time to start up. Be careful not to overthink things and miss the moment.

BE COURAGEOUS!

Ask another leader or advisor you trust to underline additional growth areas for your DECA Style. Seeking genuinue feedback from others will accelerate your influence and leadership!

18

DECA LEADERSHIP TEAM

DECADECA

LEADERSHIP STYLES TEAM

STYLES

STRATEGY TOOLS CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

DECA STYLES CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS SCORE BOARD LEADERSHIP STYLES OVER TIME DECA members are empowered through experience to provide effective Your leadership style will season, refine, and grow over time. Education, life experiences, decisions, and cultural leadership through goal setting, consensus building and project implementation. background all influence the style you have now and will continue to do so throughout your life. Do not be surprised if you take this or Leadership any personality styles inventory andcore find your style has is an indicator of how your life The DECA Team is the group ofchanged.

DECAThis members that provides experiences are impacting and maturing your leadership style. leadership to the entire DECA chapter. The DECA Leadership Team should have defined roles and responsibilities that support thedeveloping chapter’s all mission and Leadership goals.

Growing from emerging leaderLEADERSHIP to a mature leader is fully your DECA Styles OUR TEAM’S DECA STYLES

DECA LEADERSHIP STYLES OF YOUR TEAMSTYLES DECA LEADERSHIP OF YOUR TEAM

DECA leader is a Driver, an Energizer, a Caretaker, and an Analyzer. You are naturally wired to be stron

Growingare from plenty emerging of leader to a mature leader is fully developing all your DECA Leadership Styles. Within each There leadership opportunities to engage more members Name Position Major Style Minor Style Your personal goal should be to leverage your natural style to grow andchapter work well with all DECA Lead DECA leader is a Driver, an Energizer, a Caretaker, and an Analyzer. You are naturally wired to be stronger at some. than justtable agoal few officers.

Putting together an effective team may include Use personal this to get be a feel for the styles ofstyle all your fellow association officers.

Learn,various appreciate, and e Your should to leverage your natural to grow and work well with all DECA Leadership Styles.

CEO [Advisor] strengths of where team may have a weakness and and work to develop Use this table toothers. get a feelIdentify for the styles of allyour your association officers.

Learn, appreciate, and engage the and compen teams, committees and directors tofellow help share responsibilities focus on President strengths of others.

Identify where your team mayteam have acan weakness and work to be develop and compensate for any year! styles that are missing.

If you and your do this—you’ll on your way to an epic specific duties. styles that are missing. If you and your team can do this—you’ll be on your way to an epic year!

VP of Leadership

NAMES OF YOUR

20

NAMES OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS TEAM MEMBERS

DECA LEADERSHIP STYLE INVENTORY SCORES DECA LEADERSHIP STYLE INVENTORY SCORES VP of Career DECA EMERGING Development DRIVER

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

LEADER SCORE ENERGIZER ENERGIZER CARETAKER ANALYZER DRIVER CARETAKER ANALYZER

VP of Marketing

LE

VP of Finance VP of Hospitality

3.

4.

4.

5.

6.

5.

7.

6.

Your DECA Leadership Style does not ______________________ you.

8.

7.

9.

8.

10.

Your DECA Leadership Style is an ____________________

20

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

FOUR MAJOR FACTORS OF DECA STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS MESSAGE

A simple, clearly defined message that contains the “big idea” is the cornerstone of DECA Strategic Communications. Messages and calls to action will differ from goal to goal, project to project and audience to audience. Dedication to developing a short simple message (ideally boiled down to one sentence or phrase) increases the likelihood that the message will be received as intended and even re-transmitted intact to others. Examples of simple messages include Nike’s famous “Just Do It” campaign or a DECA membership recruitment campaign in which the overriding message is “Join DECA!” You can always elaborate on a core message and provide helpful details. But, additional information should always reinforce the core message and action you desire to be taken.

MEMBERS

Great strategic communication concentrates on the members or the audience receiving the message. Communication needs to be shaped according to the unique needs of each kind of member (examples: new members vs. veteran members, freshmen vs. seniors, Professional members vs. alumni members, non-members, etc.). Using DECA acronyms in messages to new members will be received differently than it would be to veteran chapter officers. Studying your target audience and refining language and message are critical to sending communication that will engage members in supporting your goals, projects, and initiatives.

MOMENT

Timing is everything. Choosing the right moment to send your message has a tremendous effect on a member’s ability to respond positively and engage. For example, launching a membership campaign the week before a deadline will not be as effective in reaching your membership goal as launching the same campaign earlier in the year. Sending a thank you message within a few days as opposed to a few months will have greater impact. Audiences need time to respond to your message, adjust, and believe that taking the action you want will be good for them. Frequency (steady and consistent messaging over time) maximizes engagement.

Give yourself plenty of moments to repeat your message to your members.

MEDIUM

Choose the right medium your members will connect with and that is appropriate to your message. Social media is fantastic for reaching younger audiences with general awareness messages. Text messaging may be great for individually targeted and more personal messages.

Printed posters or postcards may be great for consistency and more lasting messages. All mediums have their place of effectiveness. Word of Mouth (WOM) sharing remains one of the most powerful mediums for sharing information—even in this era of technology and digital media. It’s the leader’s job to select the right medium or combination of mediums to maximize the message to reach engagement goals.

SCORE BOARD

CRAZY EIGHT MESSAGES

Chartered Association Officers are one of DECA’s most powerful mediums for sharing important messages. As key leaders and influencers in DECA, the association officer’s ability to choose the appropriate medium with the right message targeted at the right member and delivered at the right moment is vital to reaching as many schools and students as possible with the positive and life shaping opportunity DECA provides. There are eight core messages that association officers are especially talented and able to provide that are essential to DECA success. They are called the “Crazy Eights.”

CELEBRATE Messages designed to congratulate, recognize and highlight the success and achievement of others.

ACTIVATE Instructions and direction to existing DECA leaders and followers act toward a common goal.

ADVOCATE Building support for DECA with external stakeholders, decision-makers, and partners.

MOTIVATE Inspiring enthusiasm, commitment, and interest in DECA. COLLABORATE Working with others (within DECA or beyond) to achieve something together.

INNOVATE Sharing about new ideas or introducing a new way to do something in DECA. INITIATE Starting something, training another on something new, or introducing a student to their new world of DECA. APPRECIATE Expressing gratitude and thankfulness for support, help.

Consistently delivering Crazy Eight messages as a leader and especially throughout their term of service is the most critical duty of a Chartered Association Officer in DECA. And the ability to simultaneously deliver a combination of Crazy Eight messages is what will make the officer, the team, and DECA remembered in the hearts and minds of members long into the future.

DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

DECA STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN It certainly takes work to be successful, but DECA is about a lot more than work! At the chartered association level, it’s about elevating DECA chapters, members, advisors, partners and stakeholders through successful strategic communications. Chartered association officers are the key communicators of DECA! Successful communicators establish an intentional plan using all communication channels to build DECA’s brand, identity and engagement.

There are eight elements to a DECA Strategic Communications Plan. The Crazy Eights are the standing items that Chartered Association Officers should be doing daily during their year of service to elevate DECA.

CRAZY 8 ELEMENT

HOW/WHAT/WAYS TO ELEVATE!

WHO DO WE ELEVATE?

CELEBRATE

ACTIVATE

ADVOCATE

MOTIVATE

COLLABORATE

INNOVATE

INITIATE

APPRECIATE

COMMUNICATION DEFINED: The root word of communication is “commune” which means “__________________________________.”

Effective communication requires the effective and timely transmission of _______________________ and

22

FACEBOOK ENGAGEMENT

& DON’TS 5TIPS/DO’S FACEBOOK TIPS FOR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT

1

POST AT THE RIGHT TIME

High school students (your main audience) have the most access to their phones and computers during the day and especially late at night. Try to not post very early in the morning, especially on the weekends. Early evening or later at night during the week will get you the optimal amount of reach to your DECA members.

USE CALL TO ACTION

2

By adding statements such as, “Like if you agree,” or “Leave your answer here,” to your posts, you will encourage far more engagement with your followers than by just hoping they like or comment. Using fill-in-the-blank posts or asking questions and prompting friends for answers are great ways to engage and connect with your audience.

3

You should at least be posting once or twice a day and at least four times a week. Too much posting might cause some followers to hide your constant activity from their newsfeed, while too little activity might make you invisible to so many other posts. The key is to be consistent and create a presence that is inviting and engaging without being overbearing.

4 5

CREATE A CONSISTENT PRESENCE

USE PHOTOS AND LINKS

Photos and links are a great way to encourage sharing on Facebook, which is now the true test to effective follower engagement (as opposed to just collecting likes). Participate in DECA’s Twitter Days and post your own Motivational Monday photos or share links to DECA Direct Online articles for Tip Tuesday.

TRY TRACKING YOUR LINKS

To really see the impact you are making with your followers, try tracking your links using bitly (www.bitly.com). This will allow you to see how many followers clicked your links, where they are located and what time of day they followed your link. Using this data you can determine the best ways to reach your members and engage your audience.

DO’S AND DON’TS FOR FACEBOOK

As officers, you are highly encouraged to post Montana DECA and DECA Inc. news, articles, photos and more on your Facebook page. You are the brand ambassador for Montana DECA, DECA Inc., as well as local Montana DECA Chapters. In order to take this role seriously, you must be willing to constantly promote the brand to all of your followers.

Please also share Montana DECA and DECA Inc. posts as often as possible and encourage others to “like” the Montana DECA Facebook page frequently. In order to make our Facebook page effective, we need a larger number of followers to receive and share our vital information.

It would be beneficial to also search Montana DECA’s corporate, education, and business partners on Facebook, and join/like their pages. Whenever possible, tag these partners in your posts to help promote our relationship with these constituencies to the broader DECA community.

Your Facebook page should also be branded appropriately to represent your role in DECA. Make sure your profile picture and cover photo promote DECA and its various programs or events. Having photos irrelevant to your position in DECA may confuse those who friend request you. It also gives your profile less of an authentic and credible feel. There are many options to use when branding your page and the communications team at DECA Inc. is happy to supply you with various images to use. You can always take the images from DECA Inc. and Montana DECA Facebook pages as well.

Lastly, you should always be searching for new ways to engage with your DECA members. Ask questions, post interesting articles related to college and careers, hype up conferences or events, and reach out to chapters or members on a personal level. In order to build Montana DECA on Social Media, we need more people to recognize the brand name, and you’re the best person to create this publicity!

APPROPRIATE USE As officers, it is imperative that you have a presence on Facebook that promotes Montana DECA, DECA Inc, as well as your fellow officers.

If you have decided to keep your personal Facebook page and use it for your term as an officer, you must keep this in mind constantly.

Every post you make, whether it is about DECA or your personal life, reflects the organization and your officer team.

Please be aware of what posts or photos you are tagged in as well.

Privacy settings are never guaranteed to work and although you cannot control what others say or post about you, you can control how others see it.

24

ENGAGEMENT 5TWITTER TWITTER TIPS TIPS/DO’S & DON’TS FOR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT

1 2 3

4 5

USE HASHTAGS

The best way to engage with your followers is through hashtags! Use current trending hashtags, Twitter Days hashtags or even just #deca to encourage conversation and engagement. There are also industry related hashtags that will broaden your audience from just DECA members to the marketing/business community.

COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE

This is the easiest way to make your profile better and yet it is the one most people never do! Select a profile picture, customize your profile background and header photo and fill in your bio. This will help people recognize your account as authentic and increase your ability to gain followers.

WATCH YOUR CHARACTER LIMIT

No one likes missing half a tweet because it got cut off. Make sure you check that you are under the 140-charcter limit before you tweet!

Adding photos also uses up character space, so attach your image first before you type your tweet. People are less likely to share a tweet that is incomplete or doesn't make sense.

USE PHOTOS AND LINKS

People are more likely to retweet photos or links than just statements, so always try to add a picture or URL to your tweet. You can use www.bitly.com to track the success of your links and see when and where people clicked on them.

USE CALL TO ACTION

Just like Facebook, people are more likely to engage with you if you ask them to! Statements like “RT if you” or “Favorite if you” will get you more engagement than you realize. You can even create polls or contents by combining the two like, “RT if you love @DECAInc and favorite if you really love @MontaaDECA.”

DO’S AND DON’TS FOR TWITTER

You are encouraged to share both your own tweets on your personal account as well as retweet and promote tweets from the @DECAInc Twitter account. The best way to gain followers, promote the organization and increase engagement is by reaching a broad audience. With your help, Montana DECA can reach more people than imaginable!

You should also be mindful of tagging @DECAInc whenever applicable to increase brand recognition and awareness. If you are talking about a DECA corporate or business partner, do a quick search on Twitter and find their handle so you can tag them. Twitter’s ability to connect with entire entities through one easy tweet is the most valuable asset of the network. Take advantage of this opportunity and get the Montana DECA name out there to companies and brands that may find the organization beneficial or interesting.

Lastly, make sure you are using the appropriate hashtags that correspond with your tweets. Use them in your Twitter Days tweets, as well as for conferences and events. Even in everyday tweets, you can try to incorporate popular or trending hashtags to increase your engagement and followers from across the country.

APPROPRIATE USE

As with Facebook, the way you present yourself on Twitter is a direct reflection of DECA Inc., Montana DECA, our Stakeholders, and your officer team. Make sure you show maturity, professionalism and sound thought when tweeting or retweeting from your official DECA account.

Although you can make your profile private, it might be beneficial to leave it public, as people are less inclined to follow someone if they have to wait for pending approval. Please make sure your Tweets are appropriate, DECA related, and free of spelling errors. Once again, you are representing the entire Montana DECA Organization every time you hit “Tweet.”

You should also strongly consider branding your Twitter page with DECA images and logo’s so that members recognize it as an official and authentic account. Simply by making your profile picture and header photo DECA related, the professionalism of your page increases dramatically.

Your “About” section should also contain relevant and important information to your role as a DECA officer and leader. For example, you should make your bio: 2016-2017 @MontanaDECA Association Officer for @DECAInc Your Location www.mtdeca.com www.deca.org

26

10 REMEMBER 10 RULES RULESTOTO REMEMBER FOR DECA PUBLICATIONS & WRITING FOR DECA PUBLICATIONS

1 2 3

4 5

& WRITING

BE TIMELY

Make sure your articles and publications coincide with what your audience is focusing on at that time. If you want your publications to be read and seen, then you must make them relevant to your readers.

BE BRIEF

Your publications do not need to be more than one Word document page. Make sure you have short sentences and short paragraphs as well. This makes it easy to glance down the publication and read the page.

BE PROFESSIONAL

Your articles represent not only yourself, but the entire officer team and DECA as well. Make sure you use correct grammar and punctuation, appropriate language, and put the necessary thought and effort into your pieces.

BE YOU

Just because you need to be professional doesn’t mean you have to lose your personality! Your members want to feel connected to their officer team, so make sure you add some of YOU into the article.

Sharing your own stories, thoughts, opinions and even fears will help readers relate to you.

BE PROMPT

In order for Montana DECA to function effectively as the resource hub for all things DECA to our members, we need a consistent cycle of new material to post, share, and publish. Please remember to submit your articles by assigned and outlined due dates.

BE VISUAL

6

If you have an image you would like to share in your publications, make sure you send it with your document! If you don’t have an image, but you have an idea of one that would be perfect, let us know and we can try to find something for you. Articles and publications with visual photos are the best for sharing.

7

Coordinate with your fellow officers to make sure your publications and articles don’t overlap on topics or repeat the same ideas. Your members don’t want to read the same information five times over, so go the extra mile and do some simple planning with your fellow officers to differentiate your publications, articles and posts.

8 9 10

BE ORGANIZED

BE CATCHY

Generic titles do not make anyone want to read your article. Get creative and use interesting or catchy titles to capture your readers’ attention! This will also help when promoting your articles through Social Media channels.

BE LISTY

The best articles are ones that break down the main points into numbered lists or easy to understand bullets.. “Top 10” or “Best 5” are great ways to get your readers interested without thinking they’ll have to read a drawn out article.

BE DECA

Make your articles unique to the problems that DECA Chapters are facing and help overcome their obstacles! This time next year, wouldn’t it be great to see the success chapters have had from your advice and tips?

THREE USES FOR SOCIAL MEDA 1. Member Engagement 2. Brand Awareness 3. Communication Streams

THREE KEYS TO SOCIAL MEDA 1. Create Content 2. Share Content 3. Engage

28

SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

MONTHLY COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

MONTHLY SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

FOLLOWERS

FEBRUARY

FOLLOWERS

DECA

JANUARY

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

COOL IDEAS

AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER

Membership Madness – Focus on building your chapter up with new student, professional and alumni members.

• Social Media Raffles – Give away awesome prizes to people who follow you on social media by letting them enter a raffle by liking, sharing, retweeting, or otherwise engaging with your social media. Write the names down on pieces of paper, draw a winner, and announce it over social media!

• New Member Spotlight – When a new member pays their dues, highlight them on social media with their photo and the reason they joined DECA. People love the thrill of seeing themselves promoted!

• Chapter Meeting Videos – Show your audience the excitement of your chapter meetings by posting videos of the highlights on YouTube or Vine and sharing them with others who might be interested in joining!

NOVEMBER THROUGH JANUARY

DECA Month/Chartered Association Conference Preparation • DECA Campaign Highlights – You’re already doing awesome work in your chapter to qualify for the Membership, Promotional, Community Service and Global Entrepreneurship Week Campaigns, so make sure to highlight your activities on social media with an appropriate hashtag so others can see your great work.

• Share Conference Excitement – Start posting photos and videos from last year’s Chartered Association and International Career Development Conferences to get people excited for competition preparation.

• Spotlight on Success – As your members reach milestones in their competitive event preparations, praise them on social media so they can feel the thrill of recognition and others can see the hard work they’re putting in.

JULY

FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL

Conferences, Conferences, Conferences!

• Celebrate Your Victories, LIVE – Post live updates from your Chartered Association and International Career Development Conference showing in real time the fun you had and the victories you achieved. Individual shout outs for winners are especially cool!

• Capture the Memories – Remember to not just send out social media content with your current audience in mind, but to document moments that you can use to highlight in membership recruitment efforts at the beginning of the year.

• Social Media Prizes – Give opportunities for people who AREN’T attending the conferences to win prizes or recognition for interacting with your social media outlets during conferences. The 10th person to “like” a status could win a free chapter t-shirt, for example.

MAY THROUGH JULY

Celebrate Your Accomplishments • Recognize Your Supporters – Focus on giving special attention on social media to any donors, professional or alumni members, and business partners who helped you reach success this year.

• Party and Promote – Have an end-of-the-year chapter banquet and share the coolest moments on social media for everyone to see the excitement in your chapter.

• Start Building for Next Year – Share the new DECA theme with your audience, start thinking of new ways to incorporate it into your efforts, and start planning before school is out for your social media efforts during the summer. If you’re looking for great content to share during the summer, check out DECA Direct!

30

PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIP OVERVIEW/STEPS

PROGRAM of LEADERSHIP 2016-2017

This packet is designed to help you and your officer team create a successful Program of Leadership. The Program of Leadership (POL), is the overall master plan for your year as a Montana DECA State Officer.

You will start with the process of creating your own mission moments, which will guide and facilitate the creation of the 2016-2017 Program of Leadership. As a team, you will discuss, determine, and implement goals and initiatives for the year ahead. Goals should contain personal and association growth; focusing on the membership at large.

Lastly, you will compile the timeline of activities, an accountability chart, and design a Program of Leadership Presentation for Board of Director and Stakeholder approval. As you begin the process, keep in mind, your goals and objectives should be realistic, achievable, yet challenging and growth oriented. Most Programs of Leadership include the following topics: 

Membership



Advisor Appreciation



Community Service



Competitive Events Prep



Publicity/Advocacy/Awareness



Alumni Development & Involvement



Corporate & Business Development



Social Programs and Having FUN!

PROGRAM of LEADERSHIP STEPS/AGENDA

1 2 3

4 5

LEARN DECA

We will begin by providing you all basic and detailed background on DECA, our mission, our goals, and our objectives. This will help you tailor your initiatives and goals to match association strengths.

YOUR MISSION MOMENTS

Next, we ask you to explore what you wish to accomplish, and require you to reflect and notate your DECA experience thus far. These moments, and the memories that impact your experience, help you develop programs that provide the same to our membership at large.

GOAL/PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Now it is time for you all to come together as a team and determine the initiatives and goals of the Montana DECA Association for the Year ahead. What do you want to accomplish? By When? What is most important?

ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTS

A Program of Leadership is useless without benchmarks, deadlines, and evaluation criteria. This stage allows you all to further define your goals to individual officer duties and deadlines. Here is where we develop a clear timeline and clear expectations for every member of the team.

PRESENTATION/FINAL REVIEW

Lastly, you need to incorporate all of your goals, objectives, and initiatives into a clear, concise presentation, which you will use to gain Board of Director and Stakeholder approval.

32

GOAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIP

PROGRAM of LEADERSHIP TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

The successful person recognizes that he/she does not have unlimited resources of time, money, power, etc. There are too many things to spend your time and energy on, therefore, decisions must be made as to how to allocate your time, money, and resources.

There are three kinds of priorities:

A

B C

“A PRIORITIES” - MUST DO’S

“A” priorities must be completed first if the overall goal is to be accomplished. Failure to complete these will result in the goal not being completed.

“B PRIORITIES” - SHOULD DO’S

“B” priorities are should do’s and are done once all “A” priorities are completed and satisfied. They should take less time and energy than “A” priorities.

“C PRIORITIES” - NICE TO DO’S

“C” priorities are done if and when all “A” and “B” priorities are satisfied and completed. These take few resources to complete, but add the extra bit of assistance and support to our membership.

Organizing and prioritizing tasks are vital to your success and will help you focus your attention on the important things and allow you to ultimately accomplish more of your goals with less strain and effort.

PROGRAM of LEADERSHIP TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

Not convinced that these goals are doable? Consider these five characteristics of “SMART� goals and you may uncover some unforeseen roadblocks. Catching these difficulties before they happen does not mean that they can no longer be a goal on your Program of Leadership, but now you have the opportunity to correct and combat any problems in advance.

S

M A R T

SPECIFIC

Make sure that your goal(s) are very specific, with all necessary information included. Goals should include deadlines, people in charge, desired evaluation criteria, and benchmark levels of success.

MEASURABLE

There needs to be a way for you to measure the progress and success of your goals and initiatives. Make sure your evaluation criteria is challenging but realistic. Make sure that your desired end goal is clear, and that your measurement of success is defined.

ACHIEVABLE

Your goal(s) need to be achievable for your team, whether it is as big as you want it or not. You only have one academic year to complete your Program of Leadership. Make sure you take on the most appropriate and realistic DECA workload.

RELEVANT

Make sure that your goals are relevant to the development, expansion, and growth of Montana DECA. All goals, initiatives, programs, and ideas should directly impact and tie into the DECA mission, goals, and objectives to be successful.

TIME

There must be a time/deadline by which your goal is to be met.

These deadlines are used to hold each other accountable, and also defines a path for success. It allows us to clearly communicate our desired outcomes to our Stakeholders.

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START WITH YOUR STORY PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIP DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

MY MISSION MOMENTS

DECA’s Guiding Principles are more than fancy marketing statements. They describe the heart of what DECA is all about and what it means when members tell the world, “I am a DECA member.” One of the most effective and powerful ways you can empower others to support DECA is by telling your personal DECA story and how our Guiding Principles have contributed to your life and future.

REFLECT HERE ON YOUR MISSION MOMENTS

DECA INTEGRATES INTO THE CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION Describe a DECA activity or lesson that has helped you prepare for college and career.

How did it help you?

DECA APPLIES LEARNING Share about a DECA project that required you to be creative and apply knowledge you gained in DECA. What was the outcome?

DECA CONNECTS TO BUSINESS Recall a time when you met with a business partner through DECA. Who did you meet?

What was the occasion?

What insight did you learn?

DECA PROMOTES COMPETITION Describe a competitive experience you’ve had in DECA (e.g. running for office, competition, etc.). How did it drive you to excel and improve your skills and performance? In what ways would others say you’ve grown because of DECA?

MY MISSION MOMENTS

ACADEMICALLY PREPARED Share how DECA has inspired your scholastic pursuits and equipped you to conquer your aspirations.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED What DECA service projects have you been involved in? How did your service impact and improve the community?

PROFESSIONALLY RESPONSIBLE What is one standard of integrity and professionalism you have learned in DECA?

EXPERIENCED LEADERS What is your Personal Best Leadership experience in DECA? What did this experience teach you about how to lead in the future?

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GAINING PERSPECTIVE DECA

PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIP DECA

STYLES

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

SCORE BOARD

STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!

We often celebrate emerging leaders for being on the GO. But it actually the ability to know when and how to STOP that advances the leader and DECA. When we stop to listen, observe and reflect, we are in the best position to learn, see opportunity, gather knowledge, gain experience and develop wisdom.

Great leaders are great listeners and observers.

Less than 2% of the population has had any formal training and education on how to listen. This makes the emerging leader’s ability to listen to their followers as well as their coaches, advisors, and mentors one of the most prized and rare leadership skills of all.

LOOK!

Evaluation is the final element of the DECA SCORE BOARD strategic action system for officers. Whenever it’s time to stop and evaluate, use the LOOK Tool with your team as a menu to learn, observe, see new opportunities and grow knowledge together to prepare for the next leadership adventure.

L EARN O BSERVE O PPORTUNITY K NOWLEDGE

Whether at work or play, leaders are constantly learning. Whether good or bad, happy or sad, leaders find the lesson!

Observe and take notes throughout the process of planning and implementing DECA projects and activities—especially big projects.

Debrief your learning and observations with your team. Look at data. Consider thoughts/ feelings of others, Then generate ideas and opportunities!

When learning and experience is combined into knowledge that’s when emerging leaders advance themselves and DECA!

LISTEN UP!

BETTER LISTENING TIPS & TECHNIQUES

• • • •

• •

• • •

We listen at a rate of 125-250 words per minute We think at a rate of 1,000-3,000 words per minute Words are processed in short term memory We retain words in bits of about 7 (this is why we have 7 digit phone numbers) Images go directly into long term memory It’s easier to show the DECA Diamond than it is to explain it Any time you can use a visual rather than words, do it!

• • • • • •

Mirror the person you are visiting with Face forward, Lean in, make eye contact, and nod your head Take handwritten notes to show you captured what was shared Repeat back in your own words what you heard Wait to share your opinion until later in the conversation Minimize distractions (put your smart phone away!)

Ask clarifying questions Summarize key points

DECA

STYLES

SCORE BOARD

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

DECA EPIC PROJECTS OVERVIEW DECA IS EPIC! Reaching epic levels as an organization does not occur because of any one major initiative. It’s built on a combination of little acts of excellence throughout the entire DECA system that ushers in super success. Delivering projects and activities with intentional acts of planning, implementation, communication, and evaluation makes the mission of DECA come to life.

97% of organizations believe project management is critical to business performance and organizational success.

FORMULA FOR EPIC DECA PROJECT SUCCESS EVALUATION

X

PLANNING

X

IMPLEMENTATION

X

COMMUNICATION

=

BE EPIC

WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHY ARE WE DOING IT? WHAT’S MY ROLE? Communicator Andy Stanley on the Big 3 Questions for Project Leaders

DECA EPIC PROJECT SAMPLE ACTION STATEMENTS Identify Team Members Determine Roles Develop Org Chart Recruit Volunteers Train Team Members Recognize Team Members Develop Transportation Plan Order Supplies Determine Food Plan for Team Setup Registration System Secure Photographer Honor Participants Reserve Dates on Calendar Research Develop Invite List Coordinate Uniforms Get Permission Slips In

Determine Agenda Determine Budget Track Receipts Secure Approval Secure Permits Reserve Facility Pay Deposit Request Check for Services Identify Setup Team Identify Cleanup Team Store Documents & Files Test AV Equipment Develop Clean Music Playlist Assign Hosts & Greeters Develop Layout Plan Get Absences Pre-Approved Apply for Grant

Design Creative Elements Submit Press Releases Coordinate Sign Ups Write & Practice Speeches Send Reminders Get Signage Up Develop Promo Video Recruit Sponsors/Partners Develop Social Media Plan Develop Media Message Brief Team on Logistics Final Project Debrief Develop Report Send Handwritten Thanks Article to DECA Direct Apply for Recognition Celebrate Wildly!

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PLOTTING SUCCESS PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIP DECA DECA

STYLES STYLES

CORE CORE 44 COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNICATIONS

SCOREBOARD BOARD SCORE

DECA EPIC PROJECTS BREAK IT DOWN PROJECT PHASE

KEY QUESTIONS FOR LEADERS

PROJECT INITIATION – [WHAT ARE WE DOING?]

• • • • • • • •

Identify which element(s) of DECA’s mission the project will advance. If you’re team has aligned officer positions with DECA’s mission, you will easily be able to identify the officers who should be project leaders. Great project identify a deadline for completion as well as a start line to begin. Identify members or teams who will be involved and impacted.

EPIC DECA projects involve seeing the vision of what could be in advance and identifying key goals (refer to the DECA Goals Dashboard) that will be attained and who will own the project.

EVALUATION [BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND]

Evaluation is where ideas turn from concepts to projects. Once a project idea is approved, define what success looks like. DECA leaders look out into the future, identify what they are trying to achieve and describe the performance measures. Once the project is completed, leaders LOOK at the project process and actual results.

• • •

Evaluating projects before and after while observing and seeking learning opportunities differentiates DECA officers from other student leaders.

• •

PLANNING [SEE THE FUTURE IN DETAIL]

• • •

EPIC DECA Projects are dreams with doables and deadlines. A Bull Survey reports that 39% of failed projects were due to lack of planning. Defining the customer and what they consider value is vital in planning. Determining the project leader and securing expertise and experience are key ingredients. Projects require leadership, training, resources, and approvals/support to be epic. Identifying obstacles and scheduling conflicts is key.

IMPLEMENTATION [3..2..1…LAUNCH!]

Work work work until all your work is done! Delegation, training, and monitoring is happening. Setup and logistics are underway. Stakeholder involvement and/or updates are occurring. Backup plans, alternative action, or adjustments may be necessary.

Regular reports share project status, modifications, and forecasts. Underestimation of project complexity is a factor in 35% of project shortfalls according to IBM. Managing implementation closely is the key job of EPIC DECA leaders!

• • • •

• • • • • • •

Who owns this project?

When do we start?

When is it over?

What do we believe is possible?

When do we finish?

What action steps are required?

Why is this important to DECA? Who needs to be involved in the approval process?

What does success look like if this project is properly executed?

What did you observe while the project was underway?

What would you repeat and/or fix in the future?

Did we hit the mark?

Who do we share with? When?

Who is the customer?

What do customers value?

Who needs to buy in and support this project?

Who is involved and how do we coordinate?

What training is necessary?

Who needs to approve this project?

What budget and resources are necessary?

When and what will you report to whom?

What support do team members need?

How are you monitoring and following up?

What adjustments are necessary?

Who is the backup?

Who are we apprenticing to lead next time?

Are we on track?

COMMUNICATION [BRINGING TOGETHER]

The root word of communication is “commune” meaning “bring together.” The leading cause of failed projects is poor communication. According to a Bull study, 57% projects fail to bring people together to turn potential into reality.

• • •

EPIC DECA leaders are skilled at selecting the right message (refer to Crazy 8 Communication). They are organized and disciplined to deliver key messages at the right time, to the right people, using the right medium (e.g. presentation, letter, visit, proposal, social media, etc.).

• •

Who do we notify and invite?

What’s the best communication medium?

Who can craft messages people care about?

Who do we engage?

What’s the media angle?

DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

EPIC DECA PROJECT PLANNING WORKSHEET PROJECT INITIATION Project Name

Start Line

DECA Mission Area

Deadline

DECA Goal(s)

Approver

Vision

Project Leader(s)

Action Items

Due

Leader

Backup/Apprentice

EVALUATION

PLANNING

IMPLEMENTATION

COMMUNICATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY CHART PROGRAM PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIPof LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTS

DECA MISSION AREA: 1. Leadership 2. Career Development 3. Marketing 4. Finance 5. Hospitality GOAL VISION STATEMENT

Executive Team Lead(s) KEY PROJECT INTIATIVES

Montana DECA State Officer Team SUCCESS CRITERIA

TIME FRAME

PROJECT LEADER(S)

NOTES: PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIP

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PROFESSIONALISM TOOLS Within _____ seconds of meeting someone, they form ______ impressions about you and the organization you represent.

MAKING INTROUDCTIONS 1. START STRONG • • •

Introduce two people as soon as you can Be cautious not to interrupt a conversation Find the opening and give others a strong start

2. DETERMINE THE RESPECT RANK • • • • • •

Ladies and gentlemen (unless the man is significantly older) Great age before great youth Relatives before friends Leadership before membership (e.g. association officer to chapter officer) Customer (e.g. prospective member or DECA partner) to colleague (e.g. officer) Longest relationship before newest relationship

When Equal: The person you don’t know well to the person you do know well In Business: Rank before gender

3. STAY STRONG • •

State the name of person with highest rank Then present the person of lower rank

Example: “Dad, I’d like you to meet Annabelle, our DECA chapter president.”

Example: “Mr. Old, I’d like you to meet Madelyn Young.”

4. GROW STRONG • • •

Context to launch conversation Provide the connecting threat Queue up common groud

Example: “Sarah (Association President), I’d like you to meet Luca Richards, our DECA VP of Hospitality. He’s the one who has done a great job of leading our huge membership increase this year.”

REMEMBER NAMES Everyone loves the sound of their own name, but everyone also struggles to remember names. Make the effort to remember names by listening to the name when it’s said and perhaps repeating the name out loud. If you are able to associate the name with something memorable, this is also a technique to help you remember.

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DRESS FOR SUCCESS PROFESSIONALISM TOOLS DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

PROFESSIONAL DRESS

GROOMING TIPS

DECA BUSINESS CASUAL

DECA BUSINESS CASUAL

This is looking your DECA best WITHOUT the blazer and tie. That means casual slacks or khakis, a button-down shirt or polo, dress socks and casual shoes (your shoes and socks should NEVER be anything you would wear to go running or play sports).

Business casual is crisp, neat and professional. Even though described as “casual,” this doesn’t mean jeans or your gym shoes!

Females should wear casual slacks with a coordinating blouse or shirt with business casual shoes.

TIP: Wrinkles are the worst! Of course you can iron, but also invest in patterned collared shirts and wrinkle releaser spray to minimize wrinkles. Traveling with your clothes in a garment bag or with a plastic bag from the dry cleaners also helps.

TRAVEL TIPS

TIP: Keep it covered, keep it neutral, keep it classic. When choosing a business casual outfit, dress professionally as if you’re going to meet your future in-laws, not go out to a party or night club.

ACCESSORIES TIPS

DECA PROFESSIONAL

DECA PROFESSIONAL

This is your chance to rock the blazer and look your DECA best!

In addition to your DECA blazer, you’ll also want to wear dress slacks (grey or khaki are your best bets – stay away from black!), collared dress shirt and necktie.

No white socks! Shoes and belts should always match.

Just because you’ll be wearing the same blazer as everyone else, doesn’t mean you can’t find an outfit that best fits you to accompany your DECA blazer.

Females can wear a business dress or a dress blouse with coordinating dress skirt/slacks. And if you ask Cinderella or Dorothy from Oz, they will be sure to mention professional shoes to match.

TIP: Even the finest business clothes won’t look good if they don’t fit! Go to a tailor (like our DECA partners at Men’s Wearhouse) to get your measurements. If you’ve got a slim build, always buy the “slim fit” version of your clothes. You’ll look sharper no matter what the brand!

SCORE BOARD

TIP: Incorporate color and professional accessories! This is a great way to represent DECA, but with your own personality and style.

RECOMMENDED PROFESSIONALISM RESOURCES

ON STAGE AT YOUR BEST OFF STAGE AT REST DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

THE SPOTLIGHT

Representing the Blazer means being your DECA best in all situations. The important thing to remember is whether you’re speaking at your chartered association’s conference or simply meeting a group of members, people are always watching your behavior as a model of leadership for the organization. In short, YOU ARE ALWAYS ON STAGE! Make sure that your actions at all times represent that responsibility.

Here are some tips for minding your mingle and representing the blazer in social situations.

• Mind Your _____________________________________ In a room full of members and potential partners, you should always be making a conscious effort to meet as many people as possible. Remember that as a leader in DECA, many younger members look up to you as a role model, and many potential partners see you as a representative of your chapter. Your engagement with them gives them a connection to the chapter and makes them feel important.

• Mind Your _____________________________________ Remember that your body language is even more important to your message than the words you’re saying. Give a firm (but not painful!) handshake, make persistent (but not uncomfortable!) eye contact, and keep your stance open and your hands out of your pockets.

• Mind Your _____________________________________ Keep your conversation positive, friendly, and uncontroversial. Remember that many people will be in awe of you as a chapter leader, so you may need to guide the conversation. The easiest way to do this is to ask open-ended questions about the person you’re interacting with. Questions that end with “yes” or “no” or simple answers kill conversation – get them talking about parts of their lives, and maintain the conversation with rapt attention and follow-up questions.

• Mind Your _____________________________________ If you’re looking to continue a relationship with a member or partner, take the initiative to set up future times to interact. This means sharing business cards, inviting them to future events, or scheduling a time to chat again.

• Mind Your _____________________________________ Remember the reason that you’re having the conversation! Small talk can be awkward, but you’re working to make people feel more connected to DECA, and to feel excited to support your organization. Keep the end goal in mind, and it can help guide all of your conversations to productive and meaningful outcomes.

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ADVOCACY ADVOCACY DEFINED

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WHY ADVOCACY IS IMPORTANT

WHERE WE ADVOCATE

STRATEGY AUDIENCES

Who is your target audience for your DECAdvocacy efforts?

School

ACTIVITIES

ACTIONS

What DECAdvocacy How can your target audience activities can association take action in support of officers do to connect with DECAdvocacy? target audience?

•

Presentation to school administrator(s)

Start a DECA chapter at school

Volunteer at local community event(s)

Provide promotion and introductions to community leaders

Write to legislator

Request proclamation in support of DECA

• •

Community

•

• •

Public Policymakers

• • •

VISITS AND MEETINGS ARRANGEMENTS SCHEDULE THE VISIT

For in-person meetings with legislators, make an appointment in advance. The process to make an appointment varies for each office, so do you research on their website or by calling the office. Also, keep in mind that meetings should be brief (approximately 15 minutes) and that your legislator may not be available. If this is the case a visit with legislative staff is usually an option and is also impactful. When scheduling a visit, it is best for a constituent to make the request, since the legislators want to hear from who they serve.

DO RESEARCH

What do you know about your legislator? Helpful information and research about who you are meeting with can help you connect during the meeting. Ranging from how they vote, to where they graduated from high school, to if they have any pets…all of this information can be helpful in the meeting. Also, research your “message” – Remember, you are advocating for DECA and CTE, so be prepared to be the expert on these two topics.

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DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

PREPARE MATERIALS TO LEAVE BEHIND

Keep materials minimal and pertinent to DECA. Although you may feel compelled to go above and beyond with special binders, gifts, and a lot of information, this is not necessary. Have a few materials with key information, including the DECA fact sheet, business cards, information about any action items, and a list of upcoming events.

PRACTICE

Practice will ensure your team is prepared and professional during the meeting. If you have more than one person speaking during the meeting, this will help define transitions between speakers so that all information will flow seamlessly.

AGENDA ITEM Introduction I AM DECA

What is DECA? What is CTE?

I AM DECA Story

Ask/Action

Q&A

Closing and Photo

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DETAILS

WHO

When advocating for CTE, visit www.ctsos.org for information about the collective impact CTSOs make in your congressional district!

DECA

STYLES

CORE 4 COMMUNICATIONS

SCORE BOARD

AFTERWARDS SEND A THANK YOU NOTE

Following the visit, send professional and/or handwritten thank you notes. In the thank you note, express your appreciation, re-emphasize your message, and mention any action items they committed to during the meeting.

AMPLIFY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

Know your legislator’s social media information and make a connection through social media following the visit. You can post a photo on their Facebook page, or @mention them in on Twitter to thank them for their time and support.

Continue to follow their social media activities after the meeting and share any content they post that supports DECA or DECA interests.

FOLLOW UP AND KEEP IN TOUCH

After the meeting, you may need to send additional information, or follow up on information you requested during the meeting. Also, you made an ask or call to action during the meeting, so stay informed on how your legislator follows through with your ask, and thank them for any progress and efforts. In addition, find ways to keep in touch by sending newsletter updates, invitations to events, and attending events hosted by your legislator that are open to the public.

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KNOW YOUR DECA You cannot lead at full potential that which you do not know. Continuous learning about DECA is vital for the effective and dynamic Chartered Association Officer. Enthusiasm for DECA combined with a sincere desire to understand and share the knowledge you have gained are vital attributes for successful emerging leaders.

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FACT SHEET

LEARN MORE AT DECA.ORG

MISSION STATEMENT

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

CAREER CLUSTERS DECA extends the teaching and learning of National Curriculum Standards in four career clusters.

DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program integrates into classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business and promotes competition.

COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING PROGRAM

COLLEGE + CAREER READY

97%

88%

89%

5X

of DECA members report DECA empowered them to be an effective leader.

of DECA members report that DECA has prepared them academically for college and a career.

of DECA members report DECA connected school to the real world.

DECA prepares the next generation to be academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible, experienced leaders.

DECA members are five times more likely to want to own their own business.

When selecting a career DECA members are more likely to select a career in marketing, finance, hospitality or business management.

FUTURE MAJOR/CAREER PATH

MEMBERSHIP BY THE NUMBERS

DECA

NATIONAL

Accounting/Finance

6%

2%

Business

14%

4%

Business Owner/Entrepreneur

12%

4%

Fashion Merchandising

5%

3%

Hospitality/Resort Management

2%

.5%

International Business

5%

2%

Marketing/Advertising

8%

1%

Sports Marketing/Management

7%

4%

COLLEGE AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS

COMPETITIVE EVENTS PROGRAM

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014

PUBLICATIONS MARKETING TO

GENERATION Z

DECA members are academically prepared students who will enter college with credits and other forms of academic credentials. <ALASKA <CHINA <GERMANY <GUAM <HAWAII <MEXICO <ONTARIO <PUERTO RICO

60%

<DECA <National

MEMBERS <> 10,000 <7,500–10,000 <5,000–7,500 <2,500–5,000 <1,000–2,500 << 1,000

225,000 MEMBERS | 3,750 CHAPTERS DECA Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit student organization. The United States Congress, the United States Department of Education and state and international departments of education authorize DECA’s programs.

Research findings courtesy of the National Research Center for College and University Admissions. The sample included 34,849 high school DECA members in chapters and at career development conferences and was compared to data from more than one million students nationwide.

50%

SCHOOL-BASED ENTERPRISES

40% 30% 20% 10% 0 Honors Program

Advanced Placement

College Credit Courses

Other Advanced Programs

Gifted Accelerated Programs

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE CHALLENGES

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PO BOX 3061 Bozeman, MT 59772 www.mtdeca.com